THE STRANDING OF THE RUAPEHU.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5763, 6 January 1897, Page 3

THE STRANDING OF THE RUAPEHU.

One of the lessons to be drawn from' the stranding of the Ruapehu,and one that can. be mentioned with perfect propriety without waiting for the verdict of the Court of Inquiry, is the importance of promptly reporting such disasters to head-quarters. Wind and waves working.on a stranded ship pay no respect to anything. They simply hasten the life out of the ship and everybody belonging to her as speedily as they can. In such cases every hour lost may mean the sacrifice of valuable lives. Many of the lighthouses are in touch with the telegraph system, but a considerable number are not. The latter include those at Puysegur Point, Dog Island, Centre Island, Waipapa Point, Cape Saunders, Nugget Point, The Brothers, Stephens Island and Pencarrow Head, and there is, we believe, no provision for connecting Cape Palliser when the lighthouse now in course of erection is complete. It is, of course, possible that a hundred ships might go to pieces without being seen from any lighthouse ; but the lighthouse men are there to see and to receive reports from passing vessels, as in the case of the Ruapehu the other day, and it is highly desirable that they should .be able to communicate what they see and hear to the sources from which assistance may be obtained. The expense may in some cases be a serious obstacle, but where a telegraph connection is impracticable a pigeon service would be comparatively simple. As to the lighthouses that are already in touch with the rest of the world, it is surely the greatest folly to cut them off for the whole night, as appears to have been the case with Collingwood on Friday. If a southerly gale had come on while the Spit people were waiting for the fateful and departmental hour of 9 a.m. , to arrive, the Ruapehu would have 'been a total wreck before the telegraphist at Collingwood had rubbed his eyes and opened his office. No time should, therefore, be lost in making sure that the lighthouses, wherever it is practicable, are in touch with the telegraph system every hour of the night and day. The accident to the Ruapehu has directed attention to this necessity without any loss of life ; the next lesson may be enforced by a much sadder experience.