Lightships and Lighthouses

by Frederick Arthur Ambrose Talbot

A well-known South African warning with a range of 23 miles.

THE PACIFIC OUTPOST OF THE UNITED STATES.

The San Francisco Lightship throws a flashing electric beam of 700 candle-power and is fitted also with the submarine bell.

At all the isolated and rock stations landing is a hazardous task, even under the most favourable conditions. The swell and currents breaking upon the rocks render it impossible for freight and men to be landed direct from the steamer to the rock. Consequently all the work has to be carried out by means of surf-boats, and heavy drenchings from breaking waves, and exciting moments, are unavoidable. At times the task assumes exceptional difficulty, and is attended with fatal mishaps. On June 2, 1899, the Hinemoa stood in towards the East Cape, the most easterly promontory on the islands, on the southern arm enclosing the Bay of Plenty. The sea looked wicked, but the relieving ship decided to go ahead with its work. All went well until a heavy roller suddenly came in and caught one of the boats at a disadvantage. The craft was capsized before the crew realized their position, and the chief officer, with three of his men, was drowned. Such is one of the penalties which have been exacted by the relentless sea, while courageous men have been engaged in the risky occupation of keeping the coast lights shining for the guidance of seafarers.

The New Zealand shores have been the scenes of some heartrending catastrophes. The steamship Tararua, of 563 tons register, was making her way from Dunedin to the Bluff, when she crashed on to the reef which juts seaward from Waipapapa Point. There was no light to warn the ship—hence the accident. The vessel, battered by sledge-hammer seas, broke up very rapidly, and 130 passengers lost their lives. If the point had been guarded, no accident would have happened. Now a second-order dioptric flashing light of ten seconds guards the reef, and may be seen from a distance of thirteen and a half miles. Another calamity was the loss of the Huddart Parker liner on a danger spot known as the Three Kings Rock. The fearsome character of this peril has been recognized for many years past, but, as it is to be marked by a light suited to the locality, it is hoped that its evil harvest will come to an end. Yet at the same time it must be pointed out that the provision of a light does not always prevent a wreck even in the clearest weather, owing to the weakness of human nature. This was proved by the steamship Triumph, of 1,797 tons register. She left Auckland on the night of November 29, 1883, picked up the Tiri-Tiri Island light—this fixed star can be seen from a distance of twenty-four miles—and yet within two hours of her sailing was wrecked almost under the lighthouse. In this instance gross negligence was only too palpable, and the court of inquiry, after its investigation of the wreck, signified its opinion of the carelessness displayed by suspending the certificate of the master for three years, and that of the chief officer for six months.

Apart from Cook’s Strait, the narrow passage between the two islands, the extreme points of the country are well guarded, the towers for the most part being located upon the prominent headlands. The southern extremity of the South Island is a dangerous coast to navigate, since going east, after the Puysegur Point ten seconds flashing light is dropped at a distance of nineteen miles from the headland, the vessel’s course is set to traverse Foveaux Strait, between the mainland and Stewart Island. In the centre of the neck of water is an ominous rock, Centre Island, which, however, is well guarded by a first-order catadioptric fixed light, shining from a wooden tower, the range of which extends for twenty-two and a half miles, with red arcs marking the inshore dangers. Overlapping this beacon’s field of patrol is a light mounted on Dog Island, revolving once in thirty seconds, and visible for eighteen miles, which in turn meets the Waipapapa light. Thus the approach to Invercargill is well indicated, and, with the east coast promontories all protected, the possibility of a repetition of the Tararua disaster is rendered remote.

On the extreme northern tip of the sister isle, the headland known as Cape Maria Van Diemen carries a first-order dioptric light, revolving once a minute, illuminating a circle of sea having a radius of twenty-four and a half miles. The adjacent headland at the opposite corner of this spit, North Cape, has not been protected hitherto; but this deficiency is now being remedied by the erection of a second-order, incandescent, group-flashing white light, giving three flashes in quick succession every half-minute. The brilliant illumination of this part of the coast is imperative, inasmuch as shipping bound for and from Auckland has to bear round this heavily indented and rock-strewn coast. The entrance to Auckland harbour in particular is disconcerting, but the navigator is assisted by the friendly guardians placed on Cape Brett, Moko Hinou, and Tiri-Tiri, which have ranges of thirty and a half, twenty-six, and twenty-four miles, respectively. The task of the mariner, however, is to be further simplified by the erection of another powerful light on Chicken Island, in the Hauraki Gulf, which will overlap the Moko Hinou and Tiri-Tiri lights. When this light and that at North Cape are placed in commission, the sea between Cape Maria Van Diemen and Auckland will be very well lighted, and will offer the ship’s master few causes for complaint. Two other points are being equipped, Castle Point and Cape Terawhiti, the former with a second-order, incandescent, group-flashing white light, flashing at intervals of forty-five seconds, with periods of darkness lasting eight seconds between each group.

While the majority of the New Zealand coastal lights are attended, certain beacons, from their exposed position, come in the category of unattended lights, as described elsewhere. These burn acetylene gas, and are replaced with fresh supplies of dissolved acetylene every three months by the Hinemoa. Simultaneously with the provision of additional beacons the existing lights are being overhauled and fitted with modern apparatus, rendering them more reliable, economical, and of greater power. When the service was established, the Doty burner, using paraffin-oil, was adopted; but the perfection of the incandescent oil system, and its many advantages over that in vogue, have influenced the Government towards its adoption. The transformation will be completed as soon as practicable, the work being in active progress, as maintenance expenses are reduced appreciably thereby, because kerosene, a cheaper oil, is used in lieu of paraffin, while, furthermore, less oil is burned under the incandescent system.

Before many years have passed, the coasts of New Zealand will be as adequately protected as is humanly possible by a complete chain of coastal lights, which is being forged as rapidly as the circumstances permit. The Government has revised its light-dues in order to meet the increased expenditure in connection with the lighthouse service. Vessels arriving from outside the Dominion have to pay oversea light-dues at the first port of call, and coastal dues at all other New Zealand ports which they touch; while vessels arriving from the Chatham, Auckland, Campbell, Antipodes, and Bounty Islands also have to contribute to the funds.