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Liner Sinks U. S. Lightship, Seven Lives Lost A very unusual accident occurred on the morning of May 15 when the White Star liner Otympic bound from Southhampton to New York, during thick weather, rammed and sank the Nantucket shoals lightship with a loss of seven members of the lightship crew. The following message was re- ceived by officials of the White Star line at 9:30 p.m., May 15 from Capt. J. W. Binks, master of the OLympic: “While in thick weather, proceeding at slow speed, collided with the Nan- tucket light vessel at 10:06 a.m. Light vessel sank. “Two boats lowered at 10:09 and 10:12. Seven survivors rescued. Four of crew missing. Of survivors three have since died. “Later, motorboat, fitted with wire- less, was lowered to assist and bring back the two boats. Ship anchored at 10:35 a.m. until boats returned then proceeding at 11:29 a.m. All time east- ern standard. “All ships and shore stations noti- fied. J. W. Binks, Master” Investigation ‘Ordered at Once A full investigation of the accident was immediately ordered by Secretary Roper and the preliminary fact finding hearing was held in the Customhouse at New York on May 17. The mem- bers of the special committee were: George R. Putnam, commissioner of lighthouse; D. N. Hoover, assistant director, bureau of navigation and steamboat inspection; and Rear Ad- miral J. G. Tawresey, U. S. N. (re- tired), representing the shipping board bureau. This preliminary investiga- tion was for the purpose of determin- ing the facts and not to fix responsibil- ity. It is expected that the British board of trade will also conduct a thorough examination. Warning Had Been Issued It will be necessary to wait for the report of the investigating committee before the real causes of the disaster can be ascertained. In view of this disaster it is of special significance to note that the lighthouse service bulletin of the de- partment of commerce for May 1, 1934 had as its leading article a discus- sion of the necessity of care in ap- proaching lightships on radio bear- ings. A part of this article is quoted as follows: “Radiobeacons placed on lightships provide very valuable leading marks in approaching the coasts and ports. Consequently nearly half of the radio- beacons on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the United States are located on lightships. Several recent incidents, however, show that serious risks are incurred by masters of steamers using radio bearings to set courses directly for the lightships, without suitable pre- 18 cautions. Recently an Atlantic liner in approaching Nantucket lightship in a dense fog, found the radio bearing so accurate that the steamer scraped the side of the lightship and carried away the antenna yards; the other signals of the lightship were not heard in time to permit the course to be changed to pass clear; also the crew of the lightship did not hear the steam- er’s fog warning whistle in time to give any special counter warning. “It is exceedingly dangerous navi- gation to proceed on a radio bearing directly for a lightship, counting on hearing the fog signals in time to change course and pass safely. The vagaries of sound fog signals are well known, and such signals may not be heard with certainly in time to avoid a collision, serious alike to the ap- proaching vessel and to the lightship; the loss of the latter would dangerous- ly affect all other navigation in the vicinity.” Relief Lightship Placed Secretary Roper conveyed to the families of the crew of the lightship appreciation of the loyal service of the men who had lost their lives and deep sympathy for members of _ their families. A relief lightship was placed on the Nantucket station 26 hours after the accident. The Nantucket shoals lightship oc- cupies a station not only of first im- portance in guiding transatlantic shipping approaching the coast, but of considerable peril because of its lo- cation 41 miles from the land, in the track of hurricanes and in an ocean area traversed by heavy marine traffic, and often, as was the case when the accident happened, blanketed in fog. _ Despite the dangerous location this is the first serious disaster that has oc- curred at this station in many years. Among the survivors of the disaster was Capt. George Braithwaite, com- mander of the lightship, who asserted that everything on his ship was work- ing perfectly and his radio operator declared his signals were being sent off with clocklike regularity. Edward D. a Dies Edward D. Tenney, board chairman of the Matson Navigation Co., died at San Francisco, April 29, at the age of De He was one of the leading business men in the trade between Hawaii and the mainland. He divided his time be- tween San Francisco and Honolulu where he was chairman of the board of Castle & Cook, a shipping and travel firm, and also of the Bank of Hawaii. Mr. Tenney was born in Plainfield, N. J. He went to Honolulu at the age of 18 where shortly afterwards he en- tered the employ of Castle & Cook, with which company he was connected for over 50 years. MARINE REVIEW—June, 1934 Peacock Heads Ship Bureau as Acting Director J. Graig Peacock was appointed act- ing director of the shipping board bureau by Secretary Roper on May 6, following the definite retirement of H. H. Heimann. A month previously Mr. Peacock had been appointed special assistant to the director and a member of the advisory shipping committee. At that time it was understood that Mr. Heimann would continue to direct major policies and affairs of the bureau even after his return to his position as execu- tive manager of the National Associa- tion of Credit Men, pending the selec- tion of his permanent successor as. director. A week’s trial of this ar- rangement made it clear to Mr. Hei- mann that it was not practicable and he therefore withdrew completely from any connection with the direc- tion of the affairs of the bureau, though this has not been officially an- nounced by the secretary of commerce. The official announcement from Sec- retary Roper’s office on May 7 in con- nection with these developments is as follows: “Mr. Heimann has requested a tem- porary leave of absence from his posi- tion as director of the bureau to as- sist in the organization of the annual convention of the National Association of Credit Men from which association Mr. Heimann recently took a leave of absence to accept a position of director of the shipping board bureau at the re- quest of the secretary of commerce.” The statement also quoted the follow- ing communication addressed to Mr. Heimann by the secretary of commerce as follows: “Agreeable to your recommenda- tions of May 3 that I appoint an acting: director of the United States shipping board bureau, I hereby designate J. Craig Peacock to act as director dur- ing the days of your absence from the: bureau, between now and June 30, 1934.” Daniel Bacon Dies Daniel Bacon, chairman of the board of the West Indies Steamship Co., New York, agent for Elder, Dempster, & Cook Ltd., died May 10 at Montevideo: at the age of 71. With his wife he was on a world cruise on the Cunard liner FRANCONIA at the time of his death. Mr. Bacon came from an old New York shipping family. He was promin- ent in yachting circles. He was born. in New York city, Aug. 27, 1862. At the age of 17 he went to sea as an appren- tice on a clipper ship to learn seaman- ship and navigation. On his return he entered his father’s office. Later he opened his own office as freight broker and became agent and part owner of several sailing vessels.