The reference to the wreck of the water lighter X127 (The Sunday Times, November 16, pp. 7, 18) and the claim that the sunken craft at Lazaretto Creek "is the only remaining vessel of its kind" should be considered with some reserve.

All the hull and deck features on X127 can be compared to another water barge, the St Joseph, which lies at Coal Wharf in the inner part of the Grand Harbour. There are twin bollard sets and cast iron rope leads to port and starboard.

The engine ventilation hatches and the sloping end of the engine housing are similar to the X lighters'. The wheelhouse is reached by climbing a low footplate. Two stiffening streaks on deck run the length of the vessel to port and starboard. However, the most noteworthy feature is the semi-circular guard at the stern that protects the huge rudder during berthing or while going alongside ships to deliver water.

Having said that, the St Joseph shows signs of rebuilding over the years, notably at the bows and the bridge. She is now owned by Cassar Shipyard. I suspect she is also a former X lighter, operated by the Victualling Yard as a water barge, in which role she continued after passing into civilian ownership.

I am enclosing a photo of the St Joseph delivering water to HMS Ocean in November 2001 and in her latest guise in Cassar colours. Also for comparison, two earlier photos of X water lighters, the X131 at Ta' Xbiex next to H.M. submarine Taku, during WWII and the X182 at Somerset Wharf amid the heavily bombed Dockyard. What looks like another X boat lies partly submerged at the Melita Slip at right. Incidentally, all these water lighters carried the prefix V.Y. (for Victualling Yard) before their numbers.

On a final note, I think it only fair to add that The Times of October 23, 1995, reported the sinking at her berth of the St Joseph and another water barge, the St Francis at Coal Wharf. St Joseph was described as having been built in 1938, 33.4 m long, a beam of 6.8 m and a draft of 2.64 m. Both vessels were subsequently raised and returned to service.