The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-02-25
For the Union.
LiRht-HOuses.

Permit me- through the columns OF your paper TO call
the attention of Congress to the very lucid and conpre
hensve report of Leutenants Jenkins and Bache United
States navy, the subject OF light houses At the re-
quest of the Secretary of the Treasury these officers were
detailed by the Secretary of the Navy for the purpose of
giving all the information to be had relative to the most
improved light house systems in Europe.
To the Secretary of the Treasury too much praise can
not be awarded for the ability and zeal he has manifested
in originating this design, and projecting plan IN the pros
ecution of which, feel assured, his most sanguine anti
cpaons have been fully realized Il IS not my purpose
to euogze either the protector or the aboers in this good
cause-a cause which comes home to every American
be he of the seaboard or of the western frontier 1t
qures no argument 10 prove how intimately the safety
of commerce is blended with the interests of our common
country And guaranty its safety its successful pros
ecuon to the full extent demanded BY this growing
try without pointing out the dangers with which il is be-
on coast and afording the means of safely
getting into ports, were folly in the fullest sense
of the term This guarantee we have not under our pres
ent system
To saw that we have done well enough--that are
getting along well enoughwlll not satisfy the demands
OF the aring the commercial portion OF our people,
who peril, not only property but life itself under system
Ito say the least OF it, they know to be not the best
For the remedy of these defects, need only refer TO
the report in question: from which may be gathered eve
~ requisite TO make our light house system what it
should be--equa to the best in Europe-o effect which
needs only the action OF Congress, IN accordance with the
recommendations therein made and hazard nothing IN
saying, subject could its action be more udlcIousy
appropriately, deservingly bestowed at this time In
this report accumulated, BY the zeal and aborous In
vestgaton of those into whose hands the subject
ntrsted by the Secretary of the Treasury fund OF in
formation SURPRISING the anticpaons of those who most
sanguinely looked for something on which to erect sys-
tenn equal to the demands of wants. and so plainly
so lucidy, is the remedy for defects therein pre-
scribed that +" he who runs may read We have all
confidence in the deliberations OF Congress- especially
when bestowed on subject universally beneficial
this We trust that this confidence will not be misplaced
on this point and although the session far gone that
its labors may not be brought to close without the pas
sage of act calculated to insure better lights
lights TO guide the wandering mariner into his port OF
the hands of Congress- involves no additional eypend
ture of money by the government 1t simply asks that
the Secretary President, be authorized to appoint
board whose duty it shall be to investigate and report
and those be appointed (as recommended) being now
officers of the to receive no further pay
for this service We trust modest request, affecting
so vast an interest," will not be thrust aside when the
time required for It's being granted would not be so much
as has been spent in writing this laet sentence.