The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-07-16

MIR EDITOR noticed BY your paper, short time
system are now in session al Washington. add giving
the subject thorough examination II is my humble
opinion that the light house system very much needs IT.
Mr. Editor we ON Cape Cod ought to feel an interest
in thus investigation, there is not family on the
Cape but has OF It's members or al least
some one OF It's neghbors, that spend much oi .hs'' ne
on the bcserous ocean Behold on yonder height mere
stands the kind bene VIOLENT moiher The aeeoha'e we
fond sister, looking out on The wide extensive space
OF wafer. with the deepest anxiety Tor me return OF
those they fondly love, and the sale return OF
whom much oil their earthly enjoymenls depends
Therefore, good lights OF The greatest Importance
them and to us, their anxious friends IN preserving
their lives and property from the dangers OF the tenn
petuous ocean, think is the duty OF every one 10 ex
press his opinion bodly and ieaessy on the subject
and the prosperity oil the nation depends very uch on
tie safety and prosperity OF commerce and navigation
aud good ghis OF the greatest importance TO Inc
preservation not only of those branches of national IN
dusty, hut to The lives aad property OF those thar go
down in ships 10 do business on the Righy deep, every
ought 10 be resoed 10 TO accomplish 90 desirable
object that OF improving the lights on our extensive
seacoast
II is my humble opinion that the present light house
system is very deficient in accomplishing the desired OBJ
ec for which il intended. Almost everything about
the lighthouse, believe is done by contract, from the
tower of the house TO the little wick for the lamp; and
no doubt the contractor thinks more about the profits oil
his than he thinks about improving the light
The mariner is not exposed 10 the dark and stormy
night, raging Of the wind bowling OF the tempest and
that ones sweep him along into danger before he is
aware of his situaton-ofliimes destroying the noble
ship and all on board
70 produce good and safe light the following things
in my opinion very essential, viz suitable oca-
:ion good pure sperm OIL and suitable lamps to burn
inhe refectors formed as TO throw OF the greatest
power OF light in the direction most needed, ana inc
lamps and reectors hung and secured az not 70 be
easily osed out Of place to bring the flame OF the
lamp directly in front OF the centre OF the reflector anu
all other things necessary for keeping the lighthouse III
good order We want for keepers faithful men-those
can place confidence in But The best keepers IN the
world cannot make good light without they are fur
WI hsutah fiji IN re-
men for superintendent OF our lgho who know the
value OF good light by exparience-such a one as has
stood hours the rigging OF his ship IN the tempestuous
storm with the greatest anxiety to discover light on
which the safety OF the ship and all board very much
depended He wants TO acquant himself with the dif-
ferent qualities of OIL and other things needfu for the
of the light and call now and then and spend night
with the keeper, and if he is furnished with them
and see the keeper understands his duty NOT give
finds him unfahul and neglecis his duty, have HIM re-
moved. and have his place filled with some one that will
attend to his duty faithfully Why not appoint such
instead OF professional men, has generally been the
this Slater What do such Bancroft. Lincoln,
Morton and Rantoul Gall Of whom have been suPerIn
tendents of light houses this Saie know about light
house anything belonging TO it, II is not TO be ex
peced that such would be found among the OIL butts
examining the quality OF the oil and II they should, they
could not tell sperm oil from hogs fat think there Is
danger OF getting high for their station as well as
beneath it. Bancroft is star OF the first magnitude IN
the literary heavens. shining with spIendoI over The lite
rary world Lincoln and Morton, both of them have
filled the chair of State and sat the bench OF the Su
preme Court, and have filled those high stations with
honor and Justice themselves and their couny and
Rantou the legal heaven what Bancroft is to the
literary. The light house department belongs 10 navga.
ton, and should just think OF employing one OF
The before mentioned gentlemen to take charge OF ship
as TO take charge OF a light house
The present superintendent CT lights in this State have
nothing TO say about for know nothing OF his quaih-
cations. But there some things do know-that
about all the light house keepers Cape Cod have been
removed (and never heard any complaint against either
of them for neglect of duty) since he has been supeIn
endent And also very important light house has
fallen down. thereby putting out the light at time when
it needed, and destroying life instead OF pre-
serving it and there another ghtbous suffered to
stand in such trail condition that the keeper is almost
afraid be in il when the wind blows hard And have
known oil that furnished for the light that was moi
fit burn in the lighthouse, in any other house to
.Et ~ MI lAss me-, of the lights are by no means
1 NV f01Nd might be if proper attention was
49, "a &et L think this desired object will
'l1ef1r q3pesent light house system J
49, thorough investigation. as;sl ,o.s and
psh the very desirable object OF making good lights on
our extensive seacoast.
1t is my opinion that poor light in bad loca
on ofltmes does the mariner hurt than good for
he finds not the light guide him that be expected and
therefore has got into difficulty which he would not II he
had known there was not any light there.
/ A CAPE COD MAN.
/ CAPE CoD June, 1851