The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-09-27

{ III. 1893.
PROM INC Journal OF Commerce. Sept. N.
The Crystal Palaco.--Tho Fresnei Light.
So TO nlghtwandering aIlors. pale with iears,
Wide Ger tho waiey waste a lighl appears,
Which on The far scen moinian blazing high, "
Streams from come lonely waich-tower to tho sky
fla1H 40 t7 tAtad, Tt1 Aoi.
Perhaps nothing in the Crystal Palace-varied arc
its collections Of whatever is beautiful and useful in art
and sciencenohing which il contains strikingly
illustrates the great utility OF exhibitions OF this kind
than the Ffesnei light.
This light the last and most approved of all the inge
NOUS and benefccnt contIvances res0rted 10 from the
days of Homer TO 10 diminish the perls of the
which, for the accurate scientific knswedSe and nice
mechanical sk that il displays, is surpassed by nothing
in The Paace'Lls Light, but Tor this exhibition, would
be known only 10 lew accomplished and highly educa
ted persons, who might have the mandatory at Pa
rs. or have akca the time aud trouble 10 20 down 10
Cape Haiierss, sand Key, 10 visit The lighthouses
where they ars }et sp. Now, thanks m the Exhbition
The consrncllon and operation of the FTesnel light Will
be in few months as familiar 10 the whole OF our me-
chanca world AS that OF a common compass.
One Ol the first class F5esnel lights is already set up at
Sand Key, in Fsrds, and il being known that another
was ordered BY the government, for Cape Haeras the
following letter addressed by the President OF the
Association TO The Secretary OF the Treasury:
Oe of the Assecafio for the Exhibition Of The Isdu,try
If all Nations
NEw YoEx. Aug. r. 1853.
Of the Treasury, and also president Of the lighthouse
board
board be put up Cape Hateras, has arrived from
Paris, and in the custom hoaso here !. not i'm
meda,ey wan by the ligbt house board and VIII not be
for lime, the tower is ready lor it,
This purpor Of my letter is, very ectaly 10 request
give permission 70 et this light be put up in our eI
hbition building un, It's wanted.
My object not by so much TO secure for rs
Invention well aud smary known 10 our people and our
,i, 10 NV and
from aarhere can be ndied undo sood, copied and
perhaps improved earnestly hope you may see as
do the advsnagcs unlikely 10 How from with
should add that am informed by a member OF the
lighthouse board that this application has the cordial con-
Of that bodyiha through them the services OF
mos. oiaef 70 put i w be secured and that
May beg Of The favor early reply as your oc-
Believe me. with the hghes, respect, your obeden
THEODORE SEDGWICK. &.
Hon. JANE. GUTHRIE Secretary OF The Treasury, Washing
ION, ID G. afs y ~
The ..member Of the lighthouse boarIn referred TO in
this letter was. presume Captain Dupont, the super
intendent OF the Crystal Palace.
The government, with that liberal disposition which it
has uniformly manifested 10 promote the views oil the as
socaion n ne request contained 10 ,hs ie,
CASTLE OF the Typographical engineers aud secretary Of
the light house board:
tCopyl
TRRA.uEY DEPARTMENT,
ofhce LghtlIouse Board. Aug Is, 1853
Sir Your munioation OF "a instant q The honora-
Bile Secretary Of the Treasury requesting that the 5,sas
light may put sp your exhibition building was 70
ieed the ght.oass board. by whom me application Of
du.'ry Of all N.tions cordially approved
directed by the Secretary OF The Treasury and pres
idcnt oil The lighthouse board to authorize the apparatus
be placed in The Exhibition, under the following cond
tons vizi tha. !, is to be under the charge oi
the expenses OF the exhibition 70 be deayed ny
}Oft he iiQt -nouS
In the condition received whenever It mny be re-
CURED for the public service This will not be before the
IL is suggested that Capt s F. Dupont, United States
he 1 ns o y. Ensban
Arrangement and that the apparatus is placed under
Earnestly hoping IL at the above may be accertab.e to
ysu and that hs benedcen objects you have IN view may
| !. EDMUND L. F. ia aDcAsrLE.
.e Is r.st5 s..s Secretary.
Tmropoxx Sxpswicn, Esq, President ei
The permission thus being obtained, the next matter
10 find the proper person 10 put II up Fortunately
Captain Georse Mead, OF the ,oposrapn'eal ensnsers;
Key. Florida very literally offered his services Tor the
purpose, and the Fesne light in consequence hereol
under his supervision and supen,enderce has beeo ba
ring and revolving aud flashing in hs Exhibition for the
as week-a little crystal palace within the Crystal fal
ace--Impsriun m 'xspsrto
Fancy twenty Jour sided structure Of gIass, lermina
ting at tbe top in sort OF uuncaled cone or dome The
whole being about ten feet high and AK ieet IN dame
er-each of the enly sdes. instead oi being
posed OF one plates Of glass, being msde partly OF
twenty sesmsnts sections OF great lens tour
feet three inches hgh and parily OF phsms 80 sc'ensif
cay calculated artscaly Constructed. and 40 nicely
put together that each psn reracs the ray iron one OF
its surfaces, reflects from the second, and, Teiraeng II
gain from The third, shoots forth sanhke beam OF
light Thus, from lis twenty -four sdes and 0oS Lenses
and prisms, al the instant and erpeualy this mar
veous conriyanoe darts forth its dazzling lish and
volvpg il flashes, only nlermts in lsht si more TO
siare The beholder. .sa s.ss .ss4
Bot we are indebted for full and detailed description
OF this light 10 CAPT. Mead's own notes.
The object ba attained in the use oil Lenses ~ nie ~
Eliminating apparatus OF lighthouse 70 ELECTED oy cot
ectns all the rays emanalinx from point IN the focus
and after reiractng bending them from their original
pahs projecting them for ward beam whose AXIS CO.
ncdes " ith The axis of the leos.
The earliest notice OF the application OF cnses to
light houses is found in Smeatons Narrative OF The I'd
dystone. where he sates that London opcian $780,
proposed grinding The eass of the lantern to rsdins oil
feel six inches Many attempts were made snhse-
ntly different times. bat succeeded owing 10
the imperfect hgure OF the lens the impure slate OF ioe
glass; and great thickness which rendered the lens IN
ges,ion Of building the lenses separate pieces due TO
Condorcet, who eary l77a pointed out the advan
ages oi this method. IN 1911, Sir David brewster IN
The Edinboro Cycopeda,' proposed This plan and IN
1922 Augusn Fresnel. OF France. made known hs same
mode OF constructing these INSTRUMENTS which
had discovered in 1919, in ignorance OF the we vs. and
abors OF his predecessors To Ffesnel belongs the ad
diona and equally great merit OF being the first to
cute well a. design; and. IN conjunction with M NJ
Arrsgo and Matthew, OF placing powerful lamp in The
focus Of the lensn fact applying II to The practical pa