The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-09-23
The Fog Signal ut Sambro-Daboll's Fog
Trumpet.
from the Halifax Recorder, Sept. 1871

Our readers are pretty generally aware that arrange
made by the Board Of Works Of this province
q few months ago with Mr.. Daboll, in New York, TO
furnish two Of his rotating fog trumpets for Halifax
watersope Of which to be put up at Sambro, and
the other on Cranberry lsande Canso; the machinery
been successfully at Sambro and previously
intmated, in good working condition
by Mr. Dabo and the Superintendent Of Lighthouses,
and two other gentlemen visited sambro yester
day in the steamer Boxer TO witness the operation of the
machine and hear II blow A little description Of the
signal IN question NAV not be unnteresting.
Mr. Daboll makes use Of Ericssons ca0ric engine for
power to condense the air into air tank, receiver
and with this condensed air blows reed trumpet which
gives very peculiar sound Affixed to the main shaft Of
the engine s ingenious automatic arrangement which
opens the valve upon the mouthpiece Of the trumpet
causing 1t TO blow three or four times minute, each
blast occupying five or six seconds and at the same time
rcvoves the trumpet SO that the sound Is thrown from
point another The sector wheel which regulates
the motion the trumpet arranged that the
pei 90 $50 20 deg
circle $50 deg at pleasure At Sambro the sound only
requires to be heard about the circle Of the ho
the trumpet half way around and back which does
with perfect regularity about a minute
The engine used for the signal at Sambro is OF the
ami the cost for coal TO keep running does not exceed
three cents per hour Unlike steam engine 1t requires
water and engineering To fire IL up and keep II
supplied with coal like house cooking stove is all
that Is required by the lighthouse keeper as the heat
gives the engine its power and motion The sound pro-
think mistake II after he has heard IT,
We understand that since II commenced blowing at Sam
bro 1t has been distinctly heard at distance OF ten
miles
From conversation with the inventor. Mr.. Daboll we
were made acquainted with hrs theory regarding fog
signals. No difficulty exists In making sound from
steam whistle gun; which be heard at long dis
lance provided adequate employed TO give to
these immense power. But steam Is an impracti.
cable and dangerous element at q lighthouse gun
Ii both expensive and dangerous and requires expe
renced gunners, while bells have been employed at
light houses for ages past and have almost invariably
proved failure. Moreover II steam whistle s heard
In fog II Ia quite lkev 70 be mistaken for steamship
II gun is heard in like II would probably be
mistaken for ship at sea To make sound, therefore
which be heard far enough TO be useful, and when
heard, fully recognized and its precise direction ind
Gated Is the true theory OF fog signal In support Of
this, and the efficacy Of Dabos signal Informed
by Captain Kcndrick, the very efficient Superintendent
OF Light Houses for this province that when he was In
the States last spring. examining the different fog signals
in use at light houses there, he met Boston and New
York steamship commander who was Familiarity ac
quaintcd with DaboIls fog trumpet who said TO him
ave always hear Daboll's fog trumpet far enough
TO be useful; and when we hear IL we know what 1t u.s.
and where IL u.s."