The Republican journal., 1870-06-16
From All the Year Round.
LIGHT-SHIPS.


Round the English coast alone there are between
forty and fifty light-shps great, ugly looking
sells, always painted red, with their names painted
in large white letters on both sides Day after day,
month after month, in fact for seven years each
vessel has to ride at its appointed station After
those seven years it is taken in for short time;
the barnacles and weeds cleared off the bottom
of the vessel, she undergoes thorough overhaul
another years of pitching and tossing. Spare
light-ships are always ready to take the place of
any that brought in for the regular septennial
overhaulng, or to repair damages
1t is matter for wonder that the vessels ride so
long at their allotted stations without breaking
loose, and herein lies the art of lght-ship manage
ment. 1t tells Of careful supervision and efficient
service, that only about once in every ten years is
light ship known to break away from her moor
ings. She is usually moored with single mush-
room anchor. weighing between thirty and forty
hundred weight which sinks into the Ooze or sand
at the bottom of the sea, becoming completely en-
bedded; the cable which holds it would scarcely do
for a Watch-chan, each link being made of one and
half inch iron, and being about seven inches in
length. These cables. have to undergo very
severe process of testing each link, before it is
made use of for mooring purposes, having to bear
strain equal to weight Of thirty tons. Each
vessel is supplied with about two hundred and ten
fathOms, quarter of mile so, Of this cable.
Those which are moored in very deep water have
as much more as the depth of water renders
necessary. 1t is by the skillfu management of the
cable that liSht-ship is enabled to ride out the
fercest storm in safety. In smooth weather they
have only short cable out, but when it is rough
and the pillows run high, they let out sufficient
chain to enable her to mount up to the very top of
the great waves. She is never allowed to go to the
extreme length of her tethe she rises she takes
much chain as she wants. still leaving quantity
on the ground, whereby she seldom jerks at the
anchor, or has a tight strain on the cable. The
constant rise and fall of the cable and the swinging
of the vessel round with the tide, often occasion
strange combinations, and the great chains have
been known to tie themselves in knots or to do
with great difficulty they were disentangled, the
latter operation having to be generally performed
by means of sledge-h hammers and anvils.
Some readers perhaps wonder how the lights are
maintained bright and clear on very stormy nights,
and why the rolling and plunging of the vessel does
not upset all the lighting arrangements. 1t is
managed in this way. The lantern is made to sur
round the mast to show light all around; it is
hoistcd up at night. but is lowered OH to the deck
in the daytime. Inside the lantern is circular
frame work, on to which are fitted number of
argand lamps with refectors behind; each lamp
and each reflector swings by means of gimbal work.
so that however much the ship may lurch or roll
the lamps and refiectors are kept perpendicular by
their own weight. This apparatus requires a good
deal of attention to keep it always in easy working
condition, more especially when the vessel has re-
volving lights with clockwork machinery to turn
them.
1t is the business of the to keep good lights
burning; to work with a WindlasS) the cable in
and out as occasion may require; to fire warning
signals if they see a vessel standing into danger
and distress signals if assistance is wanted from
shore; in fact to make themselves as seryiceable
as they can to passing ships. The whole crew is
composed of eleven men; MASTER mate, three
lamp-lighters, and six seamen: but of these, four
are always on shore in turn, so that seven men
only are on board at one time: the master and
mate have alternate months afoat and ashore, the
rest of the crew have two months ahOat and one
month ashore. At the beginning of each month the
Trinity steamers 60 out with numbers of unhappy
looking men who going to be lett at for two
months and return with much merrer crews who
was about to have their month ashore. These lat
ter often come back laden with toys, boots, &C..
which they have made in their spare time on board
the light-ship, which articles they sell on shore.
1t is no joke being on board light-ship in rough
weather: Here is a melancholy incident which
lght-vessel in Morecambe Bay had the watch one
terrific night; one had gone below for a moment
two, and while there he felt q tremendous
his comrade was not to i,c seen; he had no doubt
been caught up by the furious and carried over
board Another huge wave presently broke over
the ship, and this time seized and carried off the
remaining seaman The officer in charge, in pur-
suance of the regulation requiring him to go up
frequently on deck in rough weather to see that
all was right, went on deck and missed the two
men who had the watch.
He saw the state of the weather and feared some
thing dreadful had happened, and then he took the
watch upon himself bravely lashing himself with a
rope to the mast. The great waves dashed over the
vessel, but still he remained faithful to his duty.
Meanwhile the light burned bright and clear, and
In spite of the fury of the storm flashed across the
troubled waters, faithfully fulfilling its benefcent
purpose.
The crews ofthe light ships are occasionally hon
ored by visitors. The Trinity yacht, with some of
the members of the Trinity Board sometimes un-
expectedly appears, and an inspection is made of
the condition of the vessel Woe to the officer in
charge if any sign of neglect shows itself; the Sc
we're displeasure of the Board will be visited on
him. But, creditable alike to the vigilance of the
of the members of the Board and to the esprit de
corps of the men in the service there is seldom
casion to find fault. Sometimes the lightsmen have
to entertain shipWrecked crews, taking them in
and giving them board and lodging until an oppor-
tunity occurs for sending them ashore. There is
among our voyaging sailors kindly sympathy for
the lightsmen, and just appreciation of the value
of the light-shps to navigation, and in consequence
captains of passing vessels will often go close to the
ght-ship, the sailors will shOut out a friendly sau-
tation and fling out bundle of newspapers or
some other equally acceptable offering for the bene-
tit of the llghtsmen. But the most remarkable Wis
tors come on very dark and cloudy nights. 1t is
then that belated birds who have flown out to sea
and are unable to find their way back in the dark,
are attracted by the ships lights. and settle i'll
hundreds on the rigging and about the ship.
Some of the more thoughtless and rash, in their
eager haste to reach the light, fly towards it with
all their strength and before they knew where they
are come with great force against the lantern glass
and fall stunned and often killed on the deck
Many people would be asonished to hear of the
woodcocks, partridges, backbrds, thrushes, &C.,
hat are sometimes caught by the seamen of the
ght-vesses.
1t is somewhat surprising that men can bo readi,
ly found to man these ships To be coopeti up i'll a
vessel of hundred and fifty tons, whichis chain
ed to one position in dreary waste of waters; to
be subjected to althe pers OF storms and tcmpests
to be continually pitched and flung about-all this
would seem to make life burden and misery.
But there are who like to tumble through life,
who delight in being tempest-tOssed and storm
beaten, and who are quite willing to undergo the
pers and hardships of life i'll ligh-ship, provided
they can earn a livelihood by it.
Life in the Rocky Mountains is complicated
by whirlwinis There is particular valley
about half a mile from Deer Lodge City that
has more experience of the sort than salulrity
requires. Once week has been the recent
average Following q track of not over 800
or 400 yards in width, these infuriate zephyrs
think nothing of lifting fences and boulders,
or of twisting out a log or two from the sides
of q finished habitation. The latest occur
renee of the sort is rather more surprising in
the way of effort A Mr.. Elliott quite recent
ly purchased a residence in that valley of the
winds. On Saturday, a fortnight since, he
was seated on the roof Of his newly-acquired
property repairingit it. His son was seated on
a corner of the structure ; the head OF the
house straddled the roof-tree. The whirl-
wind ''dipped" into the valley-at least that
is the phrase they use there about whirlwinds,
and they ought to know. The roof, having