The New York herald., 1872-11-25

- 70 mis- whereabouts II through any
Ssfsc nash the and scpss were aersd
The revolving apparatus 10 kept 10 motion. there
fore, by powerful '.clock work" machinery. and its
order lens, with lamp. table and machinery, weighs
at least two and . hall tons, nearly two tons OF
inc gear The cost of such lens OF the best French
manufacture Is about sixty-fve thousand irancsi
and it would take about thirty 10 ior.y cases ana
condition for shipment. Each lens, upon being re-
ceived BY the authorities, is accurately fitted.
Out from the shop to be erected in any lighthouse,
and there are now three lenses in the testing room
at Tompkinsvilie two OF them being revolyers and
the other third order stationary lens In the
above descript o. Of iens such a one as would
illuminate the entire horizon Is described but there
are several other varieties OF lenses such as the
lens of1S0 degrees, which Is intended only to show
light directly in front over half OF the horizon.
recent date it has been customary to receive the
lenses complete with all fittings
DIRECT FROM FRANCE,
bnt atterly the frames have been constructed for
many OF them IN the shops OF the Board. This gives
employment to quite number OF brass-nnisler5.
These workmen are, however, most busily en-
plOyed in the making OF lamps and brass work for
fittings and repairs. 1t does not seem to the Ord
nary mind that lamp intended to burn lard oil
structed instrument, but an inspection OF the
lamps In the amp-room OF the Board will both sur
most noted lamps In use, and unquestion-
ably the best in existence. are the inven
singularly unique specimens OF light machinery:
There are about dozen different lamps mounted
and in working order In the lamp room, to illustrate
by experiments the various principles To de-
scribe briefly such alamp IL is only necessary TO say
1t consists OF u tank or oil basn with wick holder
and glass chimney. These are the three very
necessary major portions. The desideratum is TO
produce steady and brilliant flame and to in
sure the lamps against extinguishmeutD by derange-
ply. TO OBTAIN these qualifications great many
plans have been attempted and devised. The wick
OF first or second order light Is In reality
FOUR wICKs OF CIRCULAR SHAPE,
the outer one being about four inches in diameter
anu the three other wicSs being smaller sgcGes .s
lamp supplies these by pumping the Oil nom the
tank and allowing for an overflow in case the sup
found, however, that in cold attitudes the lard Oil
was likely to CONCEAL, and lamps not infrequently
were extinguished by this congelation. Some years
ago young German artisan named Joseph Funck,
employed IN the lamp shop, undertook to remedy
most mos perfect lighthouse lamp yet made. The
various parts oil his lamp are OF very pretty ana
ingenious design and application; put II IS neces'
He arranged his oil tank so that 1t should be heated
continually by the dame Of the lamp thus insurlng
which Is rendered easier by the fact that its tem-
perature is very considerably heightened. IN
aen tho to s ns cw c e oil egus
the supply for the wick by seli-adjusting
foatng plug. The Lighthouse Board adopted
Funck's invention after some little delay and there
are now some two hundred OF his lamps in use
embracing the entire seaboard north of Sandy
Hook and the northern lakes; and just here steps
in what to many bears the impress OF
INVOLUNTARY INJUSTICE.
BY act Of Congress any employe OF the govern.
ment is debarred from any Of the advantages OF
royalty or profit by patent right for any article or
Instrument which he may invent and which may
esh es Or n has bsen
wsrdeS BY the government though It
% his 10 lis sas aa s@ade
him by the Board q short time since. Such an In
vention as this places the whole sea going and COM
ventor, Tor what disasters might not from time to
time ensue in wintry weather-the bitterest time
at ssDy the the &c Isl ne %
larity Of lowY 1t seems hard, indeed; but as an
act OF Congress is the dtctun it appears there can
be remedy for 1t until more wise, discriminate
ing and just measure supersedes it.
THE PHOTOMETER
Is singularly ingenious instrument, erected and
operated in d darKened and air-tight room. BY it
the Illuminating capacity OF the oil Is tested Its
quality being % ,y BY 1eatys candle IDLE
wrggle as they relate to visitor "reminiscences of
hours and hours spent In this room, when even a
mometer crawling up into the nneties. With the
exception OF these departments most OF the re-
mainder OF the buildings are occupied with supplies
all the requirements OF lighthouse Keepers duty
and life There are seven vessels In the service Of
these are at intervals filed with cargo and de-
spatched direct to the lighthouses OF the entire
coast, Including Jne snOTeS VI tne fdcLnc.
THE MEN EMPLOYED
in the lighthouse service as keepers and assistant
keepers OF lighthouses are Invariably selected Tor
their intelligence physical strength and sObriety in
addition to their practical knowledge of the duties
required OF them. Many OF them have families
stationed at or near the lighthouse structures
which they superntend, and many OF them are
bachelors. In any event it must be lonely and
severe life, for in many instances keepers are as
absolutely isolated from the great world OF man.
kind as was Robinson CrusOe. For instance, the
keeper OF the Dry Bank Light, or the Florida reefs,
passes his lie
PERCHED IN A TOWER
supported by the spindle columns OF q screw-pile
structure. To the passing mariner the only terra
Jlrrad visible is score or 80 OF small bOulders,
which rest the crest OF the water-covered reef,
and the waves continually plash and roll up to the
very foot Of the piles which support the light At
o distance Of perhaps fifteen or twenty miles the
plumeS of thousand waving palms may be seen
on Sombrero Key and other islets Of this remark
there s nothing but sea, sky and sail to cheer the
eye OF the Dry Bank LightkeeDer
THE TOTAL FORCE
employed In the lighthouse service Is about five
thousand men, brave and isolated rampant Of
watchers who bear collectively and individually
as great responsibilities as is vouchsaied to man to
bear They are noted to man as brave and
capable and willing to dare and endure for the
safety Of their race and it is, perhaps only neces
sary to allude to the name Of Ida Lewis, the
heroine OF the LIMERICK light at Newport, to show
that even the gentle sex. when reared in COM
panionship with men OF heroic calling, can become
heroic and enduring too.