The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-02-24

1HE LlUilT HOUSE DOAhD.-Ontll 4 OOZ
the lighthouses were uuder the superin
teudeuce OF the Fifth Auditor of the
Treasury, who had other matters to at.
tend to. was not him,elf chosen AZ 40 ex.
pert ia light house construction or main.
tenahce, aud had no authority to employ
skilled sssistunts. There had ,epn such
constant aud urgent complaints Of the de.
fcI II lies Of our lighthouse system that
commission oi proper persODs w"s ut lsst
Srnt to Europe TO inquiie iuto the man.
agement of lighthouses there. aud IN
consequence OF their report the present
Light house Board Was constituted l.,
act of Congrcs. in August, 1852 Thi,
act authorized aud rqured the President
10 appoint immediately two hccls of the
navy Of high rank, Que officer Of the En-.
queer Corps, Que Of the Typographical
Engineers, aud two civilians of high scien.
tiic atiainments; also an tfficer Of the
navy and one Of the engineers to be sec.
retaries. These together we're cousiitut.
cd the Light.houso Board. and to it wus
given charge Of the erection, repair, and
maintenance Of all lighthouses, light.
ships, heacops, aud buoys, with full pow.
ers. The Secretary of the Treasury was
made ex ficio president OF the board.
The 10 bors OF this Lighthouse Board
have placed our light service, which Was
once the worst 10 the world, at the head
Of all for the excellence OF its different
devices for relieving navigation ofrisks,
aud making our harbors easily accessible.
All the most approved modern improve.
meuts in lenses, ,redectors, and lamps have
been introduced the many difficulties in
building lighthouses which arc found on
our long and varied eoast.line have been
overcome with engineering skill and 10.
genuity highly credtsblc to our officers
aud Congress. dealing literally with this
branch Of the service, has enabled the
board to perfect their work in oil re.
spects.
There are thirteen lighthouse districts
beginning in Maine, aud ending on the
Pacific coast, and competent officers are
detailed in each district to superintend
uew structures and rcpairs,a to see that
supplies are constantly sent as needed.
A lighthouse keeper is required by
the government to be over eighteen years
old, to be able to read and write, and to
be competent for his duties. "Womer
aud servants must Lot be employed 10 the
management Of the lights, except by the
special authority Of the department
There are six orders of lights in oul
service, the first being established to give
warning of the approach to land, and thu
others being subsidiary, to mark head
la"ds and points in bays, rivers and lakes
There ATE white and red lights fixed re
volvug, and flash lights and the revolv
ing lights have different intervals, from
minute and half to ten seconds. There
are also fixed white lights showing a rec
tlasn at Intervals; aud in some cases tive
sud even three e ed white lights mark
headland. Thus ou CaTc Cod. Chatham
mas ,wo lights, aud Nausert three iu ,
row These differences are made 10 en-
'hle mariners the more readily and sure
y 10 distinguish lights apart. and thus tt
e certain what point or headand the,
are approaching at night. For the san,
'ea>ors llghtships are numbered. nnC
nave their numbers painted on their sides
buoys, too. are set III regular order fo
the better guidance Of seamen Thus, OF
euteriug bay OF haIbor, the ship leave
rcd huoys, with even numbers ou be-
'tarboard. aud black tuoys, with ode
nnmoerr Oh her poat 81 ie Where buoy
marks an obstruction in mid .channe
which may be passed on either side, it il
painted with horizontal red and 5lscl
stripes but if the buoy is striped whit,
and black perpeudicularly, this denotes
hat you must pass close to it to avolc
danger. Perches with halls and cage
on buoys denote they are placed at turn
ing, points in the channel. Thus it viii
be seen that by various ingenious expedi
entS. us little as possible is left to chanc,
or guess work and the seaman wko ha
his chart before him. and understand
these simple regulations. can find his wa,
into any Of our ports
All lights on the ST. Lawrence, and al
on our Northern lakes and their bays,a
discontinued on the lst Of January, ape
rell, only when ,he Ice melts aud naviga
tou reopeDs.
Cougress rightly has great con6denc
IN the scientific skill aud integrity of th'
Lighthouse Board. AT the last session
besides the usual appropriation for tn
main'enonce OF the lighthouse system. i
gave the money needed to build forty nev
, lighthouses and ten steam fog signals. l
We ever have merchant marine Of ou
! Own agaiu,our seameu will find the storm,
aud rock bound coasts of their eountrl
well lighted for them.-CHARLEs NoRD
norF, in Harper's Magazine TOR March