National Republican., 1875-12-08


There have been added to the feet during the
year small prope Her Of about thirty tons,
commissioned for duty In the harbor and bay OF
San Frsncisco and two sloops which do duty as
revenue cruisers on the Atlantic coast, and, at
the time are specially pssd in and
tions have also been prepared and proposals IN
yited for the construction of a small steamer for
harbor duty at Philadelphia. The steamer
authorized to be built for the Pacific coast is we'll
advanced, and IL is expected will be ready TO go
into commission next season.
..1." LIFE-sAvISG SERVICE.
The stations in operation during the past year
are located in districts Nos. !, 3, and Q, en-
bracing the line ofeoast from the eastern extremity
Of Maine to Cape Hatteras, with the exception OF
that portion embraced between Cape Henlopen
The cost Of maintaining the service during the
last fiscal year, exclusive of the expenditure for
the establishment Of new stations, was sl63, 2452
1t appears from the reports of the superintend-
ents that during the season of 1ST4-T5, (from No
yember ], 1874 to November ], 1s75,l 81 vessels
have been driven ashore within the limits Of the
operation of these stations, having on board 975
souls and valued with their cargoes, at q 607, ~
The life-sayins apparatus was used 9t A wrecks,
II, while more or less assistance was rendered in
most Of the other cases. of the property imper-
He'd Sl.156.475 in value was saved. Sixteen lives
and ss5l 24T of property were lost Seven hundred
and twenty-siX days Ofshelter were afforded at the
stations to 219 shipwrecked persons. Fourteen of
the persons who perished were lost from the Ital-
ian bark Giovanni, wrecked at Peaked Hill bar.
Cape Cod in the seyerest gale known to that coast
for many years This disaster is the first resulting
in great loss of life which has occurred since the
present system of conducting the service was es-
tlblished. thorough investigation was directed
TO be made into the circumstances of the catastro
phe, which proved that no fault attached to the
service, but that the loss of life wholly due to
the fact that the persons upon the wreck were be-
yond the reach of any known means of assistance
from shore. To extend the range OF the means of
establishing effective communication between the
shore and stranded vessels in cases where life
heats No fayo 1ab 60 nl IN bR fayy
points upon our coast where vessels are liable to
strand beyond the reach of the means now in use,
has been and still is object Of special eldeavor.
Some Of the most experienced officers connected
with the service aided by skiilful officers detailed
from the ordnance corps Of the army and the best
manufacturers of ordnance, are engaged upon the
problem and It Is gratifying to state that their
experiments give promise of success.
The following is a statement of disasters to YES
sells which have occurred within the field of the
operations of the service since the adoption of the
present system In 1871, and the results of these
disasters. 1t should be observed that during the
season of 1S7l-'72 the service was limited to the
coasts of Long Island and New Jersey, and during
the seasons Of 1s;2j74 to Cape Cod, Long Island
and New Jersey: Total number of wrecks, ls5;
total number of lives imperiled 25sS: total num-
Der of lives saved 564 total number Of lives lost,
10; total number of shipwrecked persons sheltered
afforded l307; total value of property imperiled,
o. 29S 65s; total value Of property saved ~
total yalne ofproperty lost ST. 7f2, ,so2
Six Of the stations authorized to be established
between Cape Henlopen and Cape Charles have
been erected during the past year and arc now
occupied byerews. The remaining two are nearly
completed.
Tie houses Of refuge authorized for the Florida
coast and the stations for the great lakes, except
-e aIso iSnso or point Yugth ana NJ Ss
Long Island Sound.
Sites for the stations provided for the Pacific
coast and Lake Superior have been selected, and
proposals for their construction will be invited at
an early day. Upon the completion of these
stations 1t ia believed that our coasts will be
all afaN ft -
commerce and humanity require, and due regard
for economy will justify. --- A
For more specific Information relating to this
service, reference is made to Appendix A Of this
report; .,,.,,,..-
be Collected tSroueh Ofieers Of 4 the cnstoms ar. ~
ranged in tables convenient for examination, with
explanatory notes, together with wreck charts
showing the localities Of disasters viii be found
in Appendix B. 4.- ..r.-.-.r g.. .-. .
ID. LIGHT HOUSE sERvICE-
The lighthouse establishment, which is the
largest in the world, and whose charge embraces
ocean, lake and river lines of unequaled extent,
steadily increases in usefulness to commercial and
maritime interests. During the past year 1t has
established seventeen lighthouses and two hun
dred and eighty beacon lights on the Western
present number OF aids to navigation in the United
States is 62 lighthouses, . llght-shfps IS fog
signals, S5s ty.bcaeons, $50 river lights and 2Sso
buOys. -- -. .
Since the date of the last report the lighthouse
board, In view of the fact thai mineral OIL Is CON-
ing into use in France and England for light
house illumination, has made, through its sclen-
tihe members, extensive experiments In the min
eral oils Of this country IN order to ascertain
whether a suitable material Of home production
can be had for this purpose. The experiments 50
far as prosecuted induce the beliefthAt proper
mineral oil can probably be obtained from our
own manufactures. and perhaps at considerably
reduced expense Its Introduction Involves an
entire change IN the lamps now used and IL this
can be effected at sOnable cost II Is proposed
TO pit the oil on tril in number of lighthouses
of the least importance, which Is the course pur-
sued in the European lighthouse establishments,
when II found satisfactory, II will be tried in the
larger and more Important ones.
An elaborate and extensive series Of expert
ments has also been made in regard to soHnd, as
applied TO fog-signals, with results valuable to
science and the promise Of much practical utility
TO nayigators. r...
The most signal work Of the establishment dur
ing the past year has been the commencement of
the lighting and buoyage of the Mississippi, Mis-
sonri and Ohio rivers, in conformity with the act
Of Congress approved June .. 1874 The rivers
have been dsTided into two light hUuse districts
with proper officers assigned to EACH The means
employed for lighting have been substantial lens
lanterns, which are placed with regard TO the tor
tu0us character of the stream, at intervals Of
rarely more than two miles distance. Mineral oil
Is used. and bright haht shown 10 the stormlest
weather. The lights are attended by men, pro-
cured at q small compensation from among the
residents on the rivers, who have generally proved
Trustworthy At specially dangerous points buoys
have I,ee1 place. az dsymarss The !. narrow and
Of hidden distractions, make their navigation at
many points extremely perilousi and the best
pilots cannot always avert disaster.
The work of lighting them Is reported to give
satisfaction to the extensive shipping interests Of
the interior passage now being practicable at all
and danger. To complete the work an additional
number Of lights and buoys will be needed, and
the appropriation for maintaining them must
necessarily be increas sed. . L
A light-ship for Winter Harbor Shoal and one
for general service, appropriated for by act Of
March q is73, are nearly completed: They are
ing steam ogsignals, which will DO Of great SER
Estimates are presented by the board for two
new steam buoy ytenders for the Atlantic coast, TO
replace vessels which are worn out, too small and
OF 1.-TWO little power the service required ofthem,
and which are constantly in need Of expensive re-
pairs; An estimate is also presented for an add
single one in use being insufficient for the service
OF that seaboard, and the frequent chartering, at
high rates, Of private vessels being consequently
recessitated. ~ Enf erisfT1 80 1 re s'-,-f
! In Its estimates for lighthouse supplies the
board includes provision for the purchase Of
small number Of books for light stations, espe-
fthe French and English light house establish
ments. A small quantity OF reading matter at the
light stations, to be kept and accounted for as
public property, might, Il Is suggested, form the
nucleus for eonsiderable donations from private
sources, and the libraries 50 formed would con-
duce, ns in other countries, toward making the
positions, and less disposed to absent themselves
from the place OF their duties, beaides exerting
general good influence. ,, ;
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