New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-26
THE WRECK OF THE RHODE ISLAND.
EXPERIMENTS TO TEST THE SIGNAL OF BEA'Ei
TAIL LIGHrHoUsE-AN INAUDIBLE SIGNAL A,
poINIs OF THE CHANNEL

EXPERIMENTS TO TEST The SIGNAL OF BEAVER
TAIL LIGHrHoUsE-AN INAUDIBLE SIGNAL All
poIYIs OF THE CHANNEL
lBr TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBUNE.l
WASHINGTON. Nov. 25.-The loss Of the steamboat
Rhode IS and on November was attributed by
some to neglect TO sound The signal on the part OF
the keepers OF the Beaver Tail Lighthouse and Signal
Station. Lieutenant Commander Chadwick, United
States Navy was in consequence of this criticism,
ordered by the Lighthouse Board TO make an investi-
CATION of the matter and his report bas just been
received. Accompanying 1t is chart of the locality
showing the course taken by Lieutenant ChadWlck
in sallboat, while making some experiments to test
fine andblity of the sound signals from Beaver all
il different directions.
Beaver Tail Station is situated upon point around
which vessels passing from New-York TO Newport
turn at a sharp angle approaching from the North
and departiug in Northeasterly direction. The
bonnet p where the Rhode Island was wrecked, IS
distant one and three-fourths nautical miles from
the Station in northwesterlv direction. On the op-
nosite side of the channel Lieutenant Chadwick
directed that the signal should be sounded continu,
ously while his vessel was in motion. lie salieu
first toward the Bonnet. and noted upon his chart
the degree If audlbilitv of the sounds at frequent
intervals For the nrst mile tie result was such
as would naturally be looked Tor, the audlDlllIyy y
being successlvely Indicated 10y the wOrus strong,
faint and "vcry FAINT" At a p0nt niue more
than one mile from the station the sounds became
strong" again, but almost Immediately leIi 10
falntr and then for half mile disappeared alto-
pst her When the Bonnet was reached the signa!s
were family distinguished, tls beng perhaps dhe
in part 10 the echo from the cliff From the Bon,
net Lieutenant Chadwick sailed directly south, ana
for one and bali miles OF his course
although he was every moment lessenlng the dis
lance between his vessel and the station no
sound was audible. From point directly west OF
the station be turned and again approached passing
within one-third OF a mile OF IT, Inc slRndls soon
became audible and gradually reached their fnll
strength. His course was thence TOWARD NeWpoIl.
the signals maintaining their maximum for inc hrst
mlle but growing gradually faintef ana
disappearing altogether after the second
mile point was passed. He continued III
q straight course for another mile ana
half when the signals again became falntIy auolOle
He then turned directly TO the east around
a point of land which serves to form one sue OF
Norfolk HarbOr Up 10 this turning point there hau
been no intervening land or other OBSTRUCTION oe-
tween his vessel aud the signal station SlngularIy
enough on placing this point between himself ana
the station aud while he was near the obstruction
the sounds became strong, and continued so loI
distance. They were audible unlil ne Iehcneu
Newport wharf four and one-balf miles distant.
Lieutenant Commander Chadwick says tnat II Is
evident that the sound IS very deiectiVe al points
70 the westward OF the signal. ne 1ra"udIks ~
the efficiency of the signal, he thinks, might De
lemedied by a change of position. lhe suDsJltutiou
for the trumpet of chord OF steam Whistles, sucn
as are now frequently used Oh steamers might De
change Tor the better change or POSITION uOes
not remedy the existing defects The steamers OF thc
Providence Line have been ia the haDt OF nugglhg
the western shore Had they instead had the pIaC-
tce Of running TO the southwark Of Beaver IAN III
fog-y weather. and thus making the fog signal
with absolute surety, as they would nave dOnc, anu
Of then shaping their course from Eeaver ran 70
Dutch Island where there is another fog sign2 ana
along which course there is no possible DANGER 10
such accident could have happened:
lieutenant ChadwIcks report fuIIy exonerates
The station keeper aud his assistants.