The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1882-09-28

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on some especially dangerous-be-
cause hidden-reefs or bars. like tho
shoais OIL Nantucket, or the extreme
point OF Sandy Hook, it is out of the
auestionFor bad policy to erect a lioht.
mouse. Here its place is taken hv
ahchoring stout vessel, built to with.
stand the toughest weather. and ar
ranged to carry zone or two very. large
lanterns at its mast-heads. These srs
called .s'lightships, = and thew are
manned byia large crew of keepers who
nave very monotonous time of it. con-
nned IN their rolling and pitching home
with almost nothing to do. G 81
Even the electric beam from a first
class lantern fails to penetrate a foo to
any great distance; Yet when the coast
IS shroaded in thick mist is the most
dangerous OF all times to an approaching
ship. The only way, in such an emer.
gency, IN which a warning can be given.
ls]py sound. In many places bells are
rung: but often the point to be avoided
Is so placed that the roar of the surf
would drown a BELLS note, and then foo
horns are blown. These fog-horns are
OF size SO immense,s and voices so stem
torlan, that it requires a steam enoine tn
blow them; and they utter a boomino
hollow blast, a dismal note as we hear It
when we are safe on the land, but sweet
TO the anxious captain whose vessel is
laboring through the gloom under close
reefed topsails, and uncertain of her
exact position. One of these horns is
very complicated in its structure. and
screeches in a rough, broken blare.
note far-reaching beyond any smooth.
whistling sound that could be made.
Finally, buoys, which at first were SIM
ply tight casks, but now are usually
made OF hoiler-iron, are anchored on
small reefs, to which are hune. bells.
rung constantly by the tossing of their
support; and on other reefs, buoys are
liked having q hollow cap so arranged
that when a big wave rushes over. II,
shuts IN a,body of air, under great and
sudden pressure. which can only escape
tllronghla whistle in the topof the cap.
utterlngg long warning wall to tell its
position. Buoys in harbors are also
made to carry lights, some by ordinary
oil-lanterns, Others by having their hol-
low interiors filed with greatly COM
pressed gas, which burns in a strong
globe of glass, and cannot be blown or
out & 97il5sf sfssna ~
{ But the ordinary duty of the buoyfis
to mark the line Of inner channels, and
by their color they tell on which side of
them the pilot must steer, -
10 keep the boys all anchored, replaegf
them if lost, Cor put new ones where
needed; to visit the light-ships, and
carry provisions and letters to their
crews; to see that all the lighthouses are.
In shape, and the various parts of the
machinery in good working order, is the !
duty OF an inspector, who has a certain
-tisfrictiof coast under his care, and CON |
travels up and down it. in a
steamer caHeda a sstender.'' SLlS
Lighthouses and sirens and buovs and
coast surveys are all Intended fo |
prevent shipWreck; but, las, l. have |.
'aid, the ocean, is still stipreme.
SO we add Ito our precautions ar
,angements to help those cast away.
societies to save wrecked persons have
existed in China, it is said, for centuries.
out in Europe are scarcely over hundred.
years old and the first life-boat was not
made until 1784. Those European hu-s
name societies, especially in Great,
britain, placed life-boats and gears In
.ertain shore towns, and organized crews
Who promise togo QUITO The aid Of any
ost ship, andltoa take: good care of the
persons rescued. In America, however,
urecoasts are SO extensive, and so much 4
# the danger@ls part pfn themris far
way from any villages. or, even farm
louses, that the government was obliged
9 do anything that was to, be, done. r
thus camelabout the Life Saving Service,
s it isfcalled, which now has it's stations
lose together along our whole sea-coast,
nd upon the great lakes, covering more
han ten thousand miles in all. ~
Each of these stations is snug house
n the beach, tenanted bya keeper and
tx men, all of whom are chosen for Iq
heir skill in swimming, and in handling
boat in the something every man
Tho follows the sea- cannotsdo.1b 2T1
During all the season, from October
II May, two men from each station are
lcessantly patrolling the beachat night, {
ach walking until he meets the patrol
lan from the next station. No matter !
wv fOul7 tIiC WcdtiftT, UucS6 WdUcQInGhi
re out until daylight looking for disas- {
srs. The moment they discover a vessel {
shore, orlikely to become disabled, they
lmlnon theirconipanions, and hasten to
lunch their boat. These boats are of is
yo kinds On the lakes and on the t
eep Pacific coast is used the very heavy
nglish life-boat, fitted with masts and
ills If necessary, and which a steam =
lg is required to towstoj the scene of
le wreck, if it is not close in shore, lt
ut upon our fiat, sandy Atlantic beaches. t
lighter kind of surfrboat,. made Of Ia
sdar, can only be handled. This is t
ALT with air-eases at each end and I1
nder the thwarts, so chat it cannot sink i!
he station men drag it on its low wagon v
the scene of its use. unless horses are d
be had, and when it is launched, they 0
t at the six oars, each with his cork |,
1T buckled around him, and his eve t
red on the steersman, who stands in &
e stern. ready to obey bis slightest v
otion of command, for rowing throughtlr
o angry waves that dash themselves a
/ a storm beaten beach is a matter re- a
,irinor eytraordinary skill and strength