The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-11-07
THE TWO LIGHTS.
Something Said for Both Sides.
PORTLAND. November 4th. 1sss

PORTLAND, November 4th, 1882.
To the Editor of the Press:
81 w. D." in the Argus of the End inst,
crlticises Admiral Wyman's letter to the Board
OF Trade in reply to its remonstrance against
the proposed changes in our sea coast illumina.
tion.
Says the critit: "Let us look abroad at the
French lighthouse service a COW
ernment that is noted for economy, etc." Very
well, 'let us look" The French government
maintains, including all floating beacons'
some two hundred and eighty lights on its At
lantic and Mediterranean coasts. The United
States Government has on its Atlantic, Pacific
and Lake coasts about seven hundred light
houses and light ships; besides even more than
that number of so-called "stake lights,", on
our great rivers.
France has but five steam fog signals, while
this country is at the expense of maintaining
sixty OF these expensive aids to navigation. OF
these, Maine has more lighthouses than any
other state save e-Massachusetts-an
more steam fog signals than any other Allan
tic coast state.
Says %. ". D. Gas panaben to the Cape
Elizabeth two lights, we will name the two
lights on the headland of La Have"
Referring to a work in my possession, "a
cent official publication on the French light
house service and system. 1 find the follow
ing mention made Of these lights. "Cape de
la Heye near Havre is marked by two towers
with fixed lights of the frst order"
'Ths buildings were constructed in 1774 and
were first surmounted by CRATES in which coal
was burned for an illummant." Then follows
an account of the various changes and modif-
cations down to the time Of the adoption of
the French lehs apparatus. Further on the
author in speaking of the reconstruction of the
system 'in 1926, says, with reference to La
Heve lights, "this distinction two lights
which belongs TO the infancy OF the art was
continued exceptionally at this point" Also
"while this distinction has the advantage of
being very well marked, it is Objectionable on
account of expense" So you see, ~. W D."
that the French government cited by you takes
long priority over ours in condemniDg, in the
interest OF economy, the use OF two lights to
mark headlands.
This critic also makes the remarkable state
ment that we have many Coasters who never
see newspaper; that many of these men
would ne YER know of a change in our lights of
the utmost importance to them, unless some
one told them, or they had wrecked their YES
sells in consequence of such change.
Now. not TO mention the unjust reflection
cast upon worthy and intelligent class of
men, i ask in all candor, how these men do
find out the important changes that are taking
place every year in the beaconage and buoyage
of our coast? Within the past ten years no
less than twelve lighthouses have been added
TO the coasts of Maine and Massachusetts
alone, but have yet to learn that single ves-
sci has been wrecked owing to the ignorance
of these coasters in "mistakng'' one OF the
new lights for some other. The establishment
OF a new light without due notice is equiva
lent to a false beacon, which every mariaer
knows is more liable to lead to disaster than
the extinguishiDg of light.
Is it not apparent that -. w. D." instead
OF these benighted coasters" Is in need of in
formation? Our lighthouse board is at consid-
cradle expense every year to compile, print
and distribute list in pamphlet form OF every
lighthouse and lighted beacon on our coasts,
together with an accurate description of ev-
erything relating to them necessary for the
mariner to know.
Likewise, q descriptive list of all the buoys
think there are IS many as six ports on the
coast of this State where the masters of yes
sells may provide themselves annually with
these books, gratis would respectfully rec
ommend u. w. D." to go to the custom
house lighthouse inspectors office, or on board
either of the two tenders Iris and "Myr-
tle," or ii more convenient go into some
coasters" cabin and see the useful informa-
tion these books contain and note the pains
taken to keep the mariner informed of changes
that he 81. W. Do thinks can only be had
from newspapers.
The ''critc'' undertakes to point out the
danger that would result "if the lights on
| Cape Elizabeth and Matinicus are extin-
| guished" as he puts It, The proposition is
not, as understand it, to leave these points
unlighted, but to change their present unnec-
esssrily costly distinctive features to others of
equal utility and far less expense.