The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-12-26
THE DANGERS OF THE DEEP.
How MARINERS ARE WARNED
AGA1u5T SHoAI5, p JCKy, ETC.
WORK OF the Government Lighthousc
Board Signal EOciteis--N Vhistling
BuOys-TrUmpcis Blown by steam.


The government at its different sta
ions uses various descriptions of sound
signals for the guidance of mariners dur
ng fogs, storms and heavy weather.
The great dangers of the ocean dashed by
winds and whipped by cyclones, the play
of mountainous waves rolling in sublime
inajesty, the terrible heavings of an an
cry sea, all pale before the terrors lining
The shores of coasts trimmed with rocks,
and the approaches to harbors that hide
unseen shoals, pyramidal rocks, and dan
gerOus reefs.
There is a treachereus intelligence ar
rogatcd by the sea that requires all the
ingenuity and ability of man to guard
and fight against There is never YES
sci that sails from a harbor or a steamer
that goes out of a port, laden with
freight and life, but is liable to en-
counter some tremendous gale or meet
with mishap as about entering her desig
mated haven of rest.
/ To obviate the mysterious disappear
ances and the frightful calamitics incident
to the sea, scientific men have bent their
energies and their knowledge gathered
from all the sources OF observation and
personal experience. They have drawn
upon the information Of the worlds cX-
plorers have collected facts, given birth
10 theories, improved methods, invented
instruments, and informed the public
and national governments Of their dis
coverics. Every practical invention and
skill of mechanics has been experimental
with, tried, adopted, and put into use
for the benefit of the maritime world.
The Times Democrat reporter called
Yesterday at the Office of Commander
Day United States navy, in charge of
this lighthouse district, and learned
some interesting facts connected with
the means and modes Of warning marin
crs of impending dangers.
Sound signals by means of gongs are
somewhat used on lightships, especially
in British waters, but are intended for
use in close quarters, narrow harbors
and short channels. Their effective
range is barely $50 yards. The use
of guns is going out of date, though
there are instances on record where they
have been serviceablc. They have been
abandoned on account of the length of
intervals between successive explosions,
the brief duration of the sound, its liza
bility to be qucnchcd by local sounds,
its easy oblitcration by sudden puff OF
wind, and other Objectionable reasons.
The gun-Cotton rocket has been found
quite scrviccable in rock lighthouses. A
charge of gun-cotton is inclosed in the
head of Il rocket, which is projected to
the height of 1,0o0 feet, when the cotton
is exploded and the sound shed in all
directions. Some of these rockets have
been heard at a distance of twenty five
miles.
Every United States light station has
in use a bell signal Many of these sig
nails are run by clock work machinery.
The bells weigh all the way from three
hundred to three thousand pounds They
are in use all along the coast of the
United States. The distances at which
the toIling of the bell can be heard vary
according to circumstances and atmos-
pheric conditions, are uncertain. and,
like the gong, are reliable only at short
distances. The whistling buoys, con-
sisting of an iron pcar-shapcd bulb,
twelve feet across at its widest part and
floating twelve feet out of water, and
emitting mournful sound that can be
heard for fifteen miles, is now coming
into extensive use in American, French,
German and English waters. 1t is the
invention of j. NJ. Courtenay, of New
York. The machinery in the bulb is so
arranged that the motion of the buoy
rising and falling with the waves pro
duces a sound that pierccs the heaviest
atmosphere, pcnetrdtcs the thickest for,
travelling mile upon mile, continuous,
distinct, warning shipmasters of their
proximity to land and dangerous coasts.
The bell boat, clumsy contrivanCc.
has been superseded by the bell buoys.
The bell is mounted on the bottom sec
ton of an iron buoy, which is decked
over and fitted with framework to
which three hundred pound bell is
rigidly attached. A radal. grooved
iron plate is made fast to the frlme
under the bell and close to it, on which
is laid free common bell. The restless
ness Of the sea sways the buoy, the ball
rolls on the plate, striking some side Of
the bell at each motion with such force
as to cause it to toll. This continuance
is best adapted to shoal water, harboIs.
and rivers, where short range sound is
needed and smoother water obtained.
Locomotive whistles sounded by air or
steam are also in use. The sharpness or
shrillncss of the whistle as used consti-
tutes the chief value, but it has been
found to expend its force in the immcdi-
ate vicinity of its source, which is, there,
fore, regarded as wasted. The sound is
also equally dillused on all sides, and
this is considered as preventing 1t from
penetrating to great distances.
The trumpet consists of huge trum
pot, with a large throat and a flaring
mouth. Inside there are resembling
cavity and a steel tongue. Air is con.
densed in reservoir and driven through
the trumpet by hot air or steam machinery,
and is capable of making shrek that
can be heard at great distances, extend
ing over the water as far as ten miles.
The trumpet, however, is subject to
frequent stoppages during Goggy weather,
and requires many repairs which render
Il uncertain and Of more danger than aid
to navigation. The siren consists of a
huge trumpet with wide mouth and
!