Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-11-07
Te,ephomlsg from rightships.

Te,ephomlsg from Eightships.
London Times.l
An experiment Of the greatest impor-
lance TO the commercial world Is now
being made on the east coast Of Eng
land by the Telegraph Construction and
Maintenance Company. For the last
eight months the company has had
several Of its best operatives located in
the peighborhood Of the Maze, of which
the most dangerous sands round Eng
| land are to be found. These gentlemen
are hourly in communication by tele-
phone with lightship which is anchored
ten miles out in the vicinity Of the Swim
Passage. An ordinary telegraph cable
has been laid from Walton-on-the-Naze
to the Sunk Lightship, and telephone and
Geographic apparatus have been affixed
to both ends. Ii was considered inn
probable that the human voice would
be conducted ten miles, especially in
rough weather, but this has been now
proved to be thoroughly practicable.
A conversation was carried on with
Mr.. Stevenson, one Of the Telegraph
Maintenance Company's officials (who
was on board the Sunk Lightship), by
telephone for considerable time. Mr..
Stevenson had been month upon the
boat, and had experienced all kinds of
weather, during which time he had kept
Mr.. Lewis and Mr.. Pinkerton, his col
leagues on shore, fully informed Of the
state Of the weather, roughness Of the
sea, and passing craft, adding frequently
forecasts Of weather which usually
turned out to be correct. A month
upon the lightship is trying ordeal,
but Mr.. Stevenson was so satisfied with
the success that attended the expert
ment, and knowing, if the advantage Of
telephone communication with light
ships was understood and generally
adonte1,. what splendid boon it would
be to mariners and merchants, that he
spent lis Zine busily in collecting
information and watching the working
Of his electrical machines. In the back
room of the Walton post-oflice are ma
chimes for utilizing magnetic currents of
all descriptions. A button is touched,
which rings a bell in Mr.. Stevenson's
cabin upon the Sunk Lightship ten miles
away, then voice-that of Mr.. Steven
sons heard inquiring what is wanted.
How is the wind?" " How is the
tide:" "Have you seen such and
such a ship pass?" GLOW much
water is there in the Swim Passage?'
These questions can be answered at
once. Or the following is transmitted
/" Signal such and such ship that she is
to put in at Harwich. Every ship pass
ing is duly signalled, and her name
and description telephoned to the Wal
ton post-ofiice. On an average ninety
ships pass in the day, and if it was
known that messages could be sent
ashore no doubt the majority Of these
would avail themselves Of the benefit.
A considerable number of the ships
passing have come great distances with
out passing one Of the Lloyd's signal
ling stations. The signalling of these
passing the Sunk Lightship would be of
great commercial value, as their time of
arrival at any port they were bound for
could be timed by the owners in Lon
don accurately, and everything could be
made ready for the landing and sale of
the cargo.
OF much more importance is the use
the telephone could be put to in a
storm, or in the case Of a ship getting
on the sands. One night this year in a
rough sea ship did get on a sand
bank, and instantly her exact position
was telephoned to Walton from the
lightship. The gentlemen at Walton
awoke the lile-boat crew, and tele-
graphed to Ramsgate and Harwich,
where the life-boats we're got ready for
launching. Just as all three life-boatS
we're about to start telephone mes
sage came from the lightship that the
ship in distress had got safely off the
sand-bank, and that there was no need
for the life-boats to start. The boats were
stopped, and if it had not been for thu
telephone they would have been out OF
the rough sea all night searching for thu
I ship that sent up distress-signals. l
I all the lightships around the coasts o
! Europe had this means of communica
ton to point out the exact position o
, q ship in distress a great number
lives would be saved, as the position o
many ships laundering cannot be ind
!. Gated with any certainty by the ordi
q nary rocket-signals. Besides the abov
. uses Of the telephone with lightships a
!. passing ships inquest ofapilot to navigat
them through dangerous channels cOul
: without difficulty telephone their dc
;. sires TO shore. The Sunk lightship
only $50 tons, and yet only once in tn
:, stormiest sea, when she had been tosse
about in gale of wind, has the tel'
% sfanh-wire been broken, The two end
d Of he break were picked up and r.
20 Joined within twenty-four hours. 81
4 is moored in ten fathoms of water, an
4 is manned by a captain and six to eigl
10 men, all Of whom express their mo
no earnest approval of the intercomm
We nlCauOn WIN tho oHViVs VIM
n by they can make known at ont
their own and the wants Of other
ey During the night communication is
ch open as in the day. The Trinity Boar
in is showing considerable interest in Il
ost experiment, and it is hoped that it vi
he see the great importance Of at once pu
re- ting by this means the chief lightshi
an in communication with the shore. II
i've stated by the gentlemen engaged
as Walton that the telephone will act ov
rec twice ten miles aud there is no reasC
md why some day it should not act oy
to much greater distances.
ne The Church Of Fonte Nova, at Mo
;,h summano, Tuscany, has fourteen val