The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1886-12-03
ELECTRIC LIGHTS FOR MARINE PUR-
pOSES.

Ii is not surprising if casual
newspaper reader, from inat,entive-
ness. occasionally miSconstrues what
he reads; but for those experienced
in editorial work to commit similar
mistakes and from the same cause.
is inexcusable. In reference to the
use of electric light for lighthouse
purposes, the -Adrertiser of this
morning says that we had "unac-
countably construed" " its statement
of yesterday morning, relating to
the use of the light at Sydney
harbor, "into an urgent advocacy
of its adoption at the Honolulu
lighthouse. How could our neigh
Dor have made such a palpable mis-
take? Really, we never put such
construction on his words. The
utmost we said respecting our con-
temporary's statement was that our
previous remarks have been dis
paraged." There is no intimation
of "urgent advocacy" 1t would
be very gratifying to us if our con-
temporary could acquire the habit
of carefully reading anything in our
columns, that he may feel called
upon to reply to, before beginning
the reply. 1t would save him from
some sad blunders, and ourselves
the trouble of correcting him.
In reference to the subject of
harbor lighting by electricity, a
friend, to whom we tender our best
thanks, has just sent us copy of
the New York Times, of October
"a, from which we extract the fol-
lowing marked article:-
Washington, Oct. 23.-The cleo
trio light that has been maintained
at He'll Gate by the Lighthouse
Board has been ordered discon-
tinued. The light is 25O feet high,
on an iron skeleton tower, is Of
about $4,000 candle-power, and is
placed there for the purpose of
making artificial daylight, so that
vessels going through can avoid the
rocks. 1t was put up nearly two
years ago at the request of those
navigating Long Island Sound, and
it is the only one of the kind in the
world. There are many electric
lights in foreign waters, but they
are simply marks to steer by, while
this is to make artificial daylight.
Last summer a tow-boat company
petitioned the Lighthouse Board to
discontinue the light, on the ground
that it was a hindrance rather than
a help. Then the board issued a
circular letter addressed to all the
companies sending steamers through
He'll Gate, asking their opinion.
Some 80 OF the replies received were
against the light. Among the COM
| panieS aSaluSt ~ were tAoSe SeHu-
ing the big boats to Newport, Fall
River, New London, New Haven,
Stonington, and other Sound ports.
The reasons assigned were that
while the pilots could see well in
side the circle of the electric light
they could not see beyond it; that
beyond it was wall of blackness
that they emerged from that circle
of light with eyes dazzled, blinded
and almost useless; and that hence
the light was hindrance, rather
than help, in fact a nuisance, and
a positive danger to navigation
Some eight or ten small companies
whose boats ply in the circle of the
electric light almost entirely, replied
in favor of its retention. The boarC
has not fixed the date of the dis
continuance, but it is to be shut of
soon. The board is still open, how
ever, to reason, and If it should b,
shown that the electric light ough
to be continued, the board coult
he convinced