New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-21
TO IDENTIFY THE COAST LIGHTS.
A SYSTEM DEVISED TO AID MARINERS IN DE
TERMINING THEIR POSITION.

A SYSTEM DEVISED TO AID MARINERS IN DE-
TERMNING THEIR POSITION.
Washington oct 20 CspeclaD.-A plan has been de-
ysed By Captain f. A. Maban, Corps OF Engineers
which will change the character OF every gbt OF Tue
Lighthouse establishment Captain Mahan Is NJ
present acting as Engineer Secretary Of the Lighthouse
BOARD and in his scheme has endeavoed to ehect Sncp
. systematic Advancement Of lights as to make 1t I'M
uossble for n mariner suddenly coming on nght 10
he uncertain whether II belongs to the LgnIhouso
as,ohlsbment or not or TO mistake one light OF the
establishment for another. Along the Atlantic coast
for instance from the st. Croix RIVER In NAME 10 VIC
vestern end OF the Florida Reefs there are Sxtyohe
~ Shnro uchts OF these twenty-eght have fixed
Whit rcbts twenty eight have lights with character
istics three have each double group OK hxed "nioe
npbts OF the same order, and three 0aVe oOner s''
distinguishing features respectively
I. 10 tound then that there sixtyone lights ana
culy FIVE characteristics leaving dangerous chace tor
confusion It IS held that the true purpose oi ht"
aouId he its means of being identified Inc present
aobucbts ore susceptble OF change In appearance oy
tmosnberic Influences and in operation BY barometrio
cbances II IS proposed that system OF numerical
characteristics be substituted for the present moVnoo
the number Of each light to be indlcaeo DS EiOu' VI
easb.s Tins: No 1913 would be Represented oY one
fash followed by two flashes and three nssh'' ~
Il decided that the flashes Of figure NAV DO WV
aconds oport 80 as not to cause too great nervous
hNN''
he a partial eclipse Of about four or live secohus !"
clearly define the interval between the figures 'nSro
can be no more than six flashes in anv one heure es'
the count be lost; the total number Oh nasnes Ill
characteristic must limited to ten so as not 10 make
n combination too lengthy in exhibition: the saiS
figure must not be repeated in a combnatioi.
Captain Mahan gets ninety three simple comolha
tons such as he requires for certainly dslngushao0
ght. number that would give separate characteristic
IN each light on the Atlantic Coast and have some W
SPARE II there be fog signal at the stston' !V'
characteristic can be made the same Us thst Oh INC
lights II the tower is used dark marx IL mis"'
he painted with bands arranged like the haeies ~ 'e
light The scheme is not extended 10 lhshore nSava 30
there are too many to make the system eoh natie
The principle could be applied TO Individual locsn.es
such as Long Island Sound. AS red has beeh auoPGu
as the characteristic OF all inshore lights one gioup III
each light characteristic should be red LishSSnP'
arc not included they sometimes go ADMIT. -,. 81,
The same system may be repeated 1Or the Jun VI
Mexico the Pacific Ocean and the great aKes; % ~
seems Impossible, Captain Mahan lOculariS remarks III
letter TO the inspectors OF lighthouse dslrcts; ~
imagine the case OF mariner installing ms poslL01n
SO TAR as not TO know whether he Is in the AtsilIc
ocean or in the Gulf OF Mexico Lighthouse nspee.oIs
engineers and keepers, we'll as mariners, WIN Ds
asked to express opinions OF the proposed system uu
offer suggestions for its Improvement.