The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-02-15
Danger signals at Sea.

The United States light house service,
and indeed the systems OF the maritime ma
tions generally, have been brought to high
degree Of efficiency; still it appears that
there is an essential feature lacking. Dur
ing the six weeks of the present year there
have been reported more than that number
of marine disasters resulting directly or in
directly from the failure of capable masters
of vessels to locate their position correctly,
though through no fault Of their own.
The first notable case of the year was the
wreck Of the revenue steamer Gallatin on
the Massachusetts, coast Jan. 6, due TO the
pilot installing Great Egg Rock light for
the Kettle Bottom light. Another disaster,
more important by far, was that Of the
steamship Elder, Of the North German
Lloyd line, last week, near st. GATHERINGS.
Her case was different in that the light was
not seen although within three miles and
the plant was one of the most modern and
powerful in the worlds light house service.
Neither was the steam fog whistle heard,
although its strength Of blast is said to be
something tremendous.
When ships course is lost by reason of
bhOkLn Vi OIhOi Cduooo, bAO hhNAkhbOA ID TO-
duced to the expedient of dead reckon
ing" in which the careful master includes
a liberal use Of the lead line as we'll as log
and compass, until weather conditions are
favorable for the use of quadrant and
chronometer Frequently he ''picks up' a
beacon at night during stress OF weather,
by which he attempts to verify or correct
the dead reckoning" and if a mistake is
made in the name and location Of the light
disaster is the result. For that reason it
has been sought to give individuality to
each light house. And what has been said
of the light applies also to the fog signal,
with which each light station is supplied.
The cases of the GalIatin and the Elder
go to prove that no efficient plans have yet
been devised for so ipdividualizing the
lights that there can besno mistake, for
making it absolutely certain that a light
may be visible at reasonable distance, nor
for assuring that the sound Of fog signals
shall travel even SO far as three miles from
the signal station.
One Of these disasters occurred in Ameri-
can waters and the other in English; but
as the best points Of each country's system
is embodied in that of the other the subject
may be considered as whole. Both CON
tain the highest ideas of humauitarians and
inventors for ages. Still both are deficient.
IL would appear that electricity must be
the agent to supply the defciency-not by
putting electric lights in towers-there was a
powerful electric light 10 the st. Gather
ines light house when the Elder went on the
shoal-but by establishing communication
between the danger point and the ship IN
danger, or sounding an unmistakable alarm
on board the imperiled vessel.
Mr. Edison has demonstrated the possbili-
ty of telegraphing between ships at sea
without connecting wires; then it is also
feasible TO telegraph from shore to ship with
out wire. If water will, with certain
Instruments, direct enough electrical energy
| from one to the other to produce
dots and dashes, modification Of those in
struments will ring al alarm bell on board
OF ship approaching within a given dis
lance of "a dangerous reef il the transmit
ting instrument be- fixed on the reef. Such
application of electricity to life and prop.
erty -saving could not be applied, probably,
10 general shipping, but the immense ocean
greyhounds might have such "block sig
nails" established along the line they speed
! with thousands of souls aboard from years
end TO years end.
Meanwhile the tight and fog signal sys'
TENS are open to Improvement.