Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-12

.A-B is the shore-nne. c is the land-sta-
ton. ID is the ground plate at the shore
plate at the other end must be put in the
water. and the current Is to be sent through
that medium DoC-F Is the cable Its
buoy, which enables the vessel to find 1t
approximately She lowers overheard on
the port side a ground-plate attached to a
the other end of the same wire, which
finds the bottom at G. II G and were
IL Is. there is a gap; but the current can
Jump it II IT be not too great distance.
and thus messages can be carried between
the ship and the land.
II time Of war. floats marking the ends
Of such cables would be likely to be de-
stroyed by hostile ships. Or the latter
might utilize the wires for sending mis-
leading messages, unless perhaps a cipher
code were employed But Mr.. Smith says
with. the locations OF the cable-ends being
accurately Indicated by memoranda of lat
ttude and longitude noted on secret charts
In the possession of naval commanders.
The chief difficulty IN the way of utilizing
this plan for establishing communication
swinging of the vessel at anchor. which
would be apt TO carry her out Of reach of
the cable
Communicating With Light Ships.
The lighthouse board has been trying for
many years to find 4 way for connecting
iightships and of-shore lighthouses with
For instance. take the case of the New
South Shoal iightship. twenty-six miles
from the nearest land, guarding the dread
ed banks south of Nantucket. which have
right in the track of transatlantic COM
rnerce IT, through her, vessels bound for
New York could be reported in advance to
owners and consignees, the advantage
would be great Sailing craft with perish
able cargoes could telegraph for fogs.
Every now and then this lightship is blown
rxro nd Ia of barQ fo for
weeks II prompt notice of such an acct
dent could be had. by her failure to report.
be sent at once to take her place and warn
ships of the shoals There are fifty light
ships in United States waters They are
placed where lighthouses are not practical
There are certain off-shore lighthouses
which 1t would be most desirable to con-
meet with the land by some means of COM
munication. The Tillamook Rock is an
example 1t is an islet one acre in extent.
south OF the entrance OF the Columbia riv-
er, Ore. Congress gave $500 in 1889 for the
purpose of laying cable from the rock
able but has not been used because II is
absurdly insufficient Telegraphic cable
costs 80 cents foot. or G.eVo a mile.
furthermore. the strongest cable would
quickly be torn TO pieces on the rocky
shore of Tiilamook. and every storm would
A means of Communication between Till
emook and Port Stevens, or with Port
Adams. or with Cape Disappointment would
be of inestimable value to ship owners. 1t
would give them early notice of the ap-
proach of expected vessels, and would in
FORM the shippers of vessels as to the con-
dttion of the bar at the entrance TO the
Columbia river The rock cannot be ap-
preached save at certain times in the year.
II there were an accident at the light
house IL might be most important to have
notice of IL on the mainland. Suppose that
tbs keeper should die or that the lantern
should be smashed.
The Tillamook rock rises 100 feet above
the sea level. with deep water all around
II used TO be a favorite resort for thousands
of sea lions. with which huge beasts-yalu-
able only for Oil-its surface was often COM
pletely covered. They We're disposed TO de-
fend the premises at first but eventually
retired TO other rocks to the southwark
How a Light House was Built.
The beginning Of the light house ";
made with almost incredible difficulty. In
tying to land one man was drowned and
several other lives were endangered on diff
ferent occasions. Eight quarrymen were
finally set upon the islet BY the brooches
buoy and they started TO cut away the
rocks so as to make place for a shelter
This they accomplished with drills and DIV
Mantle after being nearly swept away by a
hurricane. which threw waves clear over
the summit. After leveling the top of the
light 1856 feet above the sea
The light house is now provided with
steam siren Of the first class. This sort Of