Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-04-28

permanent board with the addition OF
| Prof Joseph Henry, the secretary Of the
Smithsonian Institution, whose services
To the Lighthouse Department can
never be overestimated, and Captain
e, l., T.. Hardcastlc, u. S, Corps OF
Engineers
Under the supervision of the light
house board the service has expanded
until today II is recognized M the
most complete and comprehensive sys-
tenn In the world.
There are sixteen inspection districts.
An Inspector who is a navy officer
ana an engineer officer from the army
are assigned TO each lighthouse district.
The Inspectors, under the control OF
the naval secretary, VINO also has
charge. in the uhscnce Of the chairman,
OF the office OF the board are charged
with the maintenance of the lights and
| lighthouses and with the discipline OF
the light-keepers. The district en-
gineers, under the direction OF the en-
glueer secretary, are charged with
building the lighthouses. with keeping
them IN repair, and with the purchase,
the setting up, AMI tho repairs Of the
illuminating apparatus Both lnspec-
! tors and engineers make regular and
special reports TO the board, acting al
ways under It's direction, ana the board
makes fun annual report TO the
secretary of the treasury, who. In turn,
| ANfAtNNA a AAAA annual AAlNAA W Sbil-
gress,
The increase IN the amount OF work
devolving upon the Inspectors has ne
cessltated the appointment OF assistant
! inspectors. especially In the larger dis
tricts selections being made from the
| junior ranks in the navy The most
important district Is the third. with
headquarters ut Tompklnsvillc, s. l..
| The Inspector In command is Com
| m0nder Albert $. Snow, who since his
assumption OF the office, has rapidly
| famlliarized himself with the duties,
making many prdisewurthy changes In
| the methods OF handling the routine
work. Commander Snow ls famous in
naval circles for his energy and exa
ecutive ability, and he will find CON
| genial Held for the exercise OF these
| qualities In the Third Lighthouse Dis
| trlot. The engineer In charge In Col
| onel ~. Il. Hams, U, $. c, H., an Of
llcor thoroughly equipped for this I'M
portant post.
Here all the supplies for the depart
| mcnt are kept, here also the many
experiments for the perfection OF light
and buoy service are made, and here
are constructed the great lamps which
illumine the path OF the sailor man,
/ The magnificent lenses are imported
from Paris, as our countrymen have
not yet mastered the problem OF maxi
ing perfect prisms. A stroll through
4 AlNt MtiA ANIA kANAAAANt AAtA AA1lfAAsNAl VI
the vnst oil cells, lamp shop and Other
divisions would well repay the visitor.
A separate article would be required
to give this establishment adequate
treatment Experiments have been
made recently with electricity for
lighting purposes and as a potent force
IN the service OF the department. A
final verdict has not yet been rendered,
but II IL safe 70 predict that electricity
will take the place OF IMMORAL oil as
completely as the latter drove out
sperm and lard oil as factors In light
house Illumination. and that the cleo
trio buoy Will displace the cumbersome
and always uncertain automatic fog
buoy. Experiments are now under
way TO establish n system OF lighted
buoys, in connection with the applica-
ton OF electricity. and experts declare
that the beacon buoy IN only a question
OF time.
The lighthouse hoard has had the
services OF some OF the brightest ana
most active minds In the American
navy. The lighthouse service has. like
the coast survey. come to be regarded
as training school Tor young officers
and as a field fof the best efforts OF
those higher In rank. The roll OF light.
house inspectors contains the names