The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-10
AN UP-TO-DATE LIG HTSHIp.
TO he Used on the wild Waters or the
North Pacific Coast.

From the Morning Orreonidn.
Whom com pleted, which will be early next
fall. there will not be a ~lightship in the world.
that we know OF. that will compare with No. 81,
the one now building in this city in John Stef-
fen's yards"
The foregoing was the summary OF n talk
given by Experimenting Engineer Walfrid Syl-
ven of the United States lighthouse service. who
Is here to superlntend the construction OF tho
boat. Mr.. Sylven is a graduate from the ROYAL
Naval College OF Sweden, and las been en-
ployed by the United States Government
since 1885.
This ship Wilt be more complete than any
yet built" he continued. embracing the latest
modern devices and improvements, and 1t will
not be surpassed in point OF general construc-
tion, details. safety. efficiency, and comfort to
officers and crew. She will be l12 feet long by
2Slp feet beam, while her draught will be from
IL to - feet. She will be what is called a COM
posite: that is to say. steel and wood. Tho
frame. the keelplate. the sheerstrake, and bilge
are constructed OF steel plates; the plating Is
connected by diagonal plates running outside
OF the frame proper and riveted thereto. Tho
deck framing Is also steel, with steel s%tringers
and steel tiepiates. This construction provides
the necessary strength required to Withstand
the longitudinal. the transverse. and the twist
ing movements to which IA ship is subjected.
when all this is done. 1t remains only to so
cover this steel construction as to make the ship
watsrtiGht. IL this were done by means Of iron
or steel plates, the consequence would be that
the bottom would soon foul and q corrosion OF
her steel plating would commence. This would
necessitate frequent docking and the consequent
absence Of the ehip from her station. to saw
nothing OF the cost consequent to her removal.
docking, painting. &c. To avoid all this tho
vessel Will be covered over by p~lanking which
necessary from the fact that a combination OF
-nptnar irNn nH stAa1 and all xzAt,r nfill mat ~ An -
extremely pow erfui galvanizing action by which
the iron will be destroyed and reduced to a sub
built up in the following manner: First, there
Is an inner pllGnklng OF four inches fastened to
These bolts are sunk into the four-inch plank
ing and plugged over. A layer OF felt will then
oak p%lanking l\e inches in thickness, this latter
being fastened to the inside p~lanking by COM
ssheeted With copper plates OF about thirty
eight ounces to the square foot. Thus II will be
tected by the copper from all fouling, yet the
gaiyanic action has become an impossibility.
cine ne ca re1ss. % %f d 9r H11So S %.rh at Z pr0p seee5 en- of
nine miles an hour. Thus fitted. when at her
station on Cmat!lla reef, 1t will be possible In
heavy seas or storms for her to relieve the i'm
mense strain on her anchor chains by starting
her engines and going ahead slowly. Now should
her station by reason OF the extreme severity OF
a storm, by means OF her powerful steam wind:
lass II VIII ne hDlt d IHkB I'D ntT O,UUU-pOuUu
anchor and chain in less than half an hour and
proceed on her own steam for the nearest port,
ready to 20 hack to her station as soon as tho
need Il steamer to tow her either to her station or
back, and she will be in a condition to take care
OF herself under all circumstances.
lie fog signal will be n feature. 1t will be q
I2-inch whistle Of the chino class. giving the
frst, third. and NTH notes In the scale. Thu
whistle will be adjusted 30 as to be blown either
by steam or compressed air, and the plants for
this purpose Will be duplicated.
Another pleasing feature Will be that tho
living, quarters wild be located on the main
h iirht' i ass air OF G saS%. as so usual n,lio Which an %''t es Eiye
who will number about fourteen men.
two important objects will be gained. First. all
tho room below the main deck can be used for
be- much more seaworthy, from tho fact that tho
seas may run over her spar decks without ex-
ever. everything being located below the super
structure deck.
Grated by electricity. Each mast viii have Four
there Will be 4Oo;candie power lights on each
will be seen as far AS the curvature of the earth
will permit. In other words. as the lights will
miles AT sea"
How about electricity in a fog as compared
with AN oil light 2" was tho query put.
mIhS hest ANSWER can give you to that is by
spector OF tie Third Lighthouse district to a
similar question. lie aid You know that GOd
made tie sun; He also made the fog, and so
long as the sun fails To penetrate the fog you
must not expect human agency To do go with
electricity OF course, the electric light being
more intense In its rays, II will penetrate "A fog
further than the light from All oil lamp. The
best light TO penetratc u tGg is a red light; A
green light will become blue In a fog, a blue
green, and so on.
To generate her electricity, the ship will
have two dynamos, which will also bc dupli-
Gated, So that, II anything gets out Of order,
all she VIII have to do Is to shut of one and
start the other,
The vessel will be lighted throughout with
lD-candle power lncandescent lights, no that at
all times the officers ana men Will have cheer
fully lighted quarters.
by using the compressed air, instead OF
steam, on her fog whistle, she win be able to
bl ~ .rr signals In about fifteen minutes from
the approach Of II fog, instead OF the loss OF
time OF, an hour and a half, required in hiring
her boiler and getting up steam"