The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-03-03
CAPE CHANGING SHAPE.
GREATER NEED NOW THAN EYER
FOR 4 LIGHTSHIP.
What Congress Has Done-Long Recog-
nized a. One of the Most Dsngeoss
Reefs in the Atlantic.

Inasmuch as the merchants. ship-own-
ers. underwriters and agents of steam
lines from New York petitioned Congress
thirteen years ago for lightship to
mark the Diamond Shoal. off Cape Hat
teras. II Is hoped the Herald. being fore
most as an authority in matters pertain
ing to shipping, will allow a portion OF
It's space to an account OF what has been
accomplished.
The writer obtained hundreds OF names
IN New York, at the same time sending
blanks to New England and Southern
ports for signature. These petitions were
sent 10 the Forty-seventh Congress, in
January, 1883. and were referred to the
Committee on Commerce, who sent them
TO the Lighthouse Board for their views.
They reported that, in their opinion
lighthouse could be erected In the shoai'
The following is from the report OF the
Commissioner OF Navigation for the fiscal
year ending June 30, 1ss6:
1t is not generally known that one Of
the most dangerous reefs on the Atlantic
coast is stll unmarked by a properly
constructed beacon or lighthouse. l re-
fer TO the Outer Diamond Shoal. lying
about seven and one-half miles off Cape
Hatteras. Undoubtedly. there are many
difficulties in the way OF building a safe
and firm structure upon shifting sand
bank so far seaward from a salient
point Of the coast
CONGRESSIONAL ACTION.
In 1889 an appropriation was made of
S5Oo 0oo and a contract was closed for
Sfs5.OOD for a lighthouse, TO be LOO L.
feet high. The caisson on which the SUI
persfructure was 20 be built IL was pro-
noeed 10 sink one hundred feet below the
surface of the shoai. On July !, 1881,
the caisson was toWed 10 It's destination.
and ON July =. il was overrun by the
waves and destroyed.
This failure stimulated. the petitioners
to hope that a light ship would be
placed BOB position where one was man
faincd many years ago. "Blunts Coast
Pnot for 1877 describes the ship as iol-
lows:
There Is n lightship moored east-south-
east from cape Hatteras in thirteen ia'n.
oms of water, sand and clay bottom.
This lightship was discontinued when the
light on the cape was maze OF ths hiS'
order
While IL is true that the lightship some
times went adrift, IL H. also true That the
improvements have been many. notably
the introduction Of steam 10 -shtsnipS
on important stations.
The Naval Secretary Of the Lighthouse
Board is quoted as questioning me piac'
tcabnlty of establishing a lightship' ana
believing that a iightahip would serve the
interests involved perfectly al a compar-
ativoly small expense.
THE CHANGING SHOAL.
The cause or the shoal existing Is the
meeting of the currents, which are IN
nuoncad by the outline Of the coast
which ia changing standing AT lhe
poiut Of the cape. the shore trends norh'
d utfl. e,sforlv. but at the point. turns
shsrplv 10 the west Near here "a schooh-
or was driven on shore In 1873. she IS
now about a mile from the water Durleu
"a tho deck in the sand, showing that
the whole cape IS moving south, ana IN
dicating that the shoai may have chang
Oh Residents al the cape say the shoa-
is I'm a more southerly direction IMAM ior-
merly One viewing these changes cannot
avoid the conclusion that the immense
lighthouse on the low sand beach az the
cane. only a few feet above the sea- may
be- undermined If these changes con-
tlnue. ,,-,
Tho man sent by Sir Walter Raleigh as
draughtsman with the colonis's IN lyeo,
took home with him chart he had
drawn. and which is now in the Br'tisS
Museum. showing the coast line running
northwesterly and southwesterly from
tine point Of the cape. one has only 10
take a map Of to-day, and mark win
pencil the northwest and southwest III
rectlon. 10 realize the changes "hich
have occurred, and be convinced th@l
lighthouse seven and hai mics iio"'
such a coast might not be su ,.C',,,.,
G. r. COKER-
Ravonne y. j.. Feb %. 1896