Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-09-12

1t Is to De Anchored on Outer Dla-
mond Shoals.
Baltimore American.)


The lightship which the government
will anchor on outer Diamond Shoals.
below the mouth OF the Chesapeake. VIII
be in position In about month. There
was a light vessel on these shoais-the
most dangerous on the American coast
about a hundred years ago. since then
all attempts to build lighthouse or an-
Choir beacon have failed. and the press
ent experiment Will be watched with In
terest The Outer Diamond Shoals ex-
tend nine miles from the coast of North
Carolina, and have but feet OF water on
them. There Is light on shore which
may be seen twenty miles at sea. but, in
spite OF this, more ships have laid down
their bones off Hatteras than any point
on the North Atlantic.
A lightship TO occupy so prominent a
place on the highway Of tho seas must
be of the best, and Uncle Sam has arisen
to- the occasion.
The new Iight-vessel will be known as
No. SO. and is the very latest thing IN
lghtshps. Comparison between the CID
style OF hghtship ana No. % shows as
marked difference as between the early
transatlantic steamers and the most
modern of our liners, except In point or
size. IL has been found undesiraDie 10
increase the hghtships very greatly in
modern appliances have wrought great
changes. Electricity has superseded OIL
for light, and steam has taken the place
OF sail, as In the merchant service. Six
1OOcandle-power incandescent lights Will
flash their rays from the mastheads. three
from each.
Life on No. 60 will be very different
thing To members OF her crew from what
IL was In years gone by 10 The hardy ,
men who kept the lights trimmed and
burning, and tolled the bell through many
hours OF bitter winter weather under the
old regime. Modern invention has lessen.
ed labor and suffering. The new light
ship Will give better warning 10 passing
ships, VIII flash stronger and more pene-
trating lights, and Will send an angry
roar from her mighty steam whistle four
times In every minute, and all this with
out exposing the crew 10 any OF TIE dis
comforts known 10 The crews OF tie old
time lightships. All tho mechanism to
produce. the Hight and sound needed Is
operated from between decks, where the
men are housed in light and warmth.
In construction. the new lightship fs
composite, having steel frames and oak
planking TO the main deck, or to about
that line 70 the spar deck the plating Is
OF steel. This gives the ship nghtness In
her upper works-a very desirable quality
when the object Is TO keep all the weight
possible low down. To lessen the roll
ing. bilge keels, sixteen inches wide, are
No sys dimensions are lis feet over all.
q feet inches beam, and p liz feet
depth. A great bell OF 1000 pounds weight
IA placed Just forward OF the foremast.
and Will send its warning notes far across
the waters
A mushroom anchor, weighing 500
pounds will hurry itself deep. and hoId
No 60 on her station through The severest
blows that visit the North Atlantic In
winter. IN. however. this little rrinket
should prove too light. ana shift or in
case the chain should break. the propel-
ling engine has sufficient power TO pre-
vent the fiashing lights wandering very
far. unIil another anchor Is thrown out,
and repairs made.
The propel.ing engine on the new light
ship is OF the inverted surface, condsns-
stroke OF piston Of ~ inches. driving an