The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-05-10
Lighthouse
Lures
InWarTine

The Lighthouse keeper has his special
duties in times of war, and ID is in his
power TO render valuable service to his
country's cause. The extinguishing Of
the lights in the bay was the beginning
Of policy which was outlined early in
March by the lighthouse board.
At that time general instructions
were issued to the keepers Of the light
houses ordering them to faniliarize
themselves and their assistants with all
the requirements incident TO the exigen-
cies Of war. The extinguishing Of the
shore lights will be last resort, as the
extensive commerce Of foreign merchant
vessels would be seriously interfered
with by it, The order to put out these
lights will only come in case Of actual
danger Of invasion by foreign men-of-
war.
In considering the various means by
which the lighthouse keeper can render
service in wartime it is necessary TO
know something of the lights them
selves. In every lighthouse station the
beacon has some characteristic with
which the mariner is familiar or which
he may readily recognize by an exami-
nation Of his chart. In some cases the
beacon is q fixed. white light which
never changes. but sends its rays far
out to sea, where the watchful pilot
recognizes il at o glance.
Other lights change from red to
white, or the reverse or show a disk
one side of which is white and the 9TH
or red. The approaching mariner knows
at once in what direction he should
steer. If the red light is on the night
and the white on the left slde of the
disk, he knows that by keeping to the
left he will find q safe channel, while
dangerous shoals await him In the op-
posite direction. OF course IL is obvious
that the lighthouse keeper by reversing
the colors on the disk could do inesti-
mable damage to unfriendly vessels. In
all such cases IL is obvious that cur
own mariners must be warned in time
Of the changes contemplated.
Other lighthouses have q beacon flash
ing white at regular intervals. Thus
the characteristic of the light at Fire
island Is Zone fash every minute" II
this were changed so that the light
would fash only once in two minutes,
the mariner would be as badly of as if
there were no light at all. With the
idea In his head that he had reached
point near Fire island, the unusual sig
nal would signify to him that his cal.
oulations were wrong and that he was
in an entirely different locality.
Another means by which the pilot
gauges his location is the distance Of
visibility of the light. Shinnecock light,
for example, is q fixed white light sit
mated on Panquogue point, on the north
side Of Shinnecock bay, Long Island.
one mile from the line of sea beach and
about midway between Montauk Point
and Fire Island light stations. 1t is Wis.,
ible at q distance of 1SA nautical
miles. Now, if it were known that an
enemy's ship were approaching the
light could be screened 80 as not to be
visible at all or to he visible at half
or quarter Of the usual distance. The
vessel might thus be led into trap be-
fore its pilot realized his proximity to
the dangerous coast.
Tho changing Of fog signals has also
been contemplated as an effective means
of deosivins the enemy. 1t is the opin-
ion of those most familiar with the SUBJ
jeot, however, that in cases of actual
invasion Of our waters by the anemy's
ships the signals would be discontinued
altogether.