Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1898-05-09
LIGHTHOUSES II WAR
THEIR USE IN IURiNG AN ENEMY S
SHIPS TO DESTRUCTION.

Reversing the Coiors OF the Lights and
Disks Much Damage Could BE Done to
Hostile Ships-Changing Fog Signals and
Time of Beacon Flashes Contemplated.
The lighthouse keeper has his special
duties in times of war, and it 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 familiarize
themselves and their assistants with all
the requirements incident to the exigen-
cies of war. The distinguishing of the
shore lights will be q 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 thu
beacon is fixed. white light which
never changes. but sends its rays far
ont TO sea. where the watehful pilot
recognizes it at glance.
Other lights change from red to
white, or the reverse, or show q disk
one side of which is white and the 9th
er rcd. The approaching mariner knows
at once III what direction he should
steer. If the red light is on the right
and the white ON the left side of the
disk, he knows that by keeping to the
left he Will find safe channel, while
dangerous shoals await him in tie op-
posite direction. OF course it Is obvious
that the lighthouse keeper by reversing
the coiors on the diaA could do inesti-
mable damage TO unfriendly vessels. In
all such cases it is obvious that our
own mariners must be warned in time
OF the changes contemplated.
Other lighthouses have a beacon fash
the characteristic of TIE light at Fire
island IS lone flash every minute" If
this were changed so that the light
would flash only once in two minutes,
the mariner would be as badly off as if
there were no light at all. With the
idea i'll his head that he had reached
point near Fire island, the unusual sig
nal would signify to him that his cal
culatious 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. Shinnecosk light
for example, Is "a fixed white light sit
uated on Panquosue point, on the north
side Of Sbinnecock 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 distance of lSsa nautical
miles Now. if it were known that an
enemys ship were approaching the
light could be screened so as not to be
visible at all or to he visible at half
or quarter Of the usual distance. The
yassel might thus be led into trap be-
tore its pilot realized bis proximity to
.he dangerous coast.
The changing of fog signals has also
teen contemplated as an effective means
Of dereiying the enemy. 1t is the opin-
ION of hose most familiar with the SUBJ
Ject. however, that in cases of actual
invasion OF our waters by the enemy's
ships the signals would be discontinued
altogether.
The characteristics Of fog signals are
indicated by tue length of blasts and
the intervals at which they are given,
and it is thought that changes might be
misleading even to our own pilots
New York Sun.