Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1898-09-03
LIGHTHOUSES IN WAR.
How They Can h Used 10 Lure an Ensmys
ships 10 Destruction,

How They Can h Used 10 Lure an Enemy's
ships TO Destruction,
The lighthouse keeper has his spec
ial duties In times OF war. and Il Is In
his power 10 render valuable service
20 his oountry's cause. Tho e1iin-
gushing OF the lights in the bay was
the beginning OF n policy which was
outlined early in March by the Light
house Board.
At that time general instructions
were issued TO the keepers Of the light
houses ordering them 20 familiarize
themselves and their assistants with
all the requirements incident 10 the
exigeneies Of war. The extinguishing
OF the shore lights will be last re-
sort, as the extensive commerce OF for
elgn merchant vessels would be ser
Iously interfered with by Il. The or
der to put out these lights will only
come In case OF actual danger OF In
yaslon by foreign men-oi-war
In considering the various means By
which the lighthouse keeper can rem
der service In war time. II Il necessary
10 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
examination OF his chart. In s0mo
eases the beacon Is a fixed. white light
which never changes. but sends lta rays
far out to sea, where the watchful pilot
recognizes Il at a glance.
Other lights change from red TO
white or the reverse. or show disk.
one side Of which Is white and the
other red. The approaching mariner
knows al once In what direction be
should steer II the red light Is on
the right and the white on the left
side OF the disk. be knows that by
keeping 10 the left he will hnd a safe
channel. while dangerous shoals await
him In the opposite direction oi
course. Il "a obvious that the light
house keeper by reversing the colorl
on the disk could DO inestlmable dam
age 10 unfriendly yessels In all such
cases II ls obvious that our own ma
rIners must be warned In time Of the
changes contemplated.
Other lighthouses have q beacon
flashing white at regular intervals
Thus the characteristic OF the light Al
Fire Island Ia "one fash every min
ute" II this were changed, 30 that
the light would fash only once In two
minutes, the mariner would be al
badly on a. II there were no light Al
all. With the idea In his head that
he had reached a point near Fire L.
land, the unusual signal would Signif,
TO him that bis calculations were
wrong. and that he was In an entirel,
different locality.
Another means ~ which the pilo
gauges his location is the distance o.
visibility Of the light. Shinnecocl
Light. for example. Is a fixed Whit
light situated on Pnnquogue Point. OF
the north side OF shlnnecock Bay. L
L. one mile from the line OF sea beacl
and about midway between Montaul
Point and Fire Island light stations
II Is visible at a distance OF isA nau
tical miles. Now. II It were know
that an enemy's ship were approach
ing. the light could be screened 40 a
not 20 be visible al all or to be visible
at a half or quarter OF the usual dis
tance. The vessel might thus be leS
into trap before It's pilot realized BIZ
proximity 20 the dangerous coast.
The changing Of fog signals has als'
been contemplated as an effective
peans Of deceiving the enemy. II Il
the opinion Of those most famllial
with the subject. however. that II
cases OF actual invasion Of our water
BY the cnemy's ships the signals woul'
be discontinued altogether.
The characteristics OF fog signals arr
indicated by the length OF blasts ant
the intervals at which they are given
and Il Is thought that changes Nigh
be misleading even 10 our own pilots