The Republican journal., 1899-09-21

One of the most dangerous Jobs in the
work of a lighthouse tender is the eX-
changing of these big buoys at sea. 1t is
comparatively easy to lift a five ton buoy
from wharf to the deck Of a steamer,
for the work is done by means of a steam
derrick, but it is quite another story later,
when a ship is rolling her rails under,
and an important buoy, rendered useless
by collision, is to be replaced.
The relief buoy is dashed to the forward
deck under the boom Of the derrick, so
that it cannot get adrift and take charge
of the deck. When the damaged buoy is
alongside, a sling is made fast around it,
so that the derrick may lift it aboard
The sailor or officer who places the sling
does SO at the risk of his life. The great
buoy is always swinging and rolling, ca
reening and sometimes spinning with
the derrick fall, and slowly the engine
begins to exert it's power. it is just such
a combination of circumstances as is cal
culatcd to smash hole in the tender S
side, for a fve-ton buoy is no croquet ball
in a sea way. Its momentum is such as
to render il a deadly projectile when sea
filings it the length of its mooring chain.
If all goes well, the buoy is finally on the
deck and men jump tor it and lash it with
as much energy as if it were a boat load
of dynamite.
The mooring chain is then unshackled
and attached to the buoy intended to re-
place the voiceless one. The derrick
again lifts it's boom, and the relief buoy is
swung over the side.
If the buoy is whistler, the n!en are
treated to one of the most weird exhibit
lions that falls to the lot of mortals. One
of these buoys can send a shout across
miles of sea. As it lays on the deck it is
silent thing. But when the derrick
drops it into the waves, slowly and care
fully, to avoid accident, ii gives startling
performance As the pillows force the
air through the whistle there is emitted a
grunt. for all the world like that OF a
thousand self satisfied hogs compressed
into one porcine throat. Then comes
long blast that swells from sputtering
gurgle into an enraged roar 1t climbs to
a grand fortissimo, and the whistle fairly
vibrates with deep throated sound.
A bell buoy, so essential to navigation,
is a simple affair The buoy is surmount-
ed by bell about the size OF those made
use of on locomotives. Three cylinders
are placed with their ends just touching
! the rim. and these cylinders are metal
balls, which are kept rolling by the actor
of the waves. The balls are heavy, anc
when they strike the bell considerable
; volume of sound is produced.
The metal buoys employed in this dis
trict are very often damaged. If ship
master finds a buoy out of order he al
once reports the fact to the office of the
lighthouse inspector, who, in turn, mott
fies the chamber Of commerce, and the
master of the lighthouse tender, who is
instructed to Immediately remedy the
trouble.
Buoys injured by collision in Nantucket
and Vineyard waters are taken to New
Bedford for repairs.
These buoys very often go adrift, and
are sometimes reported in mid ocean by
passing vessels. recent number of the
| photographic bulletin contained eight
such reports.
Not long ago Capt. Gibbs of the U. S.
S. Azalea picked up a whstling buoy of
| No Mans Land, and he is unable to de-
termine whence it came. 1t was COM
pletely covered with grass and barnacles,
so that the metal could not be reached
until the buoy had been thoroughly scrap.