The evening times., 1900-07-10
A NEW L.GHTSHIP.
stnaeh Vessel to he Located the
Dreaded Diamond shoals.


Extending out into the Atlantic Ocean
for t.S0o miles and paraIleling the Cape
Haterss coast for a considerable distance
are tie much dreaded Diamond Shoals. up
on which the Government once contemDlat-
ed placing a s1eOo.eeO lighthouse. and on
which several Intellectual attempts were
made at such construction There for
three years iisht-vessel has successfully
ridden out many OF the severest gales
sweeping that part of the ocean. br eaking
away occasionally. but always managing TO
make safe harbor except in one instance.
when she beaehed and was hauled of much
damaged. 1t had been proved that light
vessel could stand the shifting sands and
the heavy blows. but the experience of the
hrst vessel put there showed that another
kind was more suited TO the dangerous
task Of marking the treacherous shallow
spot.
Now new Iightship is to be located
there designed to hold. no matter how the
winds oloa and The seas run and. II there
IS ene1gh bottom. always to swing tightly
to her anchor. This vessel viii soon be
completed. and is 10 be stationed OF Hat
teras next month. She VIII be a steam
propeller and electric lighted and when
finished viii De one OF the first. II not the
only one. OF her kind ever launched.
Tie Government contract calls for a craft
ll2 feet in length ard a depth CT over y
feet. with three decks. the main and spar
decks running the fan length OF the s. zip
while the lower deck is broken by the for
ward coal bunker End the after bUlkhe sd
Of the engine re nm. The hull viii be divid-
ed by watertight steel bulkheaGs into five
compartments AID the quarters and store
rooms are so arranged as 10 meet ali re-
quiremerts Of safety and comfort. IRE &c
I cOmmodations OF this vessel are 70 be for
| ward Of the main deck. There viii be tao
hollow steel masts. through which VIII be
run the wiring of the masthead flashlights
- throw rays many miles 10 sea. Taesa
lights, three in number on each MIST, are
10 be adapted 10 both electricity aEd oil
the latter being used IN event the dyramcs
fail ID operate.
The cluster mast headlights viii be ffty
feet above the water line These lights
will be the most powerful displayed from
any lightship afOat. and should be seen
at least eighteen miles distant. The chs
ter viii consist OF six I00-candle power 1DO-
volt lamps. and they will be controlled b.
an automatic faShing device driven by a
belt from the dynamo shift. Steam is 10
be supplied the vessel Which is 10 have
sufficient power 70 take Gaze OF herself ID
make harbOr II b. chgace her cables r-EL
When No - as she Is now officially
known. is on her station of Hatteras hal
moOring tackle Will comprise a heavy
mushroom archer shackled 10 a chain
which leads Though me main haWser hole
IN Jne stem OF the snip 10 a steam wl1Glaas
In addition to this mcoring tackle the yes-
sci VIII have a 2-090-p0und harb0r anchor
a kedse Weighing S5O pounds and l20 fath-
oms OF 7 Is inch stud-link chain with a
breaking strength Of 79GCO pounds
Amitships on either heam VIII be
swung two whaleboats Of about tVcntF-siX
'est length and six feet beam The spar
deck IS protected by q gradually rising
steel wait, haring some what at the knight
heads until al the stem proper T. has a
depth OF hve feet. IN addition 70 the
steam whistle the hghtzhip is provided
with 2 steam siren for use in thick and
fOggy weather.
No lishtship constructed viii be =nOrs
complete and none perform such impJg-
tanJ duties. A large crew viii care for the
vessel and see that The lights burn proper
" every night and that tts whistles are
in orders.
Members OF the Lighthouse Service are
confident that this vessel viii hold her
ground and that a very s-if blow VIII ha
necessary 10 cause her anctc- chains 90
pert No. - viii be painted a SNOW white
and IN large black letters on her side viii
be these cords; Diamond ShOal Light
ship