The Dolores star., 1903-08-14
LIGHTHOUSE SYSTEM.
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The necessity for sffortting aid and
protection to vessels along seacoast
of excessive length has resulted in
the development by the United States
government of lighthouse system
which is generally admitted to be with
out a parallel on the globe. says the
Chicago Daily News.
Employed in one way OF another in
the supervision and maintenance of
the lighthouse system are upward of
SO vessels and between 1000 and 5,0CC
men. The phase of the operations al
once the most interesting andthe most
picturesque is performed by the light
house tenders-vessels OF various
sizes within the range of the opera
tions Of which are found all manner
of tasks from the conveyance of ma
terial and supplies to the most isolated
lighthouses and lightships 20 the re-
piepishment of the gas supply in those
novel buoys which are illuminated
continuously for several months as the
result of one charging.
There are now in the service OF the
United States IS steam tenders, IL
steam launches and two sailing ten
dcrs-a lighthouse fleet without
counterpart in the world-and the ag-
rregate of the officers and crews of
which amounts to nearly 1000 men.
II the recommenGa tion Of the United
States lighthouse board is carried ont
the fleet will shortly be increased by
the addition of four new steel tenders.
One of these will be a handsome vessel
to be constructed at cost of $751;
600 for carrying on the Porto Rieap
lighthouse service. The vessels now
on this unique squadron, in addition
to the important part which they play
in all works OF construction under
taken by the engineer branch of the
lighthouse board. and the care glver
to the thousands of bloys maintained
by his government, also distribute each
year supplies valued AZ about $500
600.
In the lighthouse fest are vessels of
several distinct types and. indeed. the
development OF the tepder TO its pres
ent high plans o. efficiency may be
traced by means of vessels yet in sers-
ice. One of the pioneer craft IS The
wooden sidewheel steamer GeraniuTn.
which is in service on the coast of
Maine This vessel was built in lsti3
and is of only s56 tons burden. but she
steams. on an average, about 5000
miles year in discharge Of her
duties. which consist principally Of the
maintenance OF buoys- Another wood
en- sidewheeler. the Nsrbena, built in
1870. is also in ssrviee on the New Eng
land coast,
An adequate appreciation of the
chara-teris,ics u the latest approved
type Of craft for lighthouse service
may b. gained from the stipulations
IL the specifications for the steamer
Magnolia. To be constructed at a cost
% about $4,000 for service along the
Florida coast and in the Gulf OF Mex
ico- This tender has a length over
all Of iT3 feet: length between per-
pendiculars, los feet: beam nodded,
80 feet. and depth of hold of - feet.
She is fitted with two compound sur
face condensing engines and steam
is furnished by two Scotch boilers
capable of developing about $50 indi-
Gated horsepower.
This vessel is unique and OF special 5
interest from the fact that the natural
conditions of the district in which she
is to operate render i, imperative that
the steamer shall be so constructed
as TO make il possible to alter, when
necessary. not only her trim. but her
draft of water A vessel with great
draft could not, for instance, act as
a tender in the lakes and inland bays
with which this coast abouuds. while
on the other hand, a light-draft craft
would be inefficient and even danger
Gus in performing her duties in the
open sea of the Gulf of Mexico. The
problem has been solved in the case Of
the Magnolia blythe construction amid
ships of ballast tank extending from
about three feet OF the main deck
and the provision of trimming-tanks
forward and aft. The re lative capacity
of these three tanks Is such that the
draft and trim of the vessel may be
changed from six feet six inches on
an even keel for inside work to nine
feet aft and seven feet six inches for
ward for gulf service. A powerful
pump fills or empties these tanks
while the vessel IL on her way to OF
from the gulf The displacement of
this ingenious craft 10 72O tons. or $50
tons. as her tanks are full or empty