The Van Buren press., 1903-05-16
IN THE LIGHTHOUSE SERVICE.
The system Conducted by Our Sov-
ernment IL without an Equal
in the World.

The necessity for atfording 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 bS with
out a parallel on the globe, says the
Chicago Daily News.
Employed in one way or another in
,he supervision and maintenance of
the lighthouse system are upward of
| 50 vessels and between 1000 and 5000
men. The phase of the operations at
| once the most interesting and the most
picturesque is performed by the light
/ house tenderS-yesselS 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 10 the re-
| punishment 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 35 steam tenders, II
steam launches and two sailing ten
| ders-a lighthouse feet without
counterpart in the wOrld-and the ag-
gregate of the officers and crews OF
| which amounts to nearly 1000 men.
/ If the recummenGatiun of the United
| States lighthouse board is carried out
| the feet will shortly be increased by
| the addition Of four new steel tenders
| One of these will be a handsome vessel
| to be constructed at a cost of $751;
| 600 for carrying on the Porto Rcan
| 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 given
to the thousands Of buoys main aimed
| by his government, also distribute each
year supplies valued at about $780,
| COO
In the lighthouse feet are vessels Of
several distinct types and, indeed, the
! development Of the tender to its pres
| ent high plans of efficiency may -
| traced by means of vessels yet in sery-
ice. One Of the pioneer craft is tho
wooden sidewheel steamer Geranium,
| which is in service on the coast or
| Maine. This vessel was built in 1868
and is Of only 3j6 tons burden, but she
steams. on an average, about 5000
miles a wear in discharge of her
duties, which consist principally Of the
maintenance Of buoys Another wood
en- sidewheeler, the Nerhena, built in
1870. is also in service on the New Eng
and coast,
An adequate appreciation Of the
characteristics Of the latest approved
type of craft for lighthouse service
may be gained from the stipulattons
in the specifications for the steamer
Magnolia, to be constructed al cost
Of about Sl2j,OOO for service along the
Florida coast and in the Gulf OF Mex.
,co. This tender has a length over
all Of l73 feet; length between per-
pendiculars, l65 feet; beam nodded,
30 feet. and a depth of hold Of l3 feet
She is fitted with two comp"2nd sur
face condensing engines and steam
Is furnished by two Scotch boilers
capable Of developing about $50 lndi'
Gated horsepower
This vessel is unique and Of special
interest from the fact that the natural
conditions of the district in which she
Is TO operate render it imperative that
the steamer shall be 50 constructed
as 70 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 40
q tender in the lakes and inland bays
with which this coast ahounds, while
on the other hand, light-draft craft
would be inefficient and even danger
Gus in performing her duties IN the
omen sea Of the Gulf Of Mexico, The
nroblcm has been solved In the case OF
The Magnolia by the construction nmld'
ships of ballast tank extending from
the bottom Of the vessel 20 within
about three feet Of the main deck
and the provision Of trimming'tanks
forward and aft The relative 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 af, and seven feet six inches for
ward for gulf service, \ powerful
pump fills or cmpties these tanks
while the vessel Is on her way 20 or
from the gulf The displacement 81
this ingenious craft Is 12O tons or 800
tons. ns her tanks are full or empty