The Washington times., 1904-01-24

houses which guard our
5000 miles of coast are
Ioneliest in their vigil. and suffer the
greatest hardships," said an official OF
the lighthouse board to a Sunday Times
writer. one of the coolest days last
week MY duty requires me to visit
these lonely beacons of the sea. more
often in summer. but have made many
trips in winter, and l tell you. then is
the time when the bravery of the men
who keep the lights burning is put to
the test. Often the men who watch the
lights in houses located miles out, and
especially those along the New Eng
in all the long winter
"A trip along the Atlantic Coast will
give one a practical idea of the elabor-
ate system operated by the United
States for the safety of mariners. Lone
~ sentinels. towering high above the
sea. constantly on the alert to fash the
warning signal to the sailor in fog and
darkness. can be seen from Eastport all
the way along the Atlantic to the Flor
ida reefs
The Light at Minot's Ledge.
"one Of the most interesting lights on
the New England coast is Minots
Ledge. which marks the entrance TO
Boston Harbor. It stands on the same
spot where stood the old Minot light.
swept away in the storm of 1851, in
which the keepers lost their lives. The
present structure ranks among the great
sea-roek lighthouses of the world. This
tower. buffeted by wind and wave. looms
up through the lonely dark hours while
storms blow and seas dash themselves
against its base, the lantern at its head
constantly flashing a signal that can be
seen for sixteen miles. The light is
manipulated by an ingenious piece of
eicckworiz 1t shines once. then there is
an eclipse OF three seconds; then it
flashes three times. and. having told it's
number. there Is an interval of darkness
until the number is repeated. In the
recent terrific storms that swept the
New England coast many a sailor took
heart again on seeing the light on Mi
not.s Ledge.
The Treacherous Diamond Shoal.
Probably the most exposed light
house on the Atlantic coast is the outer
Diamond Shoal. off Cape Hatteras. This
house is seven and one-half miles from
the pitch OF the cape in thc open ocean.
Many brave mariners have gone down to
death off this light. their ships dashed to
pieces on the treacherous reefs and the
keepers OF the lighthouse unable TO rem
der them assistance.
Built by General Meade.
Along the Florida coast stands an
important lighthouse, built by General
Meade, on Cohin's Patches on sombrero
Key, about nifty miles east OF Key West.
II IS in eight feet OF water. and gives
range light of over twenty statute miles.
Another interesting beacon is the Fowey
Rocks Lighthouse, built on the extreme
northern point OF the Florida reefs. II
is much exposed 10 the elements, and re-
garded as dangerous post for keepers.
Few persons outside of those connect
cd with lighthouse establishments realize
the marked improvements which have
been made in lighthouses, widening their
sphere OF usefulness Prior to 1922 the
optical apparatus used IN the best equip
ped lighthouses was a siIver-plated par
abolic reflector. Today lenses are used
which multiply the light of an oil lamp
TO many times that Of the early reflect
ors. and which converge the rays above
and below the center Of the light until
they are parallel TO those thrown out
from the center. the whole going forth in
one straight shaft.
Biggest Light in the World.
THE most powerful light I'm the world
is the one which flashes its rays through
modern lenses on the Navesinlx High
lands. This light, according TO the man.
afacturers, throws beam having a
candle power OF 100000. as compared
with a candle power of 100000 at the
Jew electric fiashlight tower recently
e,,nstructed by the German government
on Tho Island Of Heligoland. The line
II keys which fringe the Florida coast