Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-31
DIAMOND SHOAL LIGHT
Ships That Keep Watch on
Dangerous Bars.
LIFE OF THE GRE WIS
MoNoTONY OF THREE MONTHS'
TRICK OF DUTY.
Two Vessels Alternate at the Hatteras
Mariners Graveyard-Danger
and Wearing Duties.

cargoes, have been dashed to deTtruction;
riding the waves of the winter Storms, or
the calms of summer seas, are numerous
Eghtships, at points on the coast where
lighthouses cannot be established, or where
their rays could not be seen far enough out
to sea to be of value They are stationed
along the coast from Maine to Florida. and
their value to shipping cannot be oveEestf-
mated. They warn ships of their approach
to the shoals, give them their exact position
so that the master can correct his course,
and in hundred ways are a bless ,ng to
those who follow the sea. In all the string
of lightship there is no more important
station on the entire coast than that on
Diamond shoals on the coast of North
Carolina, aptly named "the mariners grave
yard" from the number of ships that, driv-
en- upon its nhospitable shores by storms
have been wrecked and lost on the bars of
sand jutting far out to sea. The United
States government many years ago estaD-
lished a lighthouse on the shore at Cape
Hatteras, but ii is the Diamond Shoal light
ship, off the cape, that gives timely warn
Ing to vessels of their approach TO the dan
gerous shoals, 1t is the most lonesome
station on the coast, and two vessels are
employed in the service They are known
as No. II and No. -, and one or the other
of them is constantly on the station like
faithful watch dogs performing the duty
ass gned them in fair weather and in foul
Ships Changed Quarterly.
The changes in the station of the ships
are made every three months, this being
necessary in order to preserve the health of
the crews. The greater portion of the
three months trick ashore is given to the
men in leave, but they are required to do
what oyerhauling the ship needs during the
period iR port, in order to have it in trim
for the next tour of duty on the station.
This method of alternating leaves of alb
sence with working periods tones up the
minus and bodies of the men and makes
them fit for the dreary monotony of a tour
of duty on the stormy shoals of Hatteras
No. II went on the station about october
1 last, and Wednesday last No. ~, which
had been at Baltimore fitting out, left for
the station, and No. II will come home for
a tour of duty ashore No. II will remain
on the station until about April l next,
when she will be relieved and will come
back to Norfolk or Baltimore Six months
of each year, in alternating seasons are
spent by each crew on Diamond shoal, and
they are enabled to see the ocean in all It's
moods, and the changes are sometimes sud
den.
The Diamond shoal lightships are the
stanchest afoat. They are moored by
mushroom anchors, each weighing several
TONS that bite deep down into the sands,
and il must be indeed terrific gale that
moves the ships from their moorings,
though such a thing has happened within
the last two or three years. when the ship
was blown off her station for several days.
They float like a cork and ride the pillows
liks a thing of life, when to the unnitiated
it would look as If the seas would crush
them They are steams hips, and go to and
from the station with their 'own steam.
Should they be blown away from their
moorings their powerful engines Will save
them from going ashore on the reefs
Duties of the Crew.
When No. - arrives at the station early
in next week the first duty of the sailor
men aboard her will be to see that her
mooring anchors and cables are secure, so
that there will be no danger of her being
blown away from the station should
storm come. Then comes the house-clean-
ing. When the ship leaves port she is dirty
from the quantities of coal and supplies
that have been passed over her decks to be
stored down in her hold for use during her
three months on the station. From keelson
to deck inside the ship and from waterline
to mast heads on the outside the ship is
gone over with hot water. soap and scrub
bing brush until everything glistens and Is
as bright as new pin. This polishing and
cleaning is kept up while the ship is on the
station and aids in giving the men employ
ment. AS on a cruising ship regular
watches are kept with some slight changes
in their arrangement and with looking af-
ter the lights of the ship, painting and
afternoon in each week. generally Satur-
day. the men wash their clothing. Soap
is provided by the lighthouse service, and
fresh water is obtained by catching the
rain and snow.
1t is difficult matter on a station like
the Diamond to find employment that win
ward off the depression that comes with a
long stay in such isolation The men
aboard the ship are chummy and friendly
when the station is first reached; but it is
stated that before the end of their three
months trick al sea they become gloomy
and morose, and hail the coming of their
trick ashore with delight.
The Diamond shoal ships are perhaps the
most complete lightships in the world. Ee-
sides carrying the warning beacon at their
mast heads, they are equipped with a big
searchlight so arranged that beam of white
light can be thrown toward the heavens.
This light is kept working at night, and the
mariner, seeing its beam in the sky knows
that the Diamond shoals are near and that
he should keep sharp lookout for the dan
gers that Turk under the waters for shin
ana man In thick and foggy weather a
Dig FOG .siren sounds It's warning note 10
keep away, and this fog signal and electric
light beam have been the means of saving
many a vessel from running on the reefs
and to certain destruction Vessel ma cfarc
have reported seeing the searchlight hear,
Wien thirty miles away, and it Is said the
fog signal can be heard several miles
Equipped With Wireless.
About a ear ago complete wireless tel
egraphic outfit was added to the equipment
OF the Diamond shoal ships, and with it's
aid reports on the condition of the weather.
winds and the like are daily made to the
weather bureau In this city The mes
sage is sent sometimes first to the shore
station on Cape Hatteras and at other
times Cape Henry or another of the coast
stations will catch the message and relay
1t to this city. Messages are also ex-
changed with passing ships equipped with
wireless outfits, and weather reports, which
are received daily aboard the ship, are
given them. The monotony of the stay ON
the station has been largely broken by the
installation of the wireless telegraph, as the
men On the ship are now able to commune
cate with the shore and to Obtain the news
of the day.
They do not want for reading matter for.
they are well supplied by the ships that
pass the station going TO and from southern
ports. AS the steamship nears the station
newspapers that were fresh when the ship
left port the recent magazines, novels and