Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-19
CHAIRMAN MARIx'S REPORT
Result of Observations on Trip With
Superintendent Conover.
CHANGES MADE IN LANTERNS
New Type Using the Pintsch Burner
Found to Give Superior Light
at Less Cost.

A four-month trip TO Europe ny A.
miral Adolph Mark. chairman of the
lighthouse board. and Supt Albert -.
Conover Of the Tompkinsvile IN "
lighthouse depot. may not only result in
materially improving the character of the
great beacons which are so essential TO
maritime commerce and the preservation
OF life and property on the seas. but ef
feet the saving OF hundreds Of thousands
of dollars to this country. This is sub-
stantially the Inference to be drawn from
recent report submitted by those two
officers to the Secretary OF Commerce and
Labor.
Although no lighthouse establishment In
Europe is considered superior to that OF
this country. Vet something OF value and
Importance was learned in every country
visited, including England. Scotland.
France. Germany. Holland, Sweden and
Denmark.
Perhaps the most important discovery
as the result of the trip was that made
In England, the invention of the Trinity
House, and afterward in Germany also.
at the Pintsch gas works. 1t is a special
kind Of lantern used for the Pintsch gas
buoys, which gives as good a light as the
brilliant acetylene gas lamps. For some
time past il has been seriously contem-
plated to do away with the Pintsch gas
buoys, because the light they exhibit is
very inferior TO that OF the acetylene
buoy. But with this new lantern the
flame OF the Pfntsch light can be made as
brilliant as that of the acetylene light.
and what is also important Is that the
lanterns now used can be changed into
the new form at a cost OF about SO for
each buoy. AS there are 2O5 Pintsch gas
buoys now in use in the service OF this
country. the saving resulting from this
item alone, It is estimated. will amount
To ftlll loIf Ill.
Changing to New Type.
Already the lighthouse board has COM
menced to change its lanterns to the new
type, and the report states that il is eX-
pected by the time navigation opens on
the lakes next spring every one OF the
American Pintsch gas buoys will equal
in brilliancy the Canadian buoys. and
that many OF the buoys on the At
lantic coast will have the new lantern
installed. 1t is proposed to give Am
brose channel the new lanterns at an
early date.
The Swedish method OF using acetyIene
was carefully studied. the report states.
and will be of great use TO the Amer
lean service wherever it can be advan-
tageously employed.
A trip down the archipelago from
Stockholm to the sea, the report states.
showed a chain of small lighthouses and
beacons entirely unattended by keepers
and only visited occasionally by attend
ants from Stockholm. Experimental
work along these lines has already been
commenced i'm the United States, and il
is estimated that the apparent saving in
salaries as the result will be enormous
Oil Vapor Used in England.
In the British isles oil vapor is used
almost exclusively, and so far as econ
omy and efficiency are concerned f.
CT h. f.ze@ 1~1--
of this vapor is now being tried in this
country. and many existing lights are
being adapted to the purpose. The re-
port states that the lamp manufactured
i'm England is superior to the one that
has been used in the United States as II
requires but very little attention. while
the American lamp requires a great deal
change to the English lamp. il is
thought, will be of great benefit In MAX
ing the work of the lighthouse keepers
less arduous, but there will be no econ
omy in the change, according to the re-
port.
On the continent of Europe. according to
the report. the electric lights are used
more extensively. and, like the electric
lights Of this country, have required as
many as six persons to run them The
very latest electric light which was found
by Admiral Mark and Supt Conover re-
qured only two keepers, thus saving
about $1,000 a year for each light alone.
A late discovery in placing the carbons
makes this light much more efficient than
any that has been tried heretofore.
Lightships Superior to Ours.
The light vessels Of Europe IL is de-
o'ared, are In advance of those of the
United States. They are now construct
ing a regular light tower board OF
each vessel instead of the two old-fash-
toned masts with refiectors. This light
tower IL Is said, has a regular lens and
burns as brightly as a lighthouse. Not a
single one of these light vessels is at
present In use in the United States, al
though since the tour of inspection 10
Europe two have already been started.
Although there will not be any economy.
II is declared. there will he a great ad-
vance I'm efficiency gained by their use
Considerable attention. the report states.
was paid to the different kinds Of fog
signals. Tt has been universally conceded
in Europe that the use of air is superior
to that of steam. reserve tanks can be
arrival of the fog. and the signal can he
started Immediately when the fog sets I'm.
Some years ago such a system was in
stalled in the United States, but has not
worked satisfactorily. The trip to Europe,
declares the report, has taught the meth
cd of using this air system to advantage.
The fog signal becomes more efficient by
the fact that IL can be started immef
diately. Ii is also more economical. be-
cause the wear and tear on the boilers
and engines in hurrying the signal is
done away with, and repairs are TO .
great extent obviated.