The Washington herald., 1912-10-20

keeper OF Q u8nt more faltntul ana un-
falling. The sun, within the last few
Iyearo. has become Uncle Sans chief
lamplighter for tho lonely beacons alons
the tens Of thousands Of miles Of coast
and inland waterways OF this country.
II kindles them At dusk and extinguishea
them 1t dawn.
The beacons that are attended by the
sun are usually In remote places. Some
OF them are along Alaskan Rivers close
70 the edge Of the Arctic Circle. During
the brief summer of the far North they
show the way to the boats passing up
and down. and in winter they guide the
travellers on dog sledges over the frosen
surface. Others are in tropic seas. For
months at . time no human hand
touches them. yet they burn through
the dark and 20 out with the dawn with
unfailing regularity. These sun beacons
arc one Of the latest achievements Of the
lighthouse service.
There are q number of these self-light-
ing beacons near the entrance of New
York Harbor and along the sound. Many
travellers on the steamers up and down
the bay. the harbor or the narows have
wondered how these lamps are lighted.
One moment the eye can discern moth
ing but dark and lonely buoys tossing on
tho water. The next moment a light II
shining from each. winkingly. or with .
steady flame. yet there 10 no boatman
In sight.
Explanation Simple.
The popular idea has been that these
were electric lights and the current was
turned on and OF from some point
ashore. This, however. IL not the case.
The disappearing sun has lit them and
In the morning 1t will put them out.
This wonder has a very simple explsna-
tion. II Is based on q scientific principle
that has been known for hundreds of
years. but which has been adapted to the
use Of the lighthouse service only re-
Gently. II you will look closely At one
of these channel light buoys by daylight
you will see that the tops of one or two
big cylinders project UP q little way from
the floating part of the buoy and that q
| small iron pipe runs to the lantern at
the top. The cylinders contain acetylene
gas. stored under pressure. Only very
close inspection will disclose the sun
| valve which IL the heart OF the secret.
Every ono knows that heat expands
and cold contracts metals. Sunlight on
dark surfaces is converted into heat The
sun valve 10 In q glass jar inside the Ian
tern. This Jar Is about ten inches high
and three inches in diameter. Running
up and down through the center IL =
thick black rod held in place by three
slender polished rods.
The central rod is Of copper thickly
coated with lampblack. so that II will
absorb light and heat in the highest pos
sible degree. The smaller rods are also
Of copper. but polished so that they will
not absorb light. They do not expand or
contract under the rays Of tho sun. but
the black coated rod does.
With the light and heat Of the morning
It lengthens enough to push itself down
and touch the end Of lever which. con-
trolled by . spring. cuts on the now OF
gas from the storage chamber below the
lamp. When the sun goes down In the
afternoon and the temperature falls the
rod contracts. The pressure 10 taken on
the lever and the gas flows upward to
little pilot fame that never goes out.
This flame lights the gas when It ho~s
upward into the lantern.
Stands All Tests.
The lighthouse people say that this
years and has been subjected to the most
severe tests without ever falling. The
black copper rod varies in length and
thickness according to the climate in
which the self-lighting buoy is to be
used Therefore they say It Is adaptable
to any climate on the globe. A number
Of these lights are in operation and 9TH
ers along the coasts Of islands In the
Pacific well down under the equator.
The storage chambers for gas can be
made large enough TO contain a supply
for a single burner for as. long as three
years, but the usual period that elapses
between visits Of the lighthouse tenders
is six months. As a general thing light
buoy Is overhauled and painted twice
a year Some Of the self-lightinG buoys
around New York Harbor are what Is
known as occula1ng lights. They flash
at certain intervals. This Is accom-
pl!sh by means Of clockwork device
Others burn steadily.
Some Of these self-lightins buoys are
along the Ambrose Channel, but they are
Of minor Importance, although necessary
to navigation. The chief lights that are
the guides for incoming vessels are the
West Bank light. which is well out in
the water of the lower bay, and the
Staten Island range light. which Is
perched on a hin some three miles in
land Both Of these beacons are very
powerful and are so placed that they can
be seen by mariners. one above the other.
as the harbor Is approached. The Rich
mond Hill light on Staten Island throws
beam Of 10000 candle power twenty
Ave miles out to sea.
Some Have Whistles.
These two powerful lights and the
other smaller lights that mark the boun-
daries Of the Ambrose Channel have
caused sailors to call 1t ''the Great White
Way OF the sea-" It Is marked by many
buoys as well as lights. Some Of them
have automatic whistles and others are
equipped with bells. The pilots know
each one as well as a city dweller knows
the principal landmarks along-~a fire.
Quently travelled street.
The Ambrose Channel is one of tho
greatest waterways. 1t Is 1000
feed wide, 10 feet deep, and ~ miles
long. More ships traverse It than any /!
other water road in the world. They are
Of every variety and fly every nag. /
The lighthouse board. which has charge |
Of placing the buoys and lights and other |
aids to navigation throughout the United |
States and its colonial possessions. Is one |
Of the most important and least known |
branches Of the government. The whole |
Is divided into nineteen different |
Of which the Third. which in |
cludes New York. is the most important. |
At Tompkinsville. Staten Island. is MAIN |
tanned the largest depot for supplies. as |
we'll as the headquarters for the Third |
district. The Tompkinsville station of the |
lighthouse board covers several acres on |
the shore short walk from the ferry at |
ST. George. There are many ONCE build |