The Washington herald., 1913-03-16

ton of the United States is fs,SSl statute
miles measured in three-mile steps. The
general government provides lighthouses
and other aids TO navigation along all
this coast. with the exception OF the
Philippine Islands. n,5l1 miles, and Pan
anna. where the marking of the coasts
is maintained by the local governments
In addition. the United States provides
lights along the American shores of the
Great Lakes, 4,020 miles. and on interior
and coastal rivers. 5.i7s miles
The United States lighthouse service
thus maintains lights and other aids to
navigation along 4s, SIS miles of coast line
, and river channels, a length equal to
| nearly twice the circumference Of the
earth. In this distance it has le,s24 aids
| to navigation of all classes. sufficient to
! place one every two miles around the
equator.
In respect to territory covered and
aids maintained. says George R. Put
| nam. Commissioner of Lighthouses, in
the National Geographic Magazine. il is
much the most extensive service of its
kind under a single management. There
are 1.4s2 lights above the order of river
post lights. and there are 76e lights hav-
| ing resident keepers. fifty-one light vessel
stations. and i3s lighted buoys. The total
| lighted aids of all kinds is 4.0le
| There are in all 9SS fog signals, Of
which 80 are fog signal stations. forty
three submarine bells, 12i whistlins
buoys, and l.4ii day marks. or unlighted
beacons. There are also SIG private aids
to navigation. maintained at private eX-
pense, but under government supervision.
Central ONCE Here.
This service is carried on through an
orranization of nineteen districts. under
a central Office in Washington. Each
district is in charge OF a lighthouse in
spector and has local Office and one
or more supply depots and lighthouse
tenders. In all, there are forty-SN OF
these small vessels which carry the sup
| plies to the stations and place and mann
tain the buoys and light vessels
About 500 men are required for the
lighthouse work, of whom 211 are in the
executive, engineering and clerical force;
l,Tss are keepers of lights and depots'
l51O care for post lights, 1.54S are on YES
sells and is9 are in the construction and
repair force.
| The entire personnel is under the civil
service rules and appointments and pro-
motions are on a strictly merit system
| This is of great importance for the
maintenance of good organization and
rigid discipline in a purely technical
| service. on the efficient conduct Of
which is directly dependent the safety
| of all the lives and all the property
! carried on the seas and the naVlgaole
| waters of this country.
The annual maintenance cost OF the
entire service is close to s5.oc,oo0 and IN
addition in recent years there has been
expended about 100000 year on new
lighthouse works and vessels.
| At all important light stations there
are from two to five keepers. who main
| tain a continuous watch of the light AT
night and of the approach Of fog at all
times. At less important stations there
| is but one keeper, and sometimes
single keeper cares for several lights
| The first lighthouse on this continent
was built by the province OF Massa-
chusetts in 1715-1I16. on an island in the
entrance to Boston harbor. Although
candles and even coal fires appear tn
have been used in lighthouse illumina-
ton in England to much later date.
Boston light was probably illuminated
from the first by oil lamps In 1iSS the
light was produced by sixteen lamps in
groups of four. Crude lenses and rehec-
tors were fitted in 1911 and also re-
| yolying mechanism. 1t having previously
been a fixed light Several other light
houses were built and maintained by the
colonial governors
New York HarbOr protection.
For New York Harbor and immediate
approaches alone 26S aids to navigation
are required. including forty-six shore
lights. two light vessels, and thirty-sis
lighted buoys. There are lR buoys OF al
classes and thirty-seven fog signals, in
cluding sounding buoys.
Among the lighthouses OF the countr,
may be found examples of great engineer
ing skill and of dignified and simple de
| sign.
| Various materials have been employed
/ in lighthouse construction. stone. brick
iron. Steel concrete. re-enforced concrete
and wood: In new work: however, tbs
latter Is now little used because of th'
desirability OF permanency.
/ Lighthouse construction on the land u
usually comparatively simple. excep
when there is difficulty Of access to thu
sits. But often 1t Is important for th'