El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-08-17
LightShibSAr
Important To
Ocean Vessels
Are Located Where Light
houses Can't Be Built,
At Bad Places.

W aSnlng ton, u. - aug. line
sinking by German submarine OF the
Z. S. Diamond Shoal lightship an
chored off Cape Hatteras. calls TO
mind the fact that Notwithstanding
the severe conditions, Diamond ShoaI
light vessel, has in recent years been
maintained on the station with little
interruption. The vessel was moored
with a 1900 pound mushroom anchor
and $50 fathoms 600 feet) Of heavy
chain. About one-third OF the length
from the vessel a submerged spherical
buoy was attached 70 the chain, car
rying a part Of its weight and greatly
easing the pull on the vessel
The latest lightships are provided
with powerful and distinctive lights
and fog signals. They more nearly
approach the lighthouse in design.
having a heavy tubular iron mast
surmounted by a lantern, sometimes
with a revolving lens supported like
a pendulum to hang vertically, so that
the light beam viii be kept near the
horizon regardless OF the motion Of
the vessel An example is the re-
Gently completed Milwaukee light YES
sci, which shows q double flash every
ten seconds. This vessel has a fog
signal giving two blasts each minute,
with intervals OF seven and IS sec
onds
Life on a Mghtship IS somewhat
dreary, but not without excitement
During every fog the crew on Nan
tucket ship know that numerous yes
sells are headed directly for them, and
IN q storm anchored as they are in
the open sea, they may be far from
comfortable. The men in turn are
allowed liberal leave ashore. There
are often serious difficulties IN get
ting coal and provisions TO the ships
on exposed stations, so il is necessary /
that they carry sufficient supplies to I
last over stormy periods.
In 1899 the Columbia river light I
vessel was stranded near Cape Disap- /
pOintment. and as It could not be got 4
off in to the sea again, it was hauled I
zoo yards across the land through the /
woods and launched in the Columbia 1
river.
The lightships, being necessarily /
near the channel ways, are frequently /
collided with. In January. 1912. a /
schooner ran into Diamond Shoal /
light vessel The master, in his re-
port. describes the damage done and j
states that "the seamen and also the /
cook worked manfully all night in
trying TO save the mainmast,' and =
that repairs having been made. the
light having been kept burning as
usual, and the ship kept in right pO-
sition, unless very severe weather
sets in, the vessel viii stay here IN
til relieved"
The directions Of the superintendent
OF lights in 1929 TO the master OF a
light vessel instruct him not to slip !
or cut the cable, or suffer it TO be
done, in any event, and II the vessel
should be likely to founder, to aban-
don her with his crew"
Lightships are placed in locations
off the coast, where II would be i'm
practicable or needlessly expensive 10 /
build a lighthouse, and they usually
mark the approach to a port or bay OF
the outer limit Of an off-lying danger.
They are also sometimes used in inside
waters. They may be moored in the
channel or close to 1t, and they have
the advantage over most lighthouses,
that a vessel may steer directly for
them without danger so long as col
iision with the light vessel is avoided.
and also that they may be moved and /
mOored in another positions when
change OF conditions or necessity re-
quires.
The first ughtship, the More, was
established in England in 1882, at the
mouth OF the Thames. The first in
this country was stationed in 1920 in
bay. off Willoughbly Spit
Sandy Hook, now Ambrose. light YES I
sci was established in 1923. A light
vessel was placed off Cape Hatteras
in 1924 and was driven ashore in 1927,
and a ship was not established again
in this dangerous position until 1879,
after unsuccessful attempts had been 4
made to build a lighthouse on Dia-
mond Shoal.