The Dolores star., 1923-08-24

Me. in 1907 when 2,I34 hours of fog prevailed dur
ing the year.
Buoys, as a rule, employed to mark shoals
or other distractions and to indicate the ap-
proaches to and limits of channels or the fairway
passage through channel. In some cases they
indicate anchorage grounds. Buoys originally were
either solid wooden spars or built up in various
shapes of wooden staves like barrels. Built-up
buoys constructed of iron steel plates.
In order 10 give the proper dstinctiveness, buoys
are given certain characteristic coors and num-
bers. They anchored In their positions by
various types Of moorngs, depending on the char
acter of the bottom and the size and Importance Of
the buoy.
Bell buoys have hemispherlcalshaped hull,
built Of steel plates, with fiat deck, and carry a
structural-steel superstructure which supports
bronze bell and usually four Iron clappers. The
motion Of the buoy In the these clappers
to strike the bell. that the action is entirely
automatic.
Whisng buoys are built of steel plates and
consist Of n shaped body with the smaller end
uppermost, with u long open tube the lower
end. This tube extends throughout the length Of
the buoy, and Is closed at the upper end by a
head plate on which Is mounted a check valve and
a whistle on the superstructure of the buoy. The
sound is produced by the air in the upper portion
of the tube being compressed by the falling of the
buoy In the waves its of escape being
through the whistle A fresh supply of air Is
drawn through the check valve the buoy rises
again
Lighted buOys modern invention, having
come into use within about the last 35 years and
are considered by mariners generally as among the
most valuable Of recent developments In coast
lighting. All Of the lighted buoys now in service
use compressed gas. either oil gas or acetylene. In
the types In use the gas, at pressure of about
l2 atmospheres, is contained either directly in the
body Of the buoy or in tanks fitted into compart.
ments Of the body and Is pped to the lantern at
he 7 ba Irh
fasl. Ing. us Is commonly the case n small riIot
light burns continuously and gnies the main ,urn.
er as gas Is admitted from the flashing chamber
The latter Is a regulating compartment In the base
of the lantern and Is provided with flexible dIa-
phragm and valves for cutting off and opening the
flow of gas at intervals the operation being due to
the pressure of the gas in the reservoirs.
The lighthouse service maintains light vesseIo
SO stations, and has for this purpose CO light
vessels, of which 13 relief vessels They arc
generally employed for marking dangers Mt s.a
approaches entrances to harbors and nj i'm,
portant points In the course of vessels vber. n
lighthouse is not feasible. and are of no,
ticunr value In providing both a light and n fop
signal which may be approached close to, TINS on
abling mariners to fix their position at sen with
reasonable certainty. In this respect light veasoo
are superior to lighthouses, In the case of the
latter due allowances must be made for a safe dIs
tance in passing. valuable secondary ndv,nt,,o
Is the fact that light vessels may be shifted to
varying conditions of traffic, such as changes in
shoals or channels, use of deeper draft vesses and
similar contingencies Most of these ships are now
equipped with tubular steel mast containing n
ladder, surmounted at the top by lantern n, t,a
type used In lighthouses, containing reg,lor ,,.
house lens. These llghtshps are surnIIed ,ri,h
both the ordinary articles for maintenance and
materials lot construction or repair BY a number n,
snaii vessels known as lighthouse tenders