LIGHTHOUSES.

Colonist, Volume II, Issue 102, 12 October 1858, Page 2

LIGHTHOUSES.

(From the Star of Gwent.) Seafaring men, merchants, shippers, and others interested in maritime matters have long felt the difficulties, inconveniences, and expense attendant upon the present complicated system of buoying and lighting the British coasts, and it must be a matter of great moment to- the shipping interests of this country that a more simple, efficient, uniform, and less expensive system than that now in use should be adopted; that the entrance of vessels into any por.fc or harbor should be rendered easy and safe; and that the expense of lighting and buoying should be defrayed from-the general funds of the nation, to which the interest especially benefitted might contribute on a more perfect and less burdensome plan than the present. It is well known that in England every harbor has a distinct system of. lights, buoys, and signals, so that a stranger coming to a port is under the necessity of employing a pilot to bring his vessel safe into harbor, whereas in France, Paissia, America, and other countries, a uniform and simple system is adopted. Under the French system any one with a chart before him may enter with safety any harbor on the coast of France. England, which in other respects asserts her pve-eminonce in the scale of nations, nnd especially as regards her dominion over the seas, is in this particular far in the back-ground. The French system of buoying is. thus :—A red buoy is placed on the starboard, or right sile, on the approach to sea, a black buoy on the port, or left side, and striped buoys upon banks and mid-channel, thus rendering the most intricate channel easy of navigation. The 'signals consist of a system of balls, which in calm weather are always visible, whereas flags fall to the must. Upon the coast of France there are.2lo lights, 154 of them upon the dioptric and 56 upon the old reflector, principle. According to a return for 185G there were upon the English, Scotch, and Irish coasts 224 lights, for which the enormous sum of £353,000 ti-year is paid ; whereas the French, for their 210 lights, vastly 6ivperior to our own, pay only £48,000 per year; and while the latter have threefourths of their lights upon the dioptric principle, we in England have only 17 on that improved system. Of the sum mentioned as the cost of French lighthouses a small mm is for new works, and £8000 for buoys and beacons, thus reducing the actual cost of lighting the coast to £38;350. Thi3 sum contrasts favorably with the charge for the lighthouses on our own coasts. The charge for the latter has to. be paid by the shipping interest, which competes in the open market with foreign ships sailed at less expense; and when such a contrast between the systems of the two nations is presented, it is surely time that our own system should be thoroughly looked into'and reformed. ' '~

An Extraordinary Ship.—We have been shown, by Mr. J. J. Rink, architect nnd engineer, the plans of a stupendous " fortress war-ship," 480 feetin length, with _ three hundred guns, 640 bottle galleries, 3600 berths, and all the munitions of war in proportion. Its appearance would, no doubt, scare the most audacious enemy, without the necessity of firing a gun. The ship is further prbvid ed with stab' c accommodations for 300 horses, two lighthouses, three powder towers, two "wrench rudders,", made to operate in alldirections, and so arranged as to be used in checking the speed of the ship, besides a variety of other appliances. This last' is a very desirable quality, as the inventor is sanguine that she will be propelled at the rate of 45 miles an hour. In addition to steam power, the ship will not spread not less than 6000 yards of> canvas, tlio immense hulk be^ng clouded with sails of every shape conceivable. . Even a partial description of all the novelties here introduced would occupy columns of ssa.c.Q.—English Paper.