LIGHTING OF JACKSON'S HEAD AND THE FRENCH PASS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 2808, 22 September 1883, Page 2

LIGHTING OF JACKSON'S HEAD AND THE FRENCH PASS.

[By IjaEGBAPH.J Wellington, Sept. 21. Tho Stella returned to-day from an expedition to Jackson's Dead and the French Pass. Her surrey of tliß reef outlyiDg the former point proved eatiefactory, and a suitable «ito for a beacon was selected. The reef is well known to captains of coastiug steamers, but there it a risk of mistaking it m hazy weather. It lies well outside of the fpot where the s.». RaDgi'oto was wrecked, that reesel running right ou to tho mainland. There: is not likely to be any difficulty m erecting the beacon. The experiments at the French Pass were net so satisfactory m their result. The object aimed at is to present clear guiding marks or Sights on both sides, withoutineurring the exceaeivo outlay of erecting two s^para'e lighthouses. It was thought that by whitening the beacon on the north eide (D'Urville'o Island) of the Pass, and throwing oa it a strong illumination from a permanent lighthouse on the south sido (the mainland) a sufficiently distinct guidance might bo secured. This expectation prjved fallacious. A large white sheet was hung against the bea=oa and the light directed on it, but this proved very faulty, and oniy distingui.hable at a modorate distance. Another plan was suggested some time ago, but has not yet been tried, numely, tho erection o£ angular reflectors over the stone beacon on tho north sido, so disposed as to rtfloct m both directions tho beams from the fixed light on the mainland. This seemed to bo more feasible, and some further experiments will probably be tried to te»t its thorough practicality, but tho plan which appears now to ba most m favor is to place a small light on the beacon fed by compressed gas, which could bo replenished daily, and which would need no further attention than daily lighting and replenishing, the work to ba performed by keepers of the lighthouse on the mainland side. There ia also some doubt as to the best kind of light for the Utter. A ed one would be the best, but it would be

subject to the risk of being mistaken for thi side light of an approaching steamer, and thi ordinary white would also be apt to bo mis taken. Possibly somo specialty of white oi whitish light may ultimately be devised t< meet the requirements of the enne.