35

H.—26

with much ornamentation, and were erected at great cost; some of the keepers' dwellings are very large. The usual cost of a first-order light, I was told, was about 75,000 dollars (£15,500). The lighthouse lenses are all procured from France; the lamps are made iv the depot shops. There are four steam tenders belonging to the New York District—viz., the "Putman" and the "Cactus," for convoying supplies and for inspection; the " Fern," for supplying the lighthouses of the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts; and the " Mistletoe," for engineer purposes. There are altogether no less than twenty-two steam tenders, one steam launch, and five sailing vessels, belonging to the lighthouse service ; of these, eight steamers and four sailing vessels belong to the engineer branch, and are only used for construction and repairs, eight steamers are used for inspection and for conveyance of supplies, and six steamers and one sailing vessel as buoy tenders. Trixitt House, London. — The following concise and clear description of the constitution and functions of the Corporation of Trinity House is quoted from Major Elliot's " European Lighthouse System":— " The Corporation of Trinity House, or, according to the original charter, the Master, Wardens, and Assistants of the Guild, Fraternity, or Brotherhood of the Most Glorious and Undivided Trinity ; and of Saint Clement, in the parish of Deptford Strond, in the County of Kent," existed as early as the reign of Henry VII., and was incorporated by Royal Charter during the reign of Henry VIII. " In the year 1565, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, the Corporation was empowered, by Act of Parliament, 'to preserve ancient sea-marks and to erect beacons, marks, and signs of the sea;' but it was more than a century, i.e. not until 1680, before the Corporation constructed or owned any lighthouses. After that date it from time to time purchased the lights which were owned by individuals or by the Crown, and also erected new ones. In 1830, an Act of Parliament vested in the Trinity House the entire control of the lighthouses of England and Wales, and gave it certain powers over the Irish and Scotch lights. " Prior to the Act of 1836, the charge was from one-sixth of a penny to one penny per ton on all ships at each time of passing a lighthouse, but by this Act uniform light dues of a halfpenny per ton were established. " The charge of one penny per ton at Bell Rock Lighthouse is the only exception to this uniform rate. By further provisions of the Act, national ships, fishing vessels, and vessels in ballast are exempt from light dues. " It should be mentioned that only the lighthouses for general use are owned by the Trinity House, harbour and other local lights being constructed and maintained at the expense of the cities or localities which they especially benefit; but the Trinity House not only has over them a supervisory control in regard to their sites and plans, but inspects them from time to time, thus securing their efficiency. " The Elder Brethren, twenty-nine in number, comprise sixteen active members, including two officers of the navy and thirteen honorary members, all of whom are elected by the body as vacancies occur. " The honorary members include his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, some of the Ministera of the Crown, several members of the nobility and of Parliament. " The Duke of Edinburgh is the present Master, but the Deputy Master, who is elected by the Elder Brethren from their active list, is the executive officer. " Out of the annual revenues, £350 are paid to each of the active members ; these members are organized into Committees, which meet twice a week, except when absent on duty. " The entire Board holds weekly sessions, at which the matters before considered in Committee are disposed of. " The Corporation of the Trinity House includes also the Junior Brethren, who are elected by the Elder Brethren, and simply form a reserve from which the Elder Brethren add to their own number when vacancies occur. " The Junior Brethren have no duties. " Since 1854, the Trinity House has been subordinate to the Board of Trade, wLoso President is one of the Queen's Ministers. " All light dues collected by the Corporation of Trinity House go into a general fund called ' The Mercantile Marine Fund,' from which is paid the cost of the maintenance of a lighthouse establishment and of the erection of new lights. This fund is under the control of the Board of Trade, whose authority must be obtained for the erection of any new lighthouse, or for any important change in administration " This subordination to the Board of Trade extends to the Lighthouse Boards of Scotland and Ireland, causing, I was told, much inconvenience and embarrassment." The entrance hall of Trinity House is a spacious apartment, in which are exhibited models of most of the principal lighthouses erected by the Board, also of beacons and buoys, together with specimens of marine appliances of various kinds, all of which I had a good opportunity of examining. I had a long conversation with Mr. Robin Allan, the able and experienced Secretary of the Trinity Board, in the course of which I gathered much information about the Trinity Lighthouse system. He gave me copies of " The Trinity House Light-keeper's Instructions," and other printed papers, and very kindly promised to assist me in any way he could if I would write to him at any time. With regard to lights, he told me that revolving lights, showing a number of flashes in rapid succession between short intervals of obscuration, were now most approved of, as it had been found that lights of this kind could be seen more distinctly than the ordinary revolving lights, and that by varying the number of flashes, each light is easily recognized, and the mariner is thus made sure of his position. [£"4m Local officers, called Superintendents, are appointed by the Trinity Board. These officers have charge of the service in their respective districts.