the greatest possible range) at this place; with such a light, the many dangers would seem to be purely imaginative. Tortugas light, though much improved, is very far from being perfect. In fact, two lights are required at this place, one lower than the one now in use; for, owing to some local cause, the light is frequently invisible, even with the light-house in sight. On one occasion the writer was becalmed off Tortugas all one night close enough to see the kegs and lower part of the light-house, but could not see the light. As much fault was laid to the keeper's charge for neglect, I feel sure that instead of any censure being due him, it is owing to a peculiar state of the atmosphere. It is quite superfluous to call the attention of your honorable body to the necessity for a good light at this place, as the Key West papers are sufficient proof of this necessity. It is a source of much mortification that the British lights in the immediate vicinity of our coast should be so much superior to ours. The writer alludes to Double-headed Shot and Gun-key lights, both of which are of the greatest importance to the navigation of the Gulf, and from their great brilliancy and certainty of being seen, make them much preferable to those on our Florida coast. Perhaps the greatest fault with regard to lights on the United States coast, is the too great similarity existing between them, requiring many more revolving and flash lights, so that the mariner in the absence of observations, may, on making a light, determine his position at once; besides which the steady light may and frequently has been mistaken for a steamboat light in thick weather; not so with the revolving or flash lights, which establish their identity at once. The writer respectfully suggests the great necessity for a greater diversity in our present light-house system, as conducive to the safety of many lives and much property, and secure the gratitude of the anxious mariner. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, JOHN H. YOUNG. Lieut. T. A. JENKINS, U. S. N., Secretary to Light-house Board. B-No. 50. Letter from Captain E. R. Smith, commanding the ship Tropic. NEW YORK, April 21, 1852. SIR: I received a circular from you, and take this time to answer your questions. 1. My passages are various, say from four to ten per year, and between this country and all parts of Europe, and to different ports in Europe, West Indies and South America. 2. I have run for Loophead at the mouth of the river Shannon; that is rather a dim light, but standing on high land, in a very clear atmosphere it may be seen six leagues, but will not compare with lights of that elevation on our coast. I have run for Terifa (Spanish) light in the straits of Gibraltar; that is none too good. The light at Feroll, in Spain, is quite good, but not better than Cape Henlopen, although much more elevated. Cape Clear (Ireland) is a very fair light. The Lizard and the principal lights in the English channel are good, and better distinguished than any lights on our coast, but the other lights on the English and Irish coasts are no better than ours of the same elevation. The most of their lights are of greater altitudes than ours, and of course have a greater range. The lights on the coast of Spain are few and nothing extra; on the coast of France are very good and well attended. I have run for the Nordnaes of Norway; that is a good light and of good range. The Skaw light and the other lights on the Categat sound are fair, but not so good as ours. The lights up the Baltic and Gulf of Finland are much the same as on our coast, but many places being high lands they have a greater range. 3. The most of the locations of foreign lights are well chosen, better than many of ours. The lights on the English coast are well distinguished from each other, and also on the coast of France well marked. 4. The lights of this country, as a general thing, I should say are too low. There are many places on our coast where very good lights are needed, such as Chincoteague, Little Egg Harbor, Cape Hatteras, Cape Lookout, Cape Fear, and Cape Romain; but the lights are hardly visible outside of the shoals in clear weather, so that in thick or hazy weather they are but of very little use, as a ship would be on the shoals before the lights were discovered; and another thing, there is nothing to distinguish Egg Harbor from Barnegat light when the weather is a little hazy, and I came very near losing my ship in consequence. It is reported red, but it is not so, and may lead to some fatal mistake. I think with the elevation, our lights are as good as those of England or France. 5. The Highland lights are good and of good range. Cape Cod and Boston lights are the two best lights on our coast, and they compare well with any light on the coast of England; but there are many lights on our coast which should be much better than they are. The light on Abaco (English) is a splendid light, better than any light on our coast, with the exception of Cape Cod and Boston. The lights on the English coast are better distinguished than ours and sooner ascertained than lights in general on our coast, and there is more need that they should be, as they are more on a parallel of latitude, and often ships are under the necessity of running up channel in thick weather and have but a short glimpse of the lights. 7. The light-ships are much the same as ours, but no better, and not so well marked in the day time, as they appear more like a common vessel at anchor. The Danish light-boats are not so good as ours; their lights are dim, but are placed in situations that are very useful. There are more 6. As to buoys and beacons they are better than ours. of them and better marked, and up the Baltic and Gulf of Finland, especially in the Russian dominions, the system of buoys and beacons is very good, better than any country I ever was in, and worthy of being patterned after. They are so well marked that no one need make a mistake. They are far superior to ours. As to the apparatus, I cannot say anything on the subject, as my chances have been small to ascertain, but I think the French are the best economists in regard to lights. I would say further in regard to the time of lighting; the system is generally from sun to sun, with the exception of Russia; in the short nights of summer they do not light many of their lights at all. As to improvement on our coast, I think there could be a great improvement; on the headlands, there should be better lights, that is, more elevated and of greater brilliancy. It would save many ships and lives and there is much needed a light on the southeast end of Block island; a good light-boat with a heavy bell, off the eastward of Boston light, is much needed; the English have light-boats in quite as exposed situations, and I think our government should use all the influence in its power to get a light on the Great Isaac (Bahamas.) But I must close as my time is limited, but will at my leisure go over with my statement. It is a subject that interests, and of great importance to, Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Lieut. T. A. JENKINS, U. S. N., Secretary to Light-house Board. E. R. SMITH. B-No. 51. PHILADELPHIA, April 24, 1852. SIR Messrs. Taylor & Co., of this city, handed me, a few days since, a circular from the office of the Light-house board. The same was forwarded you by the above named gentlemen with my answers to the proposed questions, as also some views with regard to the general importance of the subject. A reperusal of the circular convinces me of the necessity of laying before the board all information bearing upon the subject, as the only means of correcting the many faults at present existing in our lighthouse system. Hoping that these views may be taken in the same spirit which induces them, viz: the great desire I feel that all the aids to commerce on the coasts of the United States may be second to none, or, at least, bear a comparison to those of our great commercial rival, Great Britain. For the last fifteen out of twenty-four year's command, the most of my voyages have been in and about the gulf and Florida coast, and the English and Irish channels; having watched the vast improvements in the quality of lights during that period on the British coast, the seaman cannot but be struck with the great apathy existing in this country with regard to the quality of lights on the American coast. The difference is so great that the seaman runs almost without anxiety for the British lights, under the positive conviction that they will be seen when within the proper distance, and that, too, sufficiently great to enable the performance of any evolutions necessary for the safety of the ship and passengers. The question may be asked, Can the seaman run with anything like that confidence for the American lights? I answer unhesitatingly, no; always doubtful whether the light can be seen or not before getting into inextricable danger. I speak it with a desire to offend none, but I have never felt so confident, so easy in mind, when running for an American light as a British. Independently of the lights on the coast being poor, there are many in entirely useless situations, while on the more frequented parts a want of others is felt, which, from the great increase of shipping, render their necessity of the first importance. The writer begs to call the attention of the board to the great distance from Carysfort reef to Key West, without any guide to the mariner on this dangerous coast, more particularly to those navigating along the reef to avoid the current of the gulf. It is well known to all frequenting that sea, that ESE. and SE. winds always induce a strong set of the current over the reef; and even when steering along the reef, or a little off, during the night, the ship is set bodily over the reef with but comparatively little guide to warn him of his danger. There is space enough between the points above named to admit of two good lights which would render the danger on that coast almost nominal, and save property enough in one year to pay for the whole light-house establishment of the United States. The immense number of vessels of all nations beating up the gulf render a number of lights more indispensable on the Florida coast. than on any other, and almost demand their proximity to each other, equal to the coasts of Great Britain, which generally enables the mariner to see one light before losing sight of another, and raises emotions of gratitude to the authors of so many aids in behalf of the mariner. I wish to press on the notice of the board the vast importance of this subject, and respectfully suggest that, with a view to render our light-houses, light-ships and the whole system perfect, the pecuniary weight should not fall in any way upon the government, but on the ships; as the lights are for their direct use, so the tax should be direct on the ship. It is doubtless known to your honorable body that all vessels entering British ports are taxed-on entering at custom house-for all the lights they may pass in making the passage. The tax is per ton and falls lightly, at the same time more than keeping up the whole establishment of which Great Britain is, and justly may be proud. I make no apology for trespassing so much with views and opinions which may be inadmissible, but feel the importance of the subject requires that all interested in "those who go down to the sea in ships," should endeavor to give their views on the subject. THORNTON A. JENKINS, Esq., Very respectfully, Secretary of the Light-house Board. JOHN H. YOUNG. B-No. 52. Letter from Capt. Thos. M. Morrison, commanding the barque Dudley. CHARLESTON, S. C., April 25, 1852. SIR: In reply to your request, per a copy of a circular addressed to me at this port, I respectfully beg leave to answer the queries therein submitted as far as my practical experience and opinions may dictate. When at the age of sixteen years, I adopted and chose a mariner's profession, to which I have exclusively devoted myself for the past twenty years in various capacities in the merchant service, and commanding a vessel since 1846, partly transiently, sailing to different ports. I have, however, sailed for several years regularly between the ports of New York and Charleston, South Carolina, in the capacity of master and first officer, averaging about sixteen or eighteen passages per annum. The lights I should run for on this route would depend entirely upon wind and weather; having westerly winds if bound from New York, south, I would endeavor to hug the Jersey shore and make all the lights along that beach; also the floating light stationed on Five Fathom bank off Delaware; from thence, with a fair wind, I should shape my course for the new light north of Cape Hatteras, in about latitude 35° 46'. The highlands of Navesink on Jersey, perhaps the best lights on our coast, is a good light. Barnegat not so good, and is generally run for by vessels bound to and from New York. The next is the new light on Little Egg Harbor; it can be seen in clear weather in time to avoid shoal water. These are the only lights, on Jersey shore, in a fair-way track to and from Cape Hatteras and New York. The floating light on Five Fathom bank, off Delaware bay, is very inferior. Cape May and Cape Henlopen have been generally out of my track, also Assateague, Smith's Island and Cape Henry; when standing in, or full inshore of that part of the coast, I have often looked for Assateague and Smith's Island, but seldom saw them. The new light north of Hatteras, in about latitude 35° 46', is a very fair light; Cape Hatteras is, at times, dull, particularly between the hours of midnight and daylight, and in fact the same may be said of all the lights along the coast of North and South Carolina and Georgia, all of which between Charleston light and Cape Hatteras are of little or no service to shipping sailing along the coast and shoals on that route. Cape Hatteras light should be equal to any, or, if possible, superior to any in existence, owing to the dangerous navigation of those shoals. Why could not a light-vessel be moored on the point of Cape Lookout, Frying Pan and Cape Romain soals; as for the lights already placed there, they are only serviceable to small coasters entering the different harbors and inlets. Cape Romain or Raccoon-key light is, in my opinion, good for nothing. I would call your attention to the Bahama banks and coasts of Florida. The best lights on the coast of the United States are not equal to the best lights on the coasts of Great Britain and France. Our best lights are, perhaps, as good as the Lizards on the coast of England, but not as good as Lundy Island, the Needles, &c., on the coast of England. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, THOMAS M. MORRISON. T. A. JENKINS, Esq., Lieut. U. S. N., Secretary to the Light-house Board. B-No. 53. Letter from Capt. L. J. Briggs, commanding ship Siddons, (Liverpool packet.) NEW YORK, April 25, 1852. SIR: In reply to your inquiries, I beg leave to state that I make six passages per annum, between Liverpool and the United States, to the port of New York. 1. I run for the Highland lights and Cape Clear or Tuscar light. 3. The location of foreign lights is always good, the site being selected by competent judges. The French or lenticular apparatus is being sub |