We have from time to time reported on the progress of the North-Saddle Island Light-house, which was lighted up on the 1st November and are now able to give our readers a few particulars of this most important, as well as by far the most powerful, Light in China. The North-Saddle Island, some 83 nautical miles distant from Shanghai, is well known to shipmasters frequenting this port, as it is generally in that neighbourhood they meet in with the pilots and many steamers also round the Saddles in preference to taking the shorter though more intricate navigation past Gutzlaff, where a fixed Light was so successfully installed last year. This Light will be of utility to all vessels navigating the Sen-house Island Pass, as also to those adopting the more Northerly course. The Saddle peak is neatly 800 feet high, which is certainly too great an elevation for a catadioptriclight, and occasionally for days together it is obscured by fog. A suitable site was chosen on a long narrow ridge on the nor-them extremity of the island, some 250 feet high. This, after some cutting down, afforded sufficient area for the light-keeper's Awellings, which are plainly and substantially built of brick. with granite sills, lintels and steps, and a Ningpo stone coping, so that the gutters, which are internal ones, are protected from typhoons. The roof is in two spans, so as to have little surface for the wind to act upon, and it is covered in with corrugated galvanized iron.
Each light-keeper has a sleeping apartment fect by 14 feet and 10 feet high, provided with a speaking tube communicating with the light-room. There is a general messroom, store-room and Engineer's room. A detached kitchen and outhouses are provided. The tower, which stands alone and in front of all, is built of brick, with a massive plinth course of Ningpo stone, and the copping course 's of Soochow granite. Two rooms are formed in the tower, the lower one being a store-room and*the upper a lightroom provided with the speaking tubes before-mentioned, so that the light-Keeper on duty can call his relief without for a moment neglecting the light. There is also an alarm bell, so that all hands can be called. The lantern is bolted direct to the copping course, and consists of a blocking or murette of cast-iron plates, surmounted with a glazing of plate-glass, 10 fect high and 13 feet G inches in diameter, copped with a double copper dome and revolving cowl. The optical apparatus is a Revolving Catadioptric Light of the first order, giving one white flash every minute.
The central or dioptric portion consists of eight annular lenses, whilst the upper catadioptric portion consists of eight and the lower of seven panels of prisms. There are altogether 392 distinct pieces of glass, mounted in gun-metal frames, and forming this powerful apparatus, which weighs about tons. This weight revolves on a set of small steel friction rollers, and such is the accuracy of the execution that the pressure of one finger is sufficient to cause the whole of the ponderous mass to revolve. The motion is derived from a clockwork enclosed in a pedestal which carries the whole revolving apparatus, and one winding up of the driving weights is sufficient for 5 hours running. The lamp is a large pressure one, having 4 concentric wicks; and some idea of its size may be formed when it is known to contain 7} gallons of oil at one time. The average consumption of oil will be 2 gallons per night. The whole of these works have been constructed from the designs and under the superintendence of the chief Coast-lights' Engineer, Mr. D. M. Henderson, E., who has been for the last two months at the North-Saddle, completing the buildings and erecting the lantern and Light. The height of the focal plane is 273 feet above high water of spring tides, so that in clear weather the Light should be visible 234 nautical miles, The Light is not obscured on any bearing in the lantern, but the False Saddle forms the eastern limit, whilst Elliott Islands form the western one. This Light has been seen from the Barren Islands and Gutzlaff with great brilliancy, and some pilots report that it has been seen 30 miles We publish, elsewhere, a letter written, at the request of the Master, by the Agents of the British barque Ellen Casile, to thank the Commander and Crew of H. M, gunboat Grasshopper, for the valuable a tance they rendered, on the occasion of her wreck, The Ellen Castle was wrecked on the bar of Newchwang on the 18th November, and was almost immediately boarded by some 400 pirates, There is no doubt that, had it not been for the prompt assistance rendered from the Grasshopper, every moveable would have been stolen, and probably the ship's crew murdered for the crime of ree ing. The gunboat crew had to fire upon the pirates with blank cartridge, and orders were given to load with ball, before they were repelled. We sympathise with Mr. Wade on this first unfortunate result of the presence of a gunboat in the river, and congratulate him on the withdrawal of the Marines, who might otherwise have contributed to make the anti-Chinese demonstration more serious. Of course Captain Ryder ought to have represented the case to H. M. Consul, who should have sought instructions from 4. M. Minister, who might or might riot have ing Street. thought it necessary to telegraph to Down-A Cabinet Council should have been called; and the question fully deliberated, whether or not such an outrage on the susceptibilities of the Central Government was permissible, as the landing of men from a British ship of war to Fortunately, however, for the Ellen Castle, refect British property from plunder.
Captain Ryder seems to have taken a rational view of the purpose for which British gunboats are sent to China.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.