To the Biitor of the "Norett-Carsa Dany News."
Srn,—It must be interesting reading for the "Powers that. B2" when they read in your issue of the Gth inst. the letter on the "Lighting of the China Coast," over the signature of one who came out here as Chief Lighthouse Engineer, and who con-domned the site and light of Chefoo so far back as 1869, when many of us were nonexistent, or'at the period of our lives that lights or sites did not trouble us much, Yet in the year 1902, the said still remains; which, I think, must after sich a seathing condem is about time that the lighting of the China coast should be placed in the hands of diferent men in the future, than what they have beea in the past. I can" speak from practical experience of Chefoo Light, for many a time have I seen Howki Light at its full range when Chefoo could nut be seen for half of its range, and have oft-times consi lered the term '*Chefoo Candle" very appropriate, and I think as an aid to navigation, for a stranger to enter Chefoo at ni: ht time, it is bth mislenting and dangerous, and would be just as much use over th+ J,-G's residence at Peking as where it is placed now, no matter whether he elected to enter the Harbour South of the Islands, or pass in by Sentry Rock. I note that Mr. Henderson says that he knows of no better system in the world than has been used in China." I_ infer means of and about the few Lights on the coast of China at present, and not of the system of lights—fixed—in vogue up toa year or two ago, when they were altered; and it would be interesting to read how Chefoo Light was not altered at the same time as the others were. I have an idea of one of the causes, vix., coasters and not liners were the only ones that used the port unto very recently, but, Sir, a change is gradually taking place up in the North since m2-of-war and transports have been using titese waters, for instance Shanluition has been altered, and a light exhibited at Chinwangtao and Shanhaikuan, and perhaps in a decade, or ao—that is, if the Russians don't annex—a light may also he placed on North Point, or Glaucius Point, as an aid to the mariner bound for Newchwang. Mr. Henderson is quite right in saying we " want more Lights on the China coast between Hongkong in the South, auf Newchwang in the North; the system may be good, but I consider the number of Lights that make up the system requires a great number of additions. Re North Cisnnel Lights, I hold and maintain they are useless for navigating that Casnnel by night, and it would be interesting reading how many steamers Have reached Woosung through the North Channel at' night time since the Lights have been put there. The Lights are good Lights, and all that can be desired as Lights, but if th North Channel is ever going to be navigable—with safety—at night time, it will never be by Lights on shore, but by Gas B toys. or Light Boats. Mr. Hen person quotes the late Captain Caarlton. With all due deference to him asa miva, I don't think tha' an ex-mister in the Orient Company mould be, of could be. much ofan authori: y ea! lighting a place like the North Channel, through which—if I am mot in error—he only went as a passenger i one of his Company's But shift the scene miles away, at that bugbear to low-p ed coasters, the Button Ruck—othsrwise termed the Bug—and I think men will agree sith m2 in saying that it is a crying disgrace to any lig! yhting authority that there is not @ self-contained light 0: it, or at least a sector of light from Bonham covering it; aad if Mr. Henderson, the 5 late Capt. Bisbee, had a few ex of picking the Bug up, or trying to it up of a dark dirty night, I'll guarantee they would have advocated something to be done in the way of lighting ix long! before they advocated lighting the North Channel. Flit from there a good system of to pick up buoy Fairwas—botw sat the of a channel, course 3 or 4 points for a lightship—Tungsha—so far inside when coming up from Boalam If so, I fail to see wh good system comes in. Ro fog sigaalson the China coast, I think the less said of them the better, for it sounds more like a cutting from the than from a" preseat-1 directory torial: "Ca as 0 being beand, ete., a gun will the Light: i Ie, and then firing off his gun to wata the mariner of his approach to danger, is tve ridieilous for ang une to credit that has not had experience on the China change the scene again, and that were, or are, be given of one of the intern coasters of 0 tons burtheu, in ballast, at draught of, say, 12 ft. 7 ward, leaving Swatow 5.) moasov und for Shang! ing through Chimney Blatl, by Sy Rees, and v Islands, by Dodd Island with its warning sector of light, over Scrag Point, on past Pyramid Point, finally getting to Pinghai Bay; thence through the Haitian Straits, and Matson, and Looa Channel, Bullock Harbour, Shotua inside of Taichous, and Patahecock, Tong-ting, to Steep Island, and on to Shanghai and if Mr. Henderson was the person in charge, I should like to ask him what he thought of the lighting of the China coast on the route traversed from Swatow to Steep Island, so far as coasters are concerned; and if his answer was, why not come by the track which is lighted? reply would be, how lw: would he give the class of steamer quoted to reach Shanghai by the outside, or Laer track up thie coast in the teeth' of a strong N.E. mon-toon, when oft-times coming up the inside track she is d-iving pegs in the same hole, and loses her steerage-way, heading N.E. and at other time and hea the propeller corns out of water it gives anyone th quake in ti that little who have been in the modern ballast For in the whole length of the! passage from Swatow to Steep Is'and, the only practical aid the coaster receives of the good system of lights on the China coast is Dodd island, and its sector warning him of the lin of danger to the north of that light; and as there are a great number of coasters going up and down the coast now—I should say 10 to 1, if nob more than in 1869—I think it is ome attention is paid mants in the inside along the coast, which at prose i Mr. Henderson makes th his letter, "and in plac, of questions, just 1 the what la ha he do: not know that a, bat in place of sum: wil 'a humble one for all it is wort ring the groand from Hoagkoug to Newchwang, ant it is a Ineye oF that wa for a few-orate. toss Lightho Eas wot tok one mom pate they will pay any more attention to what iny opinion is, viz, a 2)-mile light ea Petro Blarco, 2-mile light on Boll or Roof Tshnd, also on Pyramid Point, with a 1 Pinghai Bay, a '20-mile light on Tung-ying, a 10-tile light for the Ion Channel, also' same distance light on Fubjan or Incop, and another 1 the Turret of Tung: kwan, a 12-mile Pibishans and Heachu, also sok and Toasting, 2.10-mile light on Elgar Island, and Smile light on the Button, or Bonlinnaltered with a red sector to cut the sims—the former from thence to, the Kintoan, anton Light Ra mile light greater prt of this order, eyn think more of the China its const than T cly now," Consting men not only masters but mutes and second mates—Ives ut the offered by 6th inst. terms too—tho: the power of light up the Chias coast. Make your vuicas howd thrash the Press, and demand that there shall bs ights
g up ani down the China c ast at aid the coaster while riekthereby saving you many an time vor the safety of not only your ship, but also" your covtifizates, and last, but not least, your situation; and if done in unity, and with ous voice, I feel assured no lighting power in Chinn—whoever they bs—can possibly withstand uch pow rul demands as you can put forth for the better lighting' of the China coast than exists at pi At least, such are the ideas of yours truly, At Sea, 12th January.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.