24th January.
THE Marine Department of the Imperial Maritime Customs can have no reason to object to the criticism of "Coaster," in the letter which appeared in our issue of Tuesday, or to any similar criticism, no matter how crude it may be, for it all helps to knowledge of the opinion of navigators on lighting matters. The letter is obviously an honest expression of is views from a practical sailor; but no single opinion can be relied on to decide how and where a moderate fixed annual sum of money can be best and most usefully employed in the general interest of navigation, as that is understood by the highest class of naval and mercantile marine opinion. The lights on the coast of China have been placed where the greatest demand seemed to exist. "Coaster" complains that the inside route from Hongkong to Shanghai is not yet lighted; but where only one route could be lighted, naturally the one that suits both big ships and little ones was first taken in hand, The northern route ending at Tientsin called more loudly for lighting than did the local needs of Newchwang and Chefoo, and so that line got all the big lights it required, and soon. The work which served most people's purpose best has been done first.
"The approaches to Shanghai have always commanded speci! consideration, and any representations mide about them have, as all who have taken any interest in the matter must acknowledge, received attention as far as possible. The North Channel is a most uncertain waterway, whose deep water is now never found in two successive years in the same line. Lights were erected there at a time when the conditions were entirely different. The placing of lightboats, the mo-t expensive form of lighting service to establish and maintain, did not seem to be justified, at the expense of other places, when enquiry had been made as to the number of vessels likely to use the Channel at night. The existing shore lights may not be the very best means of lighting this channel; but they met the want at the time, and were located with the approval of those whose opinion on the subject was thought most valuable. We have had the opportanity of discussing this whole question with one of the Customs people well acquainted with what is going on and willing to talk about it, and in reply to our nery as to what the Customs Marine apartment has done in the last few years, and has now la hand, in the matter of lights, buoys, etc., we learn as follows 1—Alll the leading lights on the Coast have been brought up to date and the most modern system adopted. This was big undertaking, involving the acquisition of much new apparatus, and the expenditure of much time.
The North Channel has been lighted, not perfectly, but, it was thought, usefully.
3—Tsaofeitien (Shaluitien) near Tientsin has been rebuilt and a better light shown.
4—The lighting of the Lower Yangtze has been extended until practically every reasonable requirement is met.
5—The Middle Yangtze has been taken in hand, its requirements are being studied, and marks are being put at the places that seem to specially need them.
6—The officers of the Customs cruisers have made and published many useful surveys about the approaches to Shanghai and in the River.
7—A new Tungsha lightship with an improved light and fog siren has been supplied.
8—"The lights at Chaopeitsui and Flagstaff Point (Weihaiwei) have been re-established.
9. lits have been established at Chinwangtao and Shaohaikuan, This must be allowed to be a very creditable record considering the fands at the disposal of the Marine department. As to the work in hand, our correspondent "Coaster" will be pleased, undoubtedly, to learn that the question of gas-lighted buoys has not been neglected. As China cannot afford to. pay for experimental failures, she must wait to learn from the experience of others what is the best apparatus to employ. Last year, after due consideration, it was decided to obtain a number of Pintsch's most modern gas-lighted buoys and place them in the waterways leading to Shanghai, where they are likely to be most useful. These should be in position this autumn, by which time the gasworks now under construction at Pootung and the special—buoy-tending steamer now being built should be ready. If they prove as successful as is expected, the system will certainly be extended as it promises todo very useful work at a moderate cost.
'A first order light has been ordered for Tungying and the station there will, it is expected, be built and the light exhibited next year.
The dangers of the Button Rock are thoroughly known and appreciated at the Coast Inspectorate and have been seriously studied. It is too small for the erection of a lighthouse with living accommodation, and anything built there would be done at an exorbitant cost. This is a place where a gas-lighted beacon will probably be installed later. As to covering it by a red sector from Bonham, many navigators are averse
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.