366 WRITINGS OF JOSEPH HENRY. [1873 



Total Signals for the Entire Establlshtnent. 



Light-houses and lighted beacons 591 



Light-houses and lighted beacons finished and lighted during the year 



ending July 1 , 1873 — 29 



Light-ships 21 



Fog-signals, operated by steam or hot-air engines 35 



Day or unlighted beacons 363 



Buoys in position 2,838 



To carry on so extended a system necessarily requires a 

 carefully devised organization, based upon the history of all 

 that has been recorded in regard to the subject, and a series 

 of efficient officers and trained assistants. 



The duties which belong to the light-house system involve 

 the most varied knowledge and practical skill, a thorough 

 acquaintance with the wants of commerce, engineering abili- 

 ties of high order, with scientific acquirements, which shall 

 appreciate the value of every new discovery that may find 

 an application in the improvement of signals, and the ability 

 to make or direct such investigations as may from time to 

 time be found desirable. To insure these requisites the 

 organization of the light-house system includes: First, a 

 Light-House Board, consisting of two officers of the Navy, 

 two engineer officers of the Army, and two scientific civilians, 

 with the addition of an officer of the Navy and an engineer 

 officer of the Army as secretaries, who are also members of 

 the Board : Secondly, it also includes twelve inspectors from 

 the Army or Navy, and as many engineer officers from the 

 Army, who have united charge of the twelve districts into 

 which the coast is divided. 



The Light-House Board, having charge of the supervision 

 of the whole system, is divided into five committees, to each 

 of which special duties are assigned. These committees are 

 on finance, engineering, floating aids, lighting, and experi- 

 ments. It is the duty of each member of the Board to render 

 himself intimately acquainted with the details of the business 

 intrusted to his care, as well as to keep himself informed, as 

 far as possible, of the condition of the general system. For 

 this purpose, as well as that of insuring the proper working of 

 the establishment in the several districts, it is advisable that 



