4 WiLDK, Search-Lights for the Mercantile Marine. 



the public service, to use them, but without making any 

 compensation. Happily my inventions connected with 

 the electro-deposition of metals brought me more than 

 sufficient means to satisfy my moderate desire for wealth 

 as a means of usefulness, and relieved me of the disagree- 

 able necessity of presenting a humble petition of right to 

 the High Court of Judicature for adjusting the differences 

 between inventors and the Government under like cir- 

 cumstances. 



The appropriation of my discovery and inventions 

 was not, however, my only grievance against the naval 

 authorities at Whitehall, for after establishing the value 

 of search-lights in the Royal Xavy, it appeared to me 

 that the Mercantile Marine would also realize its advan- 

 tages. A demonstration was, therefore, made at the 

 works of the Pacific Steam Navigation Company at 

 Birkenhead, where the light was displayed for the first 

 time, and the shipping and lofty buildings on the Liver- 

 pool side of the Mersey were illuminated in bold relief 

 No sooner, however, were attempts made to establish the 

 search-light on merchant ships than the Admiralty inter- 

 vened and claimed the exclusive right to use the light, on 

 the alleged ground that its brilliancy interfered with the 

 navigation of other ships. This embargo remains in force 

 to the present da}', as will be seen from the evidence of 

 Mr. Bruce Ismay at the recent inquiry of the American 

 Senate Committee into the causes of the disaster to the 

 " Titanic," at which he stated that none of the Atlantic 

 liners were equipped with search-lights. 



That the brilliancy of the electric beam interferes 

 with the navigation of other ships is only a minor objection 

 in comparison with its great advantages is evident from 

 the fact that the search-light has been in constant use on 

 the Suez Canal for some years, b)' which the carrying 



