314 MEMORIAL OF JOSEPH HENRY. 



In 1871, on the resignation of Admiral Shubrick, Henry was 

 chosen as the Chairman of the Light-House Board ; and his ener- 

 getic labors in behalf of the service, fully vindicated the wisdom of 

 the choice. Punctual in his attendance on the weekly meetings of 

 the Board, he inspired others with a portion of his own zealous 

 devotion. Nor did he fail to urge upon the Government, the con- 

 stant need and responsibility of maintaining an efficient establish- 

 ment. He emphatically declared that "The character of the aids 

 which any nation furnishes the mariner in approaching and leaving 

 its shores, marks in a conspicuous degree its advancement in civili- 

 zation. Whatever tends to facilitate navigation or to lessen its 

 dangers, serves to increase commerce ; and hence is of importance 

 not only to the dwellers on the seaboard, but to the inhabitants of 

 every part of the country. - - - Therefore it is of the first 

 importance that the signals, whether of light or sound, which indi- 

 cate the direction of the course, and the beacons which mark the 

 channel, shall be of the most improved character, and that they be 

 under the charge of intelligent, efficient, and trustworthy attend- 

 ants." * And rising to a higher argument, he pointed out that " It 

 is not alone in its economical aspect that a light-house system is to 

 be regarded: it is a life-preserving establishment founded on the 

 principles of Christian benevolence, of which none can so well 

 appreciate the importance as he who after having been exposed to 

 the perils of the ocean it may be for months finds himself 

 approaching in the darkness of night a lee shore. But it is not 

 enough to erect towers, and establish other signals : they must be 

 maintained in an efficient state with uninterrupted constancy." f 

 Unfailing continuity was the watch-word of his administration. 



* Report of L. H. Board, 1873, pp. 3, 4. The coast line of the United States is far 

 more extended than that of any other nation on the globe. "The magnitude of 

 the Light-house system of the United States may be inferred from the following 

 facts: from the St. Croix River on the boundary of Maine, to the mouth of the 

 Rio Grande in the Gulf of Mexico, includes a distance of over 5,000 miles; on the 

 Pacific coast, a length of about 1,500 miles; on the great northern Lakes, about 

 3,000 miles; and on inland rivers about 700 miles; making a total of more than 

 10,000 miles. Nearly every square foot of the margin of the sea throughout the 

 whole extent of 5,000 miles along the Atlantic and Gulf coast, is more or less 

 illuminated by light-house rays; the mariner rarely losing sight of one light 

 until he has gained another." (p. 4, of same Report.) 



t Report of L. H. Board, 1874, p. 5. 



