ON LIGHTHOUSE CHARACTERISTICS. 401 



that a S, or a I, or a H, or a E ? " Bill, if he was 

 well up in dramatic literature, would reply, 

 " Captain, them is things as no fellow can under- 

 stand." I must say, however, that I agree with Mr. 

 Preece, and think that, while many may find 

 memory aided, none can be embarrassed, by an 

 official statement of the Morse letter corresponding 

 to any group of flashes or eclipses that may be 

 chosen as the characteristic for any particular light. 

 This, however, is a matter of comparatively small 

 moment at present. The great thing is to find how 

 lights may be most surely and inexpensively 

 rendered distinctive, so that no sailor, educated or 

 uneducated, highly intelligent or only intelligent 

 enough to sail a collier through gales, and snow- 

 storms, and fogs all winter between Newcastle and 

 Plymouth, may know each light as soon as he 

 sees it, without doubt or hesitation. 



This object is fully attained by the triple flashing 

 light, if quick enough. The triple flashing light of 

 the Casquets, and of Bull Point (Bristol Channel) 

 which are the quickest of the kind hitherto made, 

 complete their three flashes in twelve seconds, after 



VOL. III. D D 



