MARINE LIGHTING EQUIPMENT OF THE PANAMA CANAL. 121 



so treated. On the second page, second paragraph, he states that the Canadian 

 Government uses nothing but carbide buoys; this is true enough, but it is also true 

 that they are not giving satisfaction. They were purchased in large quantities by 

 the Canadian Government shortly after they were invented, and they are now a 

 white elephant in the government's hands. They are gradually being replaced 

 by the superior type of buoys now used by the United States Government. 



He also gives figures quoting an example of a carbide buoy v/hich ran for over 

 420 days in New York Bay. Under favorable circumstances these buoys will run 

 for such long periods, but such good conditions are very rare. Usually they cannot 

 be depended upon with any degree of reliability. They are like the incandescent 

 mantel in this respect, they may last successfully for a year, or fail after a day. 



In regard to the third paragraph of the second page, he states that the Ambrose 

 Channel is lighted by a combination system of buoys, the largest buoy being, he 

 states, the carbide buoy. This is not true, as the carbide buoy he has in mind is 

 established at the entrance to the Gedney Channel. Some years ago a carbide buoy 

 was established at the entrance to the Ambrose Channel. 



The dissolved acetylene buoys on the Ambrose Channel mark the principal 

 turning points ; buoys of different type are used along the straight runs. In passing 

 I would state that if the incandescent mantel had proved reliable,then the Pintsch 

 system of lighted buoys would be far and away the best in the world, and would 

 have been used without a doubt on the Panama Canal, but they are now being 

 gradually replaced by the more efficient and reliable dissolved acetylene buoys. 



On the third page he refers to the explosibility of dissolved acetylene. I still 

 assert and with absolute confidence that dissolved acetylene compressed in a cyl- 

 inder, according to the system described in this paper, cannot be exploded except 

 perhaps by placing the tank on a hot fire. The explosion he has in mind was 

 produced by other systems of compressing acetylene, where the cylinders were not 

 properly constructed. 



In the second paragraph of the third page, he calls attention to the accident 

 which occurred recently in Stockholm, in which engineer Dalen was badly injured. 

 In this case the explosion was caused not by dissolved acetylene, but by another 

 mixture of gases, which was being experimenteed with over a hot fire. 



In the second and last paragraphs he speak of Willson's buoy which holds 2,000 

 pounds of carbide, producing 8,000 cubic feet of gas. It does produce this amount 

 of gas and more, but where the buoy is exposed to rough weather, half the quantity 

 is lost through over-generation into the sea. The carbide also disintegrates or 

 falls through the grate into the sea. 



In very calm water the carbide sludge hardens, and prevents the ingress of 

 water, so that the lights go out. 



As to the distinction between the flasher referred to in my article and the 

 Pintsch flasher, it does embody a strict departure from the old type. In the new 

 flasher mostly all springs are done away with and a magnetized lever is used instead, 

 so that it is much more simple and reliable. 



