Artificial Light: Its Influence upon Civilization Part 9

6 From the point of view of national economy: Great sums of money will be exported to foreign countries.

7 From the point of view of the common people: The constant illumination of streets by night will rob festive illuminations of their charm.

The foregoing objections require no comment, for they speak volumes pertaining to the thoughts and activities of men a century ago. It is difficult to believe that civilization has traveled so far in a single century, but from this early beginning of street-lighting social progress received a great impetus. Artificial light-sources were feeble at that time, but they made the streets safer and by means of them social intercourse was extended. The people increased their hours of activity and commerce, industry, and knowledge grew apace.

The open gas-jet and kerosene-flame lamps held forth on the streets until within the memory of middle-aged persons of to-day. The lamplighter with his ladder is still fresh in memory. Many of the towns and villages have never been lighted by gas, for they stepped from the oil-lamp to the electric lamp. The gas-mantle has made it possible for gas-lighting to continue as a compet.i.tor of electric-lighting for the streets.

In 1877 Mr. Brush illuminated the Public Square of Cleveland with a number of arc-lamps, and these met with such success that within a short time two hundred and fifty thousand open-arc lamps were installed in this country, involving an investment of millions of dollars. Adding to this investment a much greater one in central-station equipment, a very large investment is seen to have resulted from this single development in lighting.

This open-arc lamp was the first powerful light-source available and, appearing several years before the gas-mantle, it threatened to monopolize street-lighting. It consumed about 500 watts and had a maximum luminous intensity of about 1200 candles at an angle of about 45 degrees. Its chief disadvantage was its distribution of light, mainly at this angle of 45 degrees, which resulted in a spot of light near the lamp and little light at a distance. A satisfactory street-lighting unit must emit its light chiefly just below the horizontal in those cases where the lamps must be s.p.a.ced far apart for economical reasons. On referring to the chapter on the electric arc it will be seen that the upper (positive) carbon of the open-arc emits most of the light. Thus most of the light tends to be sent downward, but the lower carbon obstructs some of this with a resulting dark spot beneath the lamp.

The gas-mantle followed closely after the arrival of the carbon arc and is responsible for the existence of gas-lighting on the streets at the present time. It is a large source of light and therefore its light cannot be controlled by modern accessories as well as the light from smaller sources, such as the arc or concentrated-filament lamp. As a consequence, there is marked unevenness of illumination along the streets unless the gas-mantle units are s.p.a.ced rather closely. Even with the open-arc, without special light-controlling equipment there is about a thousand times the intensity near the lamps when placed on the corners of the block as there is midway between them.

In 1879 the incandescent filament lamp was introduced and it began to appear on the streets in a short time. It was a feeble, inefficient light-source, compared with the arc-lamp, but it had the advantage of being installed on a small bracket. As a consequence of simplicity of operation, the incandescent lamp was installed to a considerable extent, especially in the suburban districts.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE MOORE NITROGEN TUBE

In lobby of Madison Square Garden]

[Ill.u.s.tration: CARBON-DIOXIDE TUBE FOR ACCURATE COLOR-MATCHING]

[Ill.u.s.tration: MODERN STREET LIGHTING

Tunnels of light boring through the darkness provide safe channels for modern traffic]

The open-arc lamp possessed the disadvantage of emitting a very unsteady light and of consuming the carbons so rapidly that daily tr.i.m.m.i.n.g was often necessary. In 1893 the enclosed arc appeared and although it consumed as much electrical energy as the open-arc and emitted considerably less light, it possessed the great advantage of operating a week without requiring a renewal of carbons. By surrounding the arc by means of a gla.s.s globe, little oxygen could come in contact with the carbons and they were not consumed very rapidly. The light was fairly steady and these arcs operated satisfactorily on alternating current.

The latter feature simplified the generating and distributing equipment of the central station.

The magnet.i.te or luminous arc-lamp next appeared and met with considerable success. It was more efficient than the preceding lamps but was handicapped by being solely a direct-current device. Those familiar with the generation and distribution of electricity will realize this disadvantage. However, its luminous intensity just below the horizontal was about 700 candles and its general distribution of light was fairly satisfactory. Later the flame-arcs began to appear and they were installed to some extent. The arc-lamp has served well in street-lighting from the year 1877, when the open-arc was introduced, until the present time, when the luminous-arc is the chief survivor of all the arc-lamps.

The carbon incandescent filament lamp was used extensively until 1909, when the tungsten filament lamp began to replace it very rapidly.

However, it was not until 1914, when the gas-filled tungsten lamp appeared, that this type of light-source could compete with arc-lamps on the basis of efficiency. The helical construction of the filament made it possible to confine the filament of a high-intensity tungsten lamp in a small s.p.a.ce and for the first time a high degree of control of the light of street lamps was possible. Prismatic "refractors" were designed, somewhat on the principle of the lighthouse refractor, so that the light would be emitted largely just below the horizontal. This type of distribution builds up the illumination at distant points between successive street lamps, which is very desirable in street-lighting. The incandescent filament lamp possesses many advantages over other systems. It is efficient; capable of subdivision; operates on direct and alternating current; requires little attention; and is capable of most successful use with light-controlling apparatus.

According to the reports of the Department of Commerce the number of electric arc-lamps for street-lighting supplied by public electric-light plants decreased from 348,643 in 1912 to 256,838 in 1917, while the number of electric incandescent filament lamps increased from 681,957 in 1912 to 1,389,382 in 1917.

Street-lighting is not only a reinforcement for the police but it decreases accidents and has come to be looked upon as an advertising medium. In the downtown districts the high-intensity "white-way"

lighting is festive. The ornamental street lamps have possibilities in making the streets attractive and in illuminating the buildings.

However, it is to be hoped that in the present age the streets of cities and towns will be cleared of the ragged equipment of the telephone and lighting companies. These may be placed in the alleys or underground, leaving the streets beautiful by day and glorified at night by the torches of advanced civilization.

XIII

LIGHTHOUSES

At the present time thousands of lighthouses, light-ships, and light-buoys guide the navigator along the waterways and into harbors and warn him of dangerous shoals. Many wonderful feats of engineering are involved in their construction and in no field of artificial lighting has more ingenuity been displayed in devising powerful beams of light.

Many of these beacons of safety are automatic in operation and require little attention. It has been said that nothing indicates the liberality, prosperity, or intelligence of a nation more clearly than the facilities which it affords for the safe approach of the mariner to its sh.o.r.es. Surely these marine lights are important factors in modern navigation.

The first "lighthouses" were beacon-fires of burning wood maintained by priests for the benefit of the early commerce in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea. As early as the seventh century before Christ these beacon-fires were mentioned in writings. In the third century before the Christian era a tower said to be of a great height was built on a small island near Alexandria during the reign of Ptolemy II. The tower was named Pharos, which is the origin of the term "pharology" applied to the science of lighthouse construction. Caesar, who visited Alexandria two centuries later, described the Pharos as a "tower of great height, of wonderful construction." Fire was kept burning in it night and day and Pliny said of it, "During the night it appears as bright as a star, and during the day it is distinguished by the smoke." Apparently this tower served as a lighthouse for more than a thousand years. It was found in ruins in 1349. Throughout succeeding centuries many towers were built, but little attention was given to the development of light-sources and optical apparatus.

The first lighthouse in the United States and perhaps on the Western continents was the Boston Light, which was completed in 1716. A few days after it was put into operation a news item in a Boston paper heralded the noteworthy event as follows:

By virtue of an Act of a.s.sembly made in the First Year of His Majesty's Reign, For Building and Maintaining a Light House upon the Great Brewster (called Beacon-Island) at the Entrance of the Harbour of Boston, in order to prevent the loss of the Lives and Estates of His Majesty's Subjects; the said Light House has been built; and on Fryday last the 14th Currant the Light was kindled, which will be very useful for all Vessels going out and coming in to the Harbour of Boston, or any other Harbours in the Ma.s.sachusetts Bay, for which all Masters shall pay to the Receiver of Impost, one Penny per Ton Inwards, and another Penny Outwards, except Coasters, who are to pay Two Shillings each, at their clearance Out, And all Fishing Vessels, Wood Sloops, etc. Five Shillings each by the Year.

This was the practical result of a pet.i.tion of Boston merchants made three years before. The tower was built of stone, at a cost of about ten thousand dollars. Two years later the keeper and his family were drowned and the catastrophe so affected Benjamin Franklin, a boy of thirteen, that he wrote a poem concerning it. The lighthouse was badly damaged during the Revolution, by raiding-parties, and in 1776, when the British fleet left the harbor, a squad of sailors blew it up. It was rebuilt in 1783 and has since been increased in height.

Apparently oil-lamps were used in it from the beginning, notwithstanding the fact that candles and coal fires served for years in many lighthouses of Europe. In 1789 sixteen lamps were used and in 1811 Argand lamps and reflectors were installed, with a revolving mechanism.

It now ceased to be a fixed light and the day of flashing lights had arrived. At the present time the Boston Light emits a beam of 100,000 candle-power directed by modern lenses.

When the United States Government was organized in 1789 there were ten lighthouses owned by the Colonies, but the Boston Light was in operation thirty years before the others. Sandy Hook Light, New York Harbor, was established in 1764 and its original masonry tower is still standing and in use. It is the oldest surviving lighthouse in this country. It was built with funds raised by means of two lotteries authorized by the New York a.s.sembly. A few days after it was lighted for the first time the following news item appeared in a New York paper:

On Monday evening last the New York Light-house erected at Sandy Hook was lighted for the first time. The House is of an Octagon Figure, having eight equal Sides; the Diameter at the Base 29 Feet; and at the top of the Wall, 15 Feet. The Lanthorn is 7 feet high; the Circ.u.mference 33 feet. The whole Construction of the Lanthorn is Iron; the Top covered with Copper. There are 48 Oil Blazes. The Building from the Surface is Nine Stories; the whole from Bottom to Top is 103 Feet.

From these early years the number of lighthouses has steadily grown, until now the United States maintains lights along 50,000 miles of coast-line and river channels, a distance equal to twice the circ.u.mference of the earth. It maintains at the present time about 15,000 aids to navigation at an annual cost of about $5,000,000. In 1916 this country was operating 1706 major lights, 53 light-ships, and 512 light-buoys--a total of 5323.

The earliest lighthouses were equipped with braziers or grates in which coal or wood was burned. These crude light-sources were used until after the advent of the nineteenth century and in one case until 1846. In the famous Eddystone tower off Plymouth, England, candles were used for the first time. The first Eddystone tower was completed in 1698, but it was swept away in 1703. Another was built and destroyed by fire in 1755.

Smeaton then built another in 1759. Inasmuch as Smeaton is credited with having introduced the use of candles, this must have occurred in the eighteenth century; still it appears that, as we have said, the Boston Light, built in 1716, used oil-lamps from its beginning. However, Smeaton installed twenty-four candles of rather large size each credited with an intensity of 2.8 candles. The total luminous intensity of the light-source in this tower was about 67 candles. Inasmuch as this was before the use of efficient reflectors and lenses, it is obvious that the early lighthouses were rather feeble beacons.

According to British records, oil-lamps with flat wicks were first used in the Liverpool lighthouses in 1763. The Argand lamp, introduced in about 1784, became widely used. The better combustion obtained with this lamp having a cylindrical wick and a gla.s.s chimney greatly increased the luminous intensity and general satisfactoriness of the oil-lamp. Later Lange added an improvement by providing a contraction toward the upper part of the chimney. Rumford and also Fresnel devised multiple-wick burners, thus increasing the luminous intensity. In these early lamps sperm-oil and colza-oil were burned and they continued to be until the middle of the nineteenth century. Cocoanut-oil, lard-oil, and olive-oil have also been used in lighthouses.

Naturally, mineral oil was introduced as soon as it was available, owing to its lower cost; but it was not until nearly 1870 that a satisfactory mineral-oil lamp was in operation in lighthouses. Doty is credited with the invention of the first successful multiple-wick lighthouse lamp using mineral oil, and his lamp and modifications of it were very generally used until the latter part of the nineteenth century. These lamps are of two types--one in which oil is supplied to the burner under pressure and the other in which oil is maintained at a constant level.

In some of the smallest lamps the ordinary capillarity of the wick is depended on to supply oil to the flame.

Coal-gas was introduced into lighthouses in about the middle of the nineteenth century. Inasmuch as the gas-mantle had not yet appeared, the gas was burned in jets. Various arrangements of the jets, such as concentric rings forming a stepped cone, were devised. The gas-mantle was a great boon to the mariner as well as to civilized beings in general. It greatly increases the intensity of light obtainable from a given amount of fuel and it is a fairly compact bright source which makes it possible to direct the light to some degree by means of optical systems. Owing to the elaborate apparatus necessary for making coal-gas, several other gases have been more desirable fuels for lighthouse lamps.

Various simple gas-generators have been devised. Some of the high-flash mineral-oils are vaporized and burned under a mantle. Acetylene, which is so simply made by means of calcium carbide and water, has been a great factor in lighting for navigation. By the latter part of the nineteenth century lighthouses employing incandescent gas-burners were emitting beams of light having luminous intensities as great as several hundred thousand candles. These special gas-mantle light-sources have brightness as high as several hundred candles per square inch.

Electric arc-lamps were first introduced into lighthouse service in about 1860, but these lamps cannot be considered to have been really practicable until about 1875. In 1883 the British lighthouse authorities carried out an extensive investigation of arc-lamps. It was found that the whiter light from these lamps suffered a greater absorption by the atmosphere than the yellower light from oils, but the much greater luminous intensity of the arc-lamp more than compensated for this disadvantage. The final result of the investigation was the conclusion that for ordinary lighthouse purposes the oil-and gas-lamps were more suitable and economical than arc-lamps; but where great range was desired, the latter were much more advantageous, owing to their great luminous intensity. Electric incandescent filament lamps have been used for the less important lights, and recently there has been some application of the modern high-efficiency filament lamps.

Besides the high towers there are many minor beacons, light-ships, and light-buoys in use. Many of these are untended and therefore must operate automatically. The light-ship is used where it is impracticable or too expensive to build a lighthouse. Inasmuch as it is anch.o.r.ed in fairly deep water, it is safe in foggy weather to steer almost directly toward its position as indicated by the fog-signal. Light-ships are more expensive to maintain than lighthouses, but they have the advantages of smaller cost and of mobility; for sometimes it may be desired to move them. The first light-ship was established in 1732 near the mouth of the Thames, and the first in this country was anch.o.r.ed in Chesapeake Bay near Norfolk in 1820. The early ships had no mode of self-propulsion, but the modern ones are being provided with their own power. Oil and gas have been used as fuel for the light-sources and in 1892 the U. S.

Lighthouse Board constructed a light-ship with a powerful electric light. Since that time several have been equipped with electric lights supplied by electric generators and batteries.

Untended lights were not developed until about 1880, when Pintsch introduced his welded buoys filled with compressed gas and thereby provided a complete lighting-plant. With improvements in lamps and controls the untended light-buoys became a success. The lights burn for several months, and even for a year continuously; and the oil-gas used appears to be very satisfactory. Recently some experiments have been made with devices which would be actuated by sunlight in such a manner that the light would be extinguished during the day excepting a small pilot-flame. By this means a longer period of burning without attention may be obtained. Electric filament lamps supplied by batteries or by cables from the sh.o.r.e have been used, but the oil-gas buoy still remains in favor. Acetylene has been employed as a fuel for light-buoys.

Automatic generators have been devised, but the high-pressure system is more simple. In the latter case purified acetylene is held in solution under high pressure in a reservoir containing an asbestos composition saturated with acetone.

The light-sources of beacons have had the same history as those of other navigation lights. Many of these are automatic in operation, sometimes being controlled by clockwork. During the last twenty years the gas-mantle has been very generally applied to beacon-lights. In the latter part of the nineteenth century a mineral-oil lamp was devised with a permanent wick made by forming upon a thick wick a coating of carbon. The operation is such that this is not consumed and it prevents further burning of the wick.

The optical apparatus of navigation lights has undergone many improvements in the past century. The early lights were not equipped with either reflecting or refracting apparatus. In 1824 Drummond devised a scheme for reflecting light in order that a distant observer might make a reading upon the point where the apparatus was being operated by another person. He was led by his experiments to suggest the application of mirrors to lighthouses. His device was essentially a parabolic mirror similar to the reflectors now widely used in automobile head-lamps, search-lights, etc. He employed the lime-light as a source of light and was enthusiastic over the results obtained. His discussion published in 1826 indicates that little practical work had been done up to that time toward obtaining beams or belts of light by means of optical apparatus.

However, lighthouse records show that as early as 1763 small silvered plane gla.s.ses were set in plaster of Paris in such a manner as to form a partially enveloping reflector. Spherical reflectors were introduced in about 1780 and parabolic reflectors about ten years later.

All the earlier lights were "fixed," but as it is desirable that the mariner be able to distinguish one light from another, the revolving mechanism evolved. By its agency characteristic flashes are obtained and from the time interval the light is recognized. The first revolving mechanism was installed in 1783. The early flashing lights were obtained by means of revolving reflectors which gathered the light and directed it in the form of a beam or pencil. The type of parabolic reflector now in use does not differ essentially from that of an automobile head-lamp, excepting that it is larger.

Lenses appear to have been introduced in the latter part of the nineteenth century. They were at first ground from a solid piece of gla.s.s, in concentric zones, in order to reduce the thickness. They were similar in principle to some of the tail-light lenses used at present on automobiles. Later the lenses were built up by means of separate annular rings. The name of Fresnel is permanently a.s.sociated with lighthouse lenses because in 1822 he developed an elaborate built-up lens of annular rings. The centers of curvature of the different rings receded from the axis as their distance from the center increased, in such a manner as to overcome a serious optical defect known as spherical aberration. Fresnel devised many improvements in which he used refracting and reflecting prisms for the outer elements.

The optical apparatus of lighthouses usually aims (1) to concentrate the rays of light into a pencil of light, (2) to concentrate them into a belt of light, or (3) to concentrate the rays over a limited azimuth. In the first case a single lens or a parabolic reflector suffices, but in the second case a cylindrical lens which condenses the light vertically into a horizontal sheet of light is essential. The third case is a combination of the first two. The modern lighthouse lenses are very elaborate in construction, being built up by means of many elements into several sections. For example, the central section may consist of a spherical lens ground with annular rings. In the next section refracting prisms may be used and in the outer section reflecting gla.s.s prisms are employed. The various elements are carefully designed according to the laws of geometrical optics.

The flashing light has such advantages over the fixed that it is generally used for important beacons. A variety of methods of obtaining intermittent light have been employed, but they are not of particular interest. Sometimes the lens or reflector is revolved and in other types an opaque screen containing slits is revolved. In the larger lighthouses the optical apparatus and its structure sometimes weigh several tons.