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The Japan Lights (Including Appendix and Plates

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The Japan Lights (Including Appendix and Plates THE INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS. SESSION 1876-77.-PART I. SECT. I.-MINUTE3 OF PROCEEDINGS. November 14, 1876. GEORGE ROBERT STEPHENSON, President, in the Chair. No. 1,451.--“ The Japan Lights.” By RICHARDHENRY BRUNTON, M. Inst. C.E. THEGovernment of Japan, in entering into friendly relations with foreign powers, stipulatedthat certain ports were to be open, and that mercantileoperations were to be confined to those places. These ports are: 1. Hakodate, in theisland of Yezo. 2. Yokohama, 20 miles from the northern capitalof the country, Yedo, or TBkiB. 3. Edbe, 50 miles from the southern capital, KiBto, and near the entrance to the InlandSea. 4. Ozaka, between KBbe and KiBto, being 20 miles from the former. 5. Nagasaki, in thesouth-west portion of the island of Eiusiu. 6. Niigata, on the west coast of the Main Island. The principal tradeis at Yokohama, where from two hundred to three hundred foreign-owned vessels of large size annually resort. ’ The next places in importance are KBbe and Nagasaki, at each of which about one hundred and seventyvessels arrive every year. IIakodate is in a high latitude, and its trade is almost entirely confined to the summer months, but it is at no time of any great extent.Niigata and &aka arevisited by few ships. All these ports, however, are the rendezvous for a considerable native trade, which is every year increasing. [1876-77. N.S.] I: Downloaded by [ UNIVERSITY OF BATH] on [12/09/16]. Copyright © ICE Publishing, all rights reserved. 2 MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS. The foreign powers arranged, and it forms one of the clauses in the existing treaties, that the JapaneseGovernment should " pro- vide the treaty ports with such lights as may be necessary to render secure the navigation of t,he approaches to the said ports." On the17th of November, 1866, SirHarry S. Parkes, K.C.B., ' H.B.M. representative, directed theattention of theJapanese Government to the existence of this stipulation, andrequested that steps might be taken to carry outits purport. The French and American ministersshortly afterwards made similar representations, and a favourable reply was received from the Japanese ministers early in December of the same year. Sir H. S. Parkeshad previously received suggestions from naval oEcersand others relative to the most importantsites for the lights,and these helaid before theJapanese Government. The erection of eleven lights was agreed to, and Sir H. S. Parkes was requested to use his influence with Her Majesty's Government, in order that the necessary apparatusand the assistance required to establishlighthouses might be obtained. The matter having been referred to theBoard of Trade, that departmentconsulted the Trinity House, andeventually, on the6th of November, 1867, Messrs. D. and T. Stevenson, MM. Inst. C.E., theEngineers to the Commissioners of Northern Lights, were desired to select suit- able persons to undertake thedesign and construction of the light- houses, and to introduce the lighthouse service into Japan. The Board of Trade had the general management and supervision of the arrangements, while the Messrs. Stevenson, who pointed out the difficulties likely to be experienced from the constant recur- rence of earthquake shocks in Japan, had charge of the construc- tion of the apparatusfor six of the lights which hadbeen ordered. The Author received the appointment of Chief Engineer in Feb- ruary 1868, and he arrived in Japanin August of the same year. Out of more than twenty-five sites suggested by those to whom the matter had been referred in Japan, five points appeared to be generally concurred in. (Plate 1.) These were :-A second order revolvinglight at Oshima (Rashinosaki); a first order fixed light atShiwomisaki ; a first order fixed light atIwoshima ; a first order fixed light at Satanomisaki; and a lightship at Hakodate. It was found, however, impossible to select from the various suggestions the most advantageous positions for the remaining six lights authorized by the Japanese Government.A proposal was therefore made by Sir H. S. Parkes to complete the necessary in- formation by a mixed Commission of thc senior naval officers of England,France, and America thenin Japan, the Japanese Downloaded by [ UNIVERSITY OF BATH] on [12/09/16]. Copyright © ICE Publishing, all rights reserved. THE JAPAN LIQHTS. 3 Government being also represented on it. This Commission con- sisted of Captain Hewett,of the English navy; Commodore Go&- borough, of the United States navy; and Commandant Amet, of theFrench navy. The Japanese war-steamer “ Fujiyama” was placed at thedisposal of these officers, and they visited thevarious points in November 1867. They agreed in recommending a first order fixed light on Noshima ; a first order fixed light on Miko- moto (Rock Island); a second orderflashing light on Tsurugi- saki(Sagami); a third order fixed light on Eannonsaki; a red floating light at Yokohama harbour;as well as sereral buoys and beacons in the Gulf of Yedo. Some time previous to the formation of this Commission the apparatus for several lights had been ordered from France through a staff of French engineers, who were then engaged in formingan arsenal at Yokoska, on the west coast of the Gulf of Yedo, about 10 miles from Yokohama. These were intended to light theapproaches . to the arsenal; but theCommisaion recommended that theyshould be placed on those points most urgently requiring illumination. It was afterwards found that the only spots suitable for them in the Gulf of Yedo were Koshima and Kannonsaki. The first order fixed apparatus from France was accodingly placed at Noshima, and the third order fixed apparatus at Kannonsaki, and these two lighthouses were erected under the superintendence of the French engineers above mentioned. On arriving in Japan, the Author examined the sites of the lighthouses which had been decided on; and, as they were spread over 1,500 miles of coast, and there were no means of internal ’ communication, Admiral Sir Henry Keppel,t,hen on theJapan station, was induced to grant the use of H.M.S. “ Manilla ” for a voyage of inspection. In addition to collecting information and takingthe requisite observations in regardto those points already decided on, the Author received instructionsto inspect andreport upon the best method of lightingthe Inland Sea and the approaches to KBbe and &aka; forwhich purpose the Japanese Government, in the beginning of 1867, had aut.horized theapparatus for five additionallights. The Inland Sea, sepa- rating the main island from Kiusiuand Shikoku, isabout 250 miles long, and, at some places, it is 50 miles wide; it is filled with several thousand small islands, and navigation is carried on through recognised channelsbetween them. It may be judged, therefore, that to place a light on every point in the Inland Sea requisite to rendernavigation through it practicable, on dark nights, would be a work of magnitude and of doubtful utility. B2 Downloaded by [ UNIVERSITY OF BATH] on [12/09/16]. Copyright © ICE Publishing, all rights reserved. 4 MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS. On the other hand afew lights might beso placed that, with their assistance, a considerable portion of the sea would be navigable at night, and vessels would be guided to places where they might anchor with safety and wait for daylight. The proposals made by the Author were based on the following principles. 1st. To put no light where the headlandsare bold and well defined, or where no hidden dangers exist. 2nd. Where there are difficult and dangerous channels, through which vessels could not proceed in dark weather, to place lights to lead them into a safe anchorage where they can wait for daylight; and, if possible, in such a position that advantage may be taken of them for going through the channel. 3rd. Where a light would render a channel easy to pass through, which, without it, would be diffi- cult, or where a lightis likely to be required to give mariners a clue to their position, regarding which they may, at night, get easily confused among the numerous islands, a lightshould be placed. Having regard to these considerations, the Author fixed upon the following points at theapproaches to K&, and Ozaka, and in the Inland Sea, as being the most advantageous :-A third order fixed light at Tomagaishima ; a fourth order fixed light at Tem- posan (&aka); a fourth order fixed light (red) at Wadanomisaki (KBbe) ; a first order fixed light atYesaki (Awaji) ; a fourth order fixed light atKabeshima ; a third orderfixed light atTsurishima ; a third order fixed light at Hesaki; and a fourth order fixed light at Rockuren.These proposals were laid before variousnautical authorities. They received general approval, and the erection of the lighthouses was ultimately authorized. Soon after the completion of the first two or three lighthouses, the Governmentshowed its appreciation of themby deciding that the old system of wood fires should be abolished, and that properly illuminated lighthouses should take their place. A noti- fication was issued by the Council of State calling upon the local authorities to name the places at which local lights were needed, and instructing them that the old system of wood fires must be discontinued. The result of this notification is that many applica- tions for small lights have been received from all parts of the country. But as the Imperial Governmeut has, except in a few important cases, refused to bear the expense of these lights, and as the local governments are generally unableto do so, not manyof the proposals have as yet been carried out. Eleven such lights are now established, and from ten to fifteen others are under consideration. Those which have been completed are :-A staff light on the pier in Yokohama harbour;a fifth order fixed lightat Shina- Downloaded by [ UNIVERSITY OF BATH] on [12/09/16].
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