“In the distant past, when man first ventured out on unfamiliar silent seas, he knew that the sea around the shore had perils unknown to the deep. To guard himself, he marked the coast with beacon flares. These were the first lighthouses, piles of burning wood on fatal rocks. After the original beacon flare came the Oil Lamp, which developed into the Wick Burning Kerosene Lamp. Then came the Petroleum Vapor Burners, and soon the Acetylene Gas Lamps and the Electric Bulb. Then, the new magic of glass revolutionized the lighthouse. The science of lenses proved that light could be concentrated, could be made to pierce the dark for distances never spanned before.” —Stars Man Has Made (1956)

Also see: Nautical Adventure!