PROGRESS AND COMPLETION OF THE WORKS IN THE YEAR 1810.
[Sidenote: 1810, January.]
The shipping establishment connected with the Bell Rock service
during the winter of 1809 and 1810, consisted only of the Pharos
Floating-light and Sir Joseph Banks Tender; the other vessels being
laid up in ordinary. The latter vessel was appointed to carry
artificers to the Rock at spring-tides, for the inspection of the
works, and to repair any small damage that might occur at the
Beacon-house and Railways. She also supplied the Floating-light with
provisions and necessaries, and changed the crew in their respective
turns of leave on shore. The landing-master, Captain Wilson, was the
appointed commander of this vessel; but as he and part of his crew
were occupied constantly at the Rock during the building-season, they
were occasionally relieved from the unpleasant duty of the Pharos, by
such of the officers and seamen belonging to the other ships in the
Light-house service, as were kept in pay during the winter months.
[Sidenote: Friday 5th.]
[Sidenote: The Tender visits the Floating-light and Bell Rock.]
Five artificers from the work-yard at Arbroath were allotted for
visiting the Bell Rock, with Mr Francis Watt, the foreman mill-wright.
They accordingly sailed on one of their trips on the 5th of January
at 12 noon; but the Tender did not reach the Floating-light till
next morning at 1 o’clock. The weather being moderate, a supply of
fuel, water, and provisions, was immediately sent on board, when
Captain Taylor, with Mr William Reid his mate, and four seamen,
shifted to the Tender, and Captain Calder of the Light-house Yacht,
with John Blackwood his mate, and four seamen, took their station in
the Floating-light. The Tender then stood towards the Rock, when the
artificers landed with the boats at 9, and remained till 12 noon,
and in the afternoon, the vessel returned and got into the harbour of
Arbroath; Mr Watt reporting that every thing was in good order.
[Sidenote: Saturday 20th.]
In the same manner, and with similar success, the Floating-light and
Bell Rock were visited on the 20th of this month.
[Sidenote: February.]
[Sidenote: Sunday, 11th.]
[Sidenote: Artificers cannot land on the Rock.]
The Tender was in a state of readiness for the spring-tides, on the 5th
of February, but the winds, though westerly, were so stormy, that she
could not go to sea. The weather having moderated on the 11th, though
then the period of neap-tides, she went off to change the crew of the
Floating-light, and supply that ship with necessaries; and afterwards
stood towards the Rock; but as it did not appear above water, a landing
could not be effected, though, from the general aspect of things, the
Beacon and Building were concluded to be in good order, and the vessel
returned to Arbroath on the afternoon of Monday the 12th.
[Sidenote: Wednesday, 21st.]
[Sidenote: Still prevented from landing.]
The Tender sailed this morning at 5 o’clock, with a fine breeze at
west, having on board the usual complement of artificers, a change of
crew, and a supply of provisions for the Floating-light. At 9 she got
off to the Rock, but the wind, by this time, blew so fresh, that it was
found impracticable to land; every thing, however, about the Building
and Beacon appeared to be in good order. At 11, the Tender stood
towards the Floating-light, and, after considerable difficulty, the
provisions were got on board, and a transfer made of the crews; when
the Tender sailed for Arbroath, and got into the harbour at 4 P. M.,
having been only about eleven hours in making this trip.
[Sidenote: 1810, March.]
[Sidenote: Sunday, 11th.]
[Sidenote: A landing is effected. Large stones drifted upon the Rock.]
At 4 o’clock this morning, the Tender sailed for the Rock with the
wind at N. by E., when the artificers made a landing at half-past 10,
and remained till 1 A. M., having found every thing in good order,
excepting some parts of the Railways, which had received damage from
the movement of a large drift-stone or traveller, estimated to contain
upwards of one ton of rock, which was broken and removed, to prevent
its doing more damage. The building, as high as the daily rise of the
tide, was now covered with a strong growth of sea-weed. On the course,
however, immediately above the Rock, the fuci had been prevented from
taking root from the chips of stone which continually washed about
the building. Some holes in the Rock, near the Beacon, which, in the
year 1807, had been filled with ruble-building, a species of work
rather unexpectedly found to withstand the force of the sea, had in
the late gales been shaken loose, and laid open.--In the course of
the gales of the 25th, 26th, and 27th of March, as is supposed, two
large drift-stones or travellers had done considerable injury to the
Railways. It also appeared, from certain marks upon the beams of the
Beacon, at the height of about five feet above the Rock, that these
stones, containing from seven to ten cubic feet each, or upwards of
half a ton, had actually been lifted by the sea and driven with force
against the Beacon. In the course of these gales, also, the large
cask-buoy, used as the moorings of the Tender, had broken adrift.
During these gales, the Floating-light rolled very heavily, and had
shipped several great seas, but nothing of any consequence happened in
the way of damage to the vessel or her appurtenances.
[Sidenote: Beacon now rendered very secure.]
As the finishing of the Light-house, in the course of next season,
depended wholly upon the stability of the Beacon, every possible
attention was paid to its safety; and it was most satisfactory to
learn, by Mr Watt’s report, that every thing about it continued in good
order. On almost every visit during the two former winters, some of
the bracing-chains were found in a broken state; but since the months
of September and October last, when they were removed, and replaced
with thirty-six great bars of iron bolted to the principal beams, as
shown in Plate VIII., every thing had remained in a state of connected
firmness.
[Sidenote: Progress of the works at Arbroath.]
The hewing or cutting of the several courses, forming the void of
the Light-house, was also in great forwardness in the work-yard at
Arbroath; and by the latter end of the month of April, the Forty-fourth
course, forming part of the store-room, shewn in the section of Plate
XVI., was laid on the platform, and ready for shipping to the Rock. The
burning and pounding of the Aberthaw lime, and the preparation of other
materials, were also going on.
[Sidenote: 1810, April.]
[Sidenote: Landing on the Rock precarious in Winter.]
The season, though now advanced to the month of April, was still
boisterous. The day, however, was getting long, and the influence of
the sun began to be felt in checking the frosts, which often stopped
both the quarrying operations and the stone-cutters. The lengthening
of the day, as well as moderate weather, was a great regulating
circumstance in the Bell Rock works; for, during the winter months,
only one low-water tide occurred with day-light; and, indeed, in
the depth of winter, there may be said to be no very favourable
opportunity of landing on the Rock, as low-water at new and full moon
happens here about 8 o’clock, which renders the chance of landing
extremely uncertain and precarious.
[Sidenote: Retrospective view of the works. Mylnefield Quarry.]
Previously to entering upon the operations of the season 1810, it
may be proper, in this place, to take a retrospective view of the
various departments of the work. The granite courses of the Bell Rock
Light-house having been completed, for a considerable time, it was
only the sandstone quarries that were to be attended to. As formerly
noticed, the stone of Mylnefield, like that of most quarries which lie
in strata or alternate beds, is liable to split and become useless,
from the effects of frost, owing to the natural sap or moisture which
they contain. Water, being unlike other bodies which follow the general
law of contracting in volume with a reduction of temperature, is found,
on the contrary, to encrease in bulk at the moment of congelation,
producing the most surprising effects in rending rocks, even with an
explosive force. In sandstone quarries, therefore, the work is usually
suspended during the months of December, January, February and March,
when the frost happens to be intense, as was the case in the winter
of 1809-1810, when the thermometer occasionally fell so low as the
17th degree of Fahrenheit. Notwithstanding every precaution in the
work-yard at Arbroath, by covering the quarried materials with straw
and brushwood, many excellent and valuable stones were lost by the
intenseness of the frost. Such, however, was the desire of getting
early forward with the work, in order to insure the completion of the
building operations in the favourable part of the season, that the
writer took the earliest measures for getting an additional supply of
stones from Mylnefield; and, by the beginning of the month of April,
the Smeaton and Patriot, together with the hired sloop Alexander, were
loaded and sent to Arbroath.
[Sidenote: Craigleith Quarry.]
From this description of the nature of the stone of Mylnefield, it
became necessary, for the furtherance of the upper parts of the
Light-house during the winter months, that they should be prepared of
stone which would admit of being worked without much risk of injury
during frosty weather. For the cornice of the building, and the parapet
of the light-room, the writer, therefore, made choice of the Liver-rock
of the Craigleith Quarry, well known for its durability and beauty,
and for its property of not being liable to be affected by frost. By
this means also, the iron-work or frame of the Light-room might be
fitted to the masonry on the spot where it was to be prepared, which
would thereby lessen the actual work upon the Rock. Another advantage
attending this arrangement, was the opportunity it afforded of making
practical trial of the Balance-crane, with which the masonry of the
ensuing season was to be built, as it had been found necessary to make
several alterations on its construction.
[Sidenote: State of the Works at Edinburgh.]
The use of a piece of vacant ground was accordingly got at Greenside,
contiguous to the author’s house, in Edinburgh, where a number of
masons were employed, at the sight of Mr Peter Logan, foreman builder.
A very considerable difficulty was, however, experienced in procuring
so many principal stones of the liver-rock, of the description and
dimensions necessary for the cornice and balcony; the stones of which
also formed the Light-room floor in one length, as will be understood
by examining Plates XIII. and XVI. But, as these works commenced at
Edinburgh in the latter end of October 1809, they were completed
early in the month of March 1810, and the whole of this critical and
difficult part of the building was then ready for shipping to the Bell
Rock. The several compartments of the Light-room were now also in
progress. The sheets of silver-plated copper for the reflectors having
been ordered from Messrs Boulton and Watt,--the glass from the British
Plate-Glass Company,--the cast-iron sash-frames from Mr John Patterson
of the Edinburgh Foundery,--while the construction of the reflectors
and reflecting-apparatus, together with the framing of the whole
Light-room and its appurtenances, were executed under the immediate
directions of Mr Thomas Smith, the writer’s predecessor, who had now
retired from the more active duties of engineer to the Light-house
Board.
[Sidenote: Practical conclusions about the period of completing the
Works, and mode of distinguishing the Light.]
Having, in the course of the two last seasons, landed and built
upwards of 1400 tons of stone upon the Bell Rock, while the work was
low in the water, and before the Beacon was habitable, and finding
that it did not now require more than about 700 tons to complete the
masonry, the writer concluded, that, barring accidents of a very
untoward nature, there was every prospect of the Light-house being
finished in the course of the ensuing season. A question, of much
importance, however, still remained in some measure undetermined,
regarding the characteristic description of the light most suitable
for the Bell Rock, so as to render it easily distinguishable from all
others upon the coast. There being Stationary-lights already in the
Firth of Forth; this mode could not be adopted for the Bell Rock.
Revolving-lights had also lately been erected upon the Fearn Islands,
the most contiguous Light-house-station to the southward, as will be
seen from the General Chart of the coast in Plate III. Considering,
therefore, the liability of the mariner to mistake the appearance of
lights in stormy weather, or from an error in his course in returning
from a distant voyage, it was of the last importance that the Bell Rock
Light-house should be easily distinguishable. The most suitable means
for accomplishing this seemed to be by the exhibition of _different
colours_ from the same Light-room. The only colour which had yet been
found to answer, was produced by interposing shades of red glass before
the reflectors. But this was the colour used for distinguishing the
Light of Flamborough-head, on the Yorkshire coast, and, though about
169 miles to the southward, it would still have been desirable to
have avoided the same colour. A train of experiments was therefore
made from Inchkeith Light-house, with plates of glass, coloured red,
green, orange, yellow, blue, and purple, procured from Birmingham
and London. These were fitted to the reflectors at Inchkeith, within
view of the writer’s windows in Edinburgh. The Tender was likewise
appointed to cruise, that more distant observations might be made, for
ascertaining the effect of these coloured shades. But after the most
full and satisfactory trials, the red colour was found to be the only
one applicable to this purpose. In tolerably clear weather, the light
of one reflector tinged red, alternating with a light of the natural
appearance, with intervals of darkness, was easily distinguishable at
the distance of eight or nine miles; while the other colours rendered
the light opaque, being hardly distinguishable to the naked eye at
more than two or three miles. After various trials and observations
made in this manner, both on land and at sea, the writer at length
resolved on recommending the use of red, as the only colour suitable
for this purpose; and, in order to vary the light as much as possible
from that of Flamborough-head, a square Reflector-frame was adopted
at the Bell Rock, with two of its faces or sides having red coloured
shades, and the other two exhibiting lights of the natural appearance.
At Flamborough-head, the Reflector-frame is triangular, and on one side
it is furnished with red coloured shades, while the other two sides
exhibit lights of the natural appearance. The design at the Bell Rock,
on the contrary, was to exhibit a light tinged red, alternating with
one of the natural appearance; and, upon this principle, the apparatus
was put in a state of preparation.
[Sidenote: 1810, March.]
[Sidenote: State of the Works at Arbroath.]
In the work-yard at Arbroath things were going forward very
prosperously, at the sight of Mr David Logan, clerk of works. The
hewing or preparation of the stones for the Light-house was now
advanced to within about eight courses of the cornice, which, with
the parapet, as already observed, was all set up at Edinburgh, and
ready for being shipped when wanted at the Rock. A kiln of the Aberthaw
limestone having already been calcined, was partly reduced to the
state of powder, and put up into casks, as formerly. The operation of
pounding the lime was very tedious and unpleasant, being performed by
labourers upon a stone-bench in the lime-house, where it was reduced
chiefly by means of friction, between the bench and stones, managed
by hand. Due proportions of pozzolano-earth and clean sharp sand were
made up in casks, and the oaken trenails and wedges in bundles; but the
supply wanted of these materials was, in future, to be comparatively
trifling. The building being now considerably above the rise of the
tide, the use of mortar was less, while the system of trenailing and
wedging was to be discontinued, after the building had reached the
top of the stone staircase, or to the height of 13 feet above the
solid. The several implements connected with the building operations
being also laid to hand, nothing was now required but good weather and
favourable tides, to proceed with the works at the Rock.
[Sidenote: Gangway or Bridge for the Rock.]
[Sidenote: 1810, April.]
Among the preparations at Arbroath for the furtherance of the work
at the Bell Rock, was the construction of a gangway or bridge of
timber between the Beacon and the Building, instead of the Rope-ladder
employed with so much effect last season, as will be understood by
examining the second and third years’ work, represented in Plate IX.
This more stable and commodious way of communicating with the works,
was also to be useful as a stage for raising the building materials,
instead of the lower crane, the stool or prop of which had become too
low, and, as before noticed, had been washed away by the sea in the
course of last month. This bridge consisted of two principal beams of
Memel timber, measuring 44 feet in length, 6 inches in thickness, and
13 inches in depth. At one end these beams were to abut against the
principal beams of the Beacon, and to be strongly bolted to them; at
the opposite end, one was to be rested on the sole or instep of the
door, while the other was to be let 6 inches into a hole cut into the
upper granite course of the Light-house. They were placed 7 feet apart,
and formed a roadway of 6 feet in breadth between the rails, which was
strongly bound in a lateral direction with cross framing mortised into
the principal beams, and otherwise fixed with screw-bolts. The bridge
was further to be supported by four diagonal spur-beams, which met in
pairs on each side, at the middle of the roadway, and there formed
king-posts, to steady and support it. A crab or winch-machine was to be
placed upon it, for raising the stones at once from the rock to the
level of the top of the solid part of the building.
[Sidenote: Wednesday, 18th.]
[Sidenote: Operations commence for the season. Wooden Bridge is
erected.]
After making the experiments relative to the distinguishing of the
light, the Tender sailed from Leith Roads on the morning of Tuesday,
the 3d of April, and got into Arbroath on the 6th, where she lay.
Being fitted out for the Rock, with a sufficient stock of water and
provisions, and having also on board the beams and apparatus for the
wooden bridge, she sailed at 1 o’clock this morning, with eleven
masons, three joiners, and two blacksmiths, together with Mr Francis
Watt, foreman, in all seventeen artificers, who were to be employed
during the ensuing spring-tides, in erecting the bridge between the
Beacon and Building. At 3 P. M. she was made fast to the new moorings,
which had been laid down for her in lieu of those which had drifted
on the 26th of March; but the weather was then so boisterous, that no
landing could be made on the Rock till the following morning, at 6
o’clock, when they commenced the operations of the season by laying the
deals of the mortar-gallery, or lowest floor of the Beacon. Although
the weather continued to be extremely boisterous till the 23d, the
Tender’s marine barometer oscillating between 29.05 and 29.60, yet
the wind being westerly, the artificers were enabled to pursue their
operations by landing daily; for, upon this occasion, the Beacon was
not taken possession of, and they returned at night to the Tender.
On the 24th the weather became very fine; the barometer remaining
for several days at about 30.10. The work now proceeded with so much
alacrity and dispatch, that by the 28th the fixing of the bridge was
completed, and the Tender returned with all hands to Arbroath.
[Sidenote: Monday, 23d.]
[Sidenote: Charles Gray gets one of his fingers severely bruised.]
While the Tender waited the operations of the artificers at the Rock,
the Smeaton made two trips to it, and laid down six sets of moorings
with their floating-buoys, so that every thing was now in a state of
readiness for the commencement of the works. When unloading these
moorings, Charles Gray, a seaman, unfortunately got one of his fingers
so bruised between the hatchway of the ship and a mushroom-anchor, that
it was found necessary to amputate part of it.
[Sidenote: 1810, May.]
[Sidenote: Tuesday, 1st.]
[Sidenote: The Writer proceeds for the Rock, to begin building for the
season.]
The Smeaton having come to Leith for the Balance-crane, the writer
sailed this afternoon with her for the Bell Rock, to commence the
building operations for the season. The weather, for the last eight
days, had been extremely stormy, and, though still unfavourable,
yet, being moderate, hopes were entertained that she would soon make
her way down the Firth of Forth. After beating to windward for a day
and a night, however, she was obliged to bear away for Burntisland
Roads, where he left the vessel, to pursue his journey by land to
Arbroath, accompanied by Mr James Dove, foreman-smith, to whom
particularly the change in the mode of travelling was a great relief,
as, notwithstanding his having had considerable practice at sea, he was
still a great martyr to sickness, and even felt a dislike for every
thing connected with a ship, which was strongly marked by the following
trifling occurrence. On leaving the Smeaton, Captain Pool, presenting
the bread-basket to Mr Dove, observed, that, although he could not eat
on board, he might perhaps be thankful of a biscuit when he got on
shore; on which Mr Dove gravely replied, that “it would be long to the
day before he would be thankful for a _sea-biscuit_.” The object of his
journey at this time was to fit up the Balance-crane on the top of the
building, and to superintend its operation for a time on the Rock. This
useful implement had been constructed in the course of last season, but
was not then found to be in a sufficiently serviceable state. It was
accordingly new-modelled, and, though an opportunity had been afforded
of making trial of it at Edinburgh, in raising the weighty stones of
the cornice and balcony of the Light-house, yet the writer wished Mr
Dove also to fit it at the Bell Rock. They reached Arbroath on the
evening of the 3d.
[Sidenote: Saturday, 5th.]
[Sidenote: The Tender is ready for sea.]
The Smeaton arrived at Arbroath to-day with the Balance-crane, which
was immediately put on board of the Tender, now ready to proceed
for the Rock with the first good weather. The Smeaton then took on
board the stone ballast, and platform, laid in her hold for the
greater conveniency of stowing and discharging the prepared stones of
the building. The wind had now changed to the S.W., and hopes were
entertained of a return of good weather. But this being the period
of neap-tides, and considering that it might be three or four months
before some of the artificers again returned to the shore, as the
Beacon was now habitable, it was intimated to them on Saturday, that
the Tender would not sail till Monday. They accordingly attended church
to-day, with their wonted decency of deportment.
[Sidenote: Monday, 7th.]
[Sidenote: Writer sails with the Artificers for the Rock.]
The artificers having been warned to take their quarters on board of
the Tender last night, the writer sailed this morning from Arbroath
at half-past 2, accompanied by Mr Peter Logan, foreman builder,
Mr Francis Watt, foreman mill-wright, and Mr James Dove, foreman
smith, together with sixteen artificers, and the regular crew of the
vessel, in all counting thirty-two persons; but the Tender having
the Hedderwick praam-boat in tow, went slowly off. At 12 noon the
Floating-light was hailed, when Captain Wilson, the landing-master,
came on board, to take his station for the season, and at 1 P. M.
the Tender was made fast to her moorings at the Bell Rock. The
praam-boat was immediately hauled alongside, and the apparatus of the
Balance-crane laid upon her deck, when she was towed to her moorings,
there being too much sea at this time, for attempting to land upon the
Rock. As the barometer stood at 30.04, hopes were entertained that the
weather would soon improve.
[Sidenote: Tuesday, 8th.]
[Sidenote: Landing impracticable.]
The wind was at east to-day, and the sea still broke so heavily upon
the Rock, that no landing could be made. At high-water, the spray was
observed to fly considerably above the building, perhaps not less than
20 feet, in all about 50 feet above the Rock, while the seas were
raging and breaking among the beams of the Beacon with much violence.
[Sidenote: Wednesday, 9th.]
[Sidenote: The Praam-boats ride easily.]
The same boisterous state of the weather still continued, and the
sea-swell was nothing abated to-day, so that no landing could yet be
made upon the Rock. The landing-master, however, went in a boat, and
examined the Praam-boat at her moorings, where every thing was found
in good order. It is here worthy of remark, that while the Tender and
Floating-light rolled much, and occasionally shipped pretty heavy seas,
the praam, with a cargo of about three tons on board, was perfectly dry
upon deck, and to use the seamen’s expression, “rode as easily as an
old shoe.”
[Sidenote: Thursday, 10th.]
[Sidenote: State of the Building.]
The wind had shifted to-day to W.NW., when the writer, with
considerable difficulty, was enabled to land upon the Rock, for the
first time this season, at 10 A. M. Upon examining the state of the
Building, and Apparatus in general, he had the satisfaction to find
every thing in good order. The mortar in all the joints was perfectly
entire. The building, now 30 feet in height, was thickly coated with
_fuci_ to the height of about 15 feet, calculating from the Rock: on
the eastern side, indeed, the growth of sea-weed was observable to the
full height of 30 feet, and even on the top or upper bed of the last
laid course, especially towards the eastern side, it had germinated,
so as to render walking upon it somewhat difficult. The smith’s forge,
which had been removed from the mortar-gallery to the top of the
Building, in the month of September last, to give more accommodation to
the works of the joiners, was left there for the season,--the bellows
excepted, which were kept under cover in the Beacon throughout the
winter; and, it is not a little remarkable, that, although the sea had
risen to a considerable height, and fallen in great quantities upon the
top of the building; yet such was the centrical position of the forge,
that it remained quite entire: even the spar of timber, and the small
cords which had been stretched for steadying it, and forming an awning
of about 8 feet in diameter, for sheltering the smith, were also still
in their places. This was a proof that no very heavy seas had broken
so high as the top of the solid, otherwise the forge and the apparatus
for supporting the awning, must have long since been swept away by the
breach of the sea.
[Sidenote: State of the Beacon.]
The Beacon-house was in a perfectly sound state, and apparently just as
it had been left in the month of November. But the tides being neap,
the lower parts, particularly where the beams rested on the Rock,
could not now be seen. The great iron-bars, however, which measure
3 inches square, and from 7 to 9 feet in length, stretching between
the principal beams, in place of the bracing chains, which were found
constantly liable to break and unscrew, were in view, and in good
order. The whole frame of this fabric was now in a firm and secure
state. The floor of the mortar-gallery having been already laid down
by Mr Watt and his men on a former visit, was merely soaked with the
sprays; but the joisting-beams which supported it had, in the course
of the winter, been covered with a fine downy conferva, produced by
the range of the sea. They were also a good deal whitened with the
mute of the cormorant and other sea-fowls, which had roosted upon the
Beacon in winter. Upon ascending to the apartments, it was found that
the motion of the sea had thrown open the door of the cook-house:
this was only shut with a simple latch, that, in case of shipwreck
at the Bell Rock, the mariner might find ready access to the shelter
of this forlorn habitation, where a supply of provisions was kept;
and being within two miles and a half of the Floating-light, a signal
could readily be observed, when a boat might be sent to his relief
as soon as the weather permitted. An arrangement for this purpose
formed one of the Instructions on board of the Floating-light, but
happily no instance occurred for putting it in practice. The hearth or
fire-place of the cook-house was built of brick, in as secure a manner
as possible, to prevent accident from fire; but some of the plaster
work had shaken loose, from its damp state, and the tremulous motion
of the Beacon in stormy weather. The writer next ascended to the floor
which was occupied by the cabins of himself, and his assistants, which
were in tolerably good order, having only a damp and musty smell.
The barrack for the artificers over all, was next visited: it had
now a very dreary and deserted appearance, when its former thronged
state was recollected. In some parts, the water had come through the
boarding, and had discoloured the lining of green cloth, but it was,
nevertheless, in a good habitable condition. While the seamen were
employed in landing a stock of provisions, a few of the artificers
set to work, with great eagerness, to sweep and clean the several
apartments. The exterior of the Beacon was, in the mean time, examined,
and found in perfect order. The painting, though it had a somewhat
blanched appearance, adhered firmly both on the sides and roof, and
only two or three panes of glass were broken in the cupola, which had
either been blown out by the force of the wind, or perhaps broken by
sea-fowl.
[Sidenote: Thursday, 10th.]
[Sidenote: State of the Timber Bridge.]
Having, on this occasion, continued upon the building and beacon a
considerable time, after the tide had begun to flow, the artificers
were occupied in removing the forge from the top of the building, to
which the gangway or wooden bridge gave great facility; and, although
it stretched or had a span of 42 feet, its construction was extremely
simple, while the roadway was perfectly firm and steady. In returning
from this visit to the Rock, every one was pretty well soused in spray,
before reaching the Tender at 2 o’clock P. M., where things awaited the
landing party in as comfortable a way as such a situation would admit.
[Sidenote: Friday, 11th.]
[Sidenote: Balance-crane landed. Position of the Entrance-door.]
The wind was still easterly, accompanied with rather a heavy swell of
sea, for the operations in hand. A landing was, however, made this
morning, when the artificers were immediately employed in scraping the
sea-weed off the upper course of the building, in order to apply the
moulds of the first course of the staircase, that the joggle-holes
might be marked off in the upper course of the solid, which, as
formerly, had not been done to the finishing course of the season. This
was also necessary previously to the writer’s fixing the position of
the entrance-door, which was regulated chiefly by the appearance of the
growth of the sea-weed on the building, indicating the direction of
the heaviest seas, on the opposite side of which the door was placed.
The landing-master’s crew succeeded in towing into the creek on the
western side of the Rock, the praam-boat, with the balance-crane, which
had now been on board of the praam for five days. The several pieces of
this machine having been conveyed along the Railways upon the waggons,
to a position immediately under the bridge, were elevated to its level,
or thirty feet above the Rock, in the following manner. A chain-tackle
was suspended over a pulley from the cross-beam, connecting the
tops of the king-posts of the bridge, which was worked by a
winch-machine, with wheel, pinion and barrel, round which last the
chain was wound. This apparatus was placed on the Beacon-side of the
bridge, at the distance of about twelve feet from the cross beam and
pulley in the middle of the bridge. Immediately under the cross-beam
a hatch was formed in the roadway of the bridge, measuring 7 feet in
length and 5 feet in breadth, made to shut with folding boards like a
double-door, through which stones and other articles were raised; the
folding-doors were then let down, and the stone or load was gently
lowered upon a waggon which was wheeled on railway tracks towards the
Light-house. In this manner, the several castings of the balance-crane
were got up to the top of the solid of the building.
[Sidenote: Artificers take possession of the Beacon.]
The several apartments of the Beacon-house having been cleaned out and
supplied with bedding, a sufficient stock of provisions was put into
the store, when Peter Fortune, formerly noticed, lighted his fire in
the Beacon, for the first time this season. Sixteen artificers, at the
same time, mounted to their barrack-room, and the foremen of the works
also took possession of their cabin, all heartily rejoiced at getting
rid of the trouble of boating, and the sickly motion of the Tender. The
boats had landed on the Rock this morning at 9, and the writer left
it again with the landing-master and his crew at 3 P. M., and went on
board of the Tender for the night, after having seen some progress made
in setting up the balance-crane.
[Sidenote: Smeaton arrives with the first cargo.]
The Smeaton having been loaded at Arbroath with the first cargo of
stones, consisting of thirty-eight blocks of the Twenty-seventh course,
got to her moorings at the Bell Rock this morning, and was made fast,
though not without considerable difficulty. But, nothing could be done
towards delivering her until the balance-crane was got into a working
state.
[Sidenote: Saturday, 12th.]
[Sidenote: No communication with the Rock.]
The wind was at E.NE., blowing so fresh, and accompanied with so much
sea, that no stones could be landed to-day. The people on the Rock,
however, were busily employed in screwing together the balance-crane,
cutting out the joggle-holes in the upper course, and preparing all
things for commencing the building operations.
[Sidenote: Sunday, 13th.]
[Sidenote: Balance-crane ready for use.]
The weather still continues boisterous, although the barometer has all
the while stood at about 30 inches. Towards evening, the wind blew so
fresh at E. by S., that the boats both of the Smeaton and Tender were
obliged to be hoisted in, and it was feared that the Smeaton would
have to slip her moorings. The people on the Rock were seen busily
employed, and had the balance-crane apparently ready for use, but no
communication could be had with them to-day.
[Sidenote: Theory of the land and sea breeze exemplified.]
The wind had now prevailed long from the eastward, and it was remarked
on board of the Tender, that, in moderate weather, it generally
inclined from the northward in the mornings, and from the eastward
and southward, as the sun advanced to the meridian; in this respect,
resembling the land and sea breezes, familiar to those acquainted with
tropical climates. This phenomenon is accounted for, by considering
the state of the inland country, where the Grampian-hills lie about 20
miles northward from the coast, thickly covered with snow. The winds,
therefore, in the early part of the day, generally came from these
colder regions, towards the milder and somewhat more rare atmosphere of
the sea. But in the after part of the day, the heat of the sun, acting
more powerfully upon the arable lands and objects in the fore-ground of
this mountainous range, rarified the air more highly upon the shores
than on the sea, which produced a tendency in the winds to blow towards
the land. Extending this view of the subject to the great tracts of
snow-covered mountains, in the north-eastern districts of Europe, it
is natural to suppose that the current of the winds will be from these
colder regions towards the expanse of the Atlantic Ocean. Hence the
prevailing winds in the spring of the year are from the eastward, in
their passage across Great Britain to the Atlantic.
[Sidenote: Monday, 14th.]
[Sidenote: Smeaton slips her moorings.]
The wind continued to blow so fresh, and the Smeaton rode so heavily
with her cargo, that at noon a signal was made for her getting under
way, when she stood towards Arbroath; and, on board of the Tender, we
are still without any communication with the people on the Rock; where
the sea was seen breaking over the top of the building in great sprays,
and ranging with much agitation among the beams of the Beacon.
[Sidenote: Tuesday 15th.]
[Sidenote: Returns to the Rock.]
The Smeaton did not go into Arbroath last night, as the appearance of
a northerly or land breeze induced the active spirit of Captain Pool
to stand off again for the Bell Rock; but he had no sooner reached his
moorings at 5 o’clock this morning, than the wind again shifted to the
S.E., and he could not get hold of the ring of the Floating-buoy of his
moorings, and was, therefore, obliged to return again towards Arbroath.
There was still no communication between the Tender and the Rock, as
the sea continued to run very heavily upon it.
[Sidenote: Wednesday, 16th.]
[Sidenote: Is driven to Leith Roads.]
The wind had shifted to the N.E. this morning, and hopes were
entertained that it might take a more northerly direction, but it
continued without change, and for two or three days past the Barometer
had been falling, and was now at 29.50. It was, therefore, still
impossible to land upon the Rock. The appearance of the weather
brought the Smeaton out of the harbour, Captain Pool having become
very impatient to get his first cargo landed; but, on his arrival,
instead of being able to make fast to his moorings, the writer found it
necessary to direct him to proceed for Leith Roads, as the proper place
for the vessel in the present state of the weather.
[Sidenote: Thursday 17th.]
[Sidenote: Patriot sent to the quarry for the last cargo of stones.]
[Sidenote: People at the Rock experience boisterous weather.]
The Smeaton had no sooner reached the Firth last night, and anchored
in Leith Roads, than the wind came round to the north, and Pool,
without delay, once more weighed anchor and sailed for the Bell Rock,
which he reached this morning. The Patriot, at the same time, came off
from Arbroath with water, fuel, and provisions for the supply of the
Floating-light, the Tender, and Beacon-house, and after discharging
these, she proceeded for Mylnefield Quarry, for the last cargo of
stones wanted for the Bell Rock Light-house. On this trip the writer
had great pleasure in dispatching her, as this state of things greatly
narrowed the operations. The wind, in the course of the day, had
shifted from north to west; the sea being also considerably less,
a boat landed on the Rock at 6 P. M., for the first time since the
11th, with the provisions and water brought off by the Patriot. The
inhabitants of the Beacon were all well, but tired above measure for
want of employment, as the balance-crane and apparatus was all in
readiness. Under these circumstances, they felt no less desirous of the
return of good weather than those afloat, who were continually tossed
with the agitation of the sea. The writer, in particular, felt himself
almost as much fatigued and worn out as he had been at any period since
the commencement of the work. The very backward state of the weather
at so advanced a period of the season, unavoidably created some alarm,
lest he should be overtaken with bad weather, at a late period of the
season, with the building operations in an unfinished state. These
apprehensions were, no doubt, rather increased by the inconveniences
of his situation afloat, as the Tender rolled and pitched excessively
at times. This being also his first off-set for the season, every bone
of his body felt sore, with preserving a sitting posture, while he
endeavoured to pass away the time in reading; as for writing it was
wholly impracticable. He had several times entertained thoughts of
leaving the station for a few days, and going into Arbroath with the
Tender till the weather should improve; but, as the artificers had
been landed on the Rock, he was averse to this at the commencement
of the season, knowing also that he would be equally uneasy in every
situation, till the first cargo was landed; and he, therefore, resolved
to continue at his post until this should be effected.
[Sidenote: State of lower parts of the Beacon. Effects of marine
vermes.]
At low-water to-day, an opportunity was afforded of examining the lower
parts of the Beacon-house. The kneed Bats, or great iron stanchions,
employed for fixing the principal beams to the Rock, which will be
seen by examining Plate VIII., were found in good order, without the
least appearance of movement or decay. The same observation is also
applicable to the exterior of the principal beams of the Beacon,
wherever the charring of the timber and successive coats of boiling
pitch had been applied; but at the foot or sole of the respective
beams, where they rested upon a site cut for them upon the rock,
where the pitch could not be applied, the _òniscus_ or _vermis_ so
destructive to timber exposed to the wash of the sea, had made a
considerable impression, and the beams were found to be hollowed out.
In several instances, they even stood clear of the Rock, depending only
upon the stanchions and bolts for their support. The circumstance of
these vermes attacking the sole of the beams, had not been anticipated,
otherwise preventive means might have been adopted, by sheathing them
with copper, especially where they rested on the Rock.
[Sidenote: Friday, 18th.]
[Sidenote: 23 blocks of stone landed and raised with the new tackle.]
The company of artificers, lodged on the Beacon, having been increased
from sixteen to twenty-two, their time hang very heavily on their
hands, till the stones were landed on the Rock. The wind being now
N.W., the sea was considerably run down, and this morning at 5 o’clock,
the landing-master’s crew, thirteen in number, left the Tender; and
having now no detention with the landing of artificers, they proceeded
to unmoor the Hedderwick Praam-boat, and towed her alongside of the
Smeaton; and in the course of the day, twenty-three blocks of stone,
three casks of pozzolano, three of sand, three of lime, and one of
Roman cement, together with three bundles of trenails, and three of
wedges, were all landed on the Rock and raised to the top of the
building, by means of the tackle suspended from the cross-beam on the
middle of the bridge. The stones were then moved along the bridge on
the waggon to the building, within reach of the balance-crane, with
which they were laid in their respective places on the building. The
masons immediately thereafter proceeded to bore the trenail holes into
the course below, and otherwise to complete the one in hand. When the
first stone was to be suspended by the balance-crane, the bell on the
Beacon was rung, and all the artificers and seamen were collected on
the building. Three hearty cheers were given while it was lowered into
its place, and the steward served round a glass of rum, when success
was drank to the further progress of the building.
[Sidenote: One of the stones in danger from the breaking of a bolt.]
Having thus had the satisfaction of finding that the bridge and its
apparatus answered every purpose for raising the materials; that the
balance-crane was no less suitable for building the stones, which, from
their dove-tailed form, as before noticed, required that they should be
slipped or laid perpendicularly into their sites; and the artificers
being now comfortably lodged in the Beacon-house, there hardly remained
a doubt that the Bell Rock Light-house would be completed in the course
of the current year. It often happens, however, that accidents occur
on the first trial of machinery; and, accordingly, in shifting the
wheel and pinion work of the winch-machine upon the bridge, from the
single to the double-purchase, in order to raise a pretty heavy stone,
the bolt of the bush gave way, just as the stone had attained its
full height, and was about to be lowered on the bridge-waggon, to be
moved within the sphere of the balance-crane. The fall of the stone,
though only from a height of 8 or 9 inches, communicated a sudden
shock throughout the Beacon-house, and produced an alarm among the
workmen for the moment. Had this accident occurred before the waggon
was wheeled under the stone, in all probability it would have killed
some of those who were at work below upon the Rock; besides breaking
the stone and the railway, which must have stopped the work for a
considerable time, until another stone could have been prepared and
sent from the work-yard at Arbroath.
[Sidenote: Saturday, 19th.]
[Sidenote: 15 stones landed.]
The Smeaton having been completely discharged last night, sailed at
10 P. M. for Arbroath, to load a second cargo for the Bell Rock.
The Patriot had towed off the Dickie Praam-boat to-day, being of a
somewhat smaller size, and more handy than the Fernie, which now lay
in ordinary, at Arbroath, in case of accident to the Hedderwick or
Dickie. The wind, however, being rather unsteady, it was feared that no
materials would have been landed; but Captain Wilson, with his usual
dexterity and skill, succeeded in transporting fifteen stones, which
were raised to the top of the building, by means of the tackle on the
bridge, and built by the balance-crane with wonderful facility.
[Sidenote: Smeaton makes rapid trips.]
This morning at 1 o’clock, the Smeaton got into Arbroath, when Mr
Kennedy, engineer’s clerk, had the artificers immediately called, who
loaded her with the Twenty-eighth course of the building, consisting of
thirty-three pieces of stone, besides six casks of pozzolano, six casks
of lime, six casks of sand, four bundles of trenails, four bundles of
wedges, and eight stone joggles, together with four logs of timber, one
Railway-waggon, and a supply of water, beer, fuel and provisions for
the Beacon-house. At 2 P. M. she sailed again for the Bell Rock, and
reached it at 5, to the surprise of every one, Captain Pool being no
less active in his trips than Mr Kennedy was zealous in the dispatch
given at the work-yard.
[Sidenote: Sunday, 20th.]
[Sidenote: Prayers first read on the Light-house.]
The wind was southerly to-day, but there was much less sea than
yesterday, and the landing-master’s crew were enabled to discharge
and land twenty-three pieces of stone, and other articles for the
work. The artificers had completed the laying of the Twenty-seventh or
First course of the staircase this morning, and in the evening, they
finished the boring, trenailing, wedging, and grouting with it mortar.
At 12 o’clock noon, the Beacon-house bell was rung, and all hands were
collected on the top of the building, where prayers were read, for the
first time, on the Light-house, which forcibly struck every one, and
had, upon the whole, a very impressive effect. The artificers then went
to their barrack to dinner, and the landing-master’s crew went off to
the Tender. In the afternoon, the remainder of the Smeaton’s cargo was
discharged, and she sailed for Arbroath at 11 P. M.
[Sidenote: Monday, 21st.]
[Sidenote: Active exertions of the landing-master’s crew.]
The Patriot had arrived at Arbroath with the last cargo of stones from
Mylnefield Quarry for the Light-house, on the 19th, and was fully
discharged to-day, and was now fitting with her ballast and platform
for carrying off the worked materials to the Rock. The wind being at
south, caused a considerable swell on the Rock, and it was with great
difficulty that the landing-master got the remaining ten stones of the
Smeaton’s last cargo landed from the Hedderwick. His crew were not
only completely drenched, but were much exhausted with the fatigue of
pulling the loaded praam-boat against the swell of the sea; and on
reaching the Rock, it required their utmost exertions to prevent her
from driving to leeward upon the rugged ledges which encumbered the
eastern creek.
[Sidenote: Tuesday, 22d.]
[Sidenote: Thirty-first course completed.]
The dispatch made by the Smeaton in performing her trips between
Arbroath and the Bell Rock, was quite surprising, being seldom more
than one day absent. On the last trip, for example, she had only left
the Rock on Sunday night at 11, and this morning at 8 o’clock, she
returned to her moorings with thirty-five pieces of stone. Of these,
seventeen were landed to-day, with which the Thirty-first course of the
building was completed, and the remainder of the day was occupied in
boring the trenail holes in the lower course, fixing the trenails and
wedges, and grouting the whole carefully with mortar.
[Sidenote: Wednesday, 23d.]
The Patriot arrived at the Rock this morning, with her first cargo of
building materials for the season, consisting of 42 stones, together
with a supply of pozzolano, lime, sand, wedges, trenails, and 8 stone
joggles. The Smeaton was completely discharged of her cargo, and sailed
again at 2 P. M., when the writer took his passage with her to Arbroath.
[Sidenote: Thursday, 24th.]
[Sidenote: Arrangements for conduct of the work, and safety of the
Beacon.]
The weather continued moderate at the Rock, with the wind at west, and
18 stones of the Patriot’s cargo were landed and built to-day. The
Accounts connected with the Light-house service were collected at this
period, being paid at the terms of Whitsunday and Martinmas. The writer
at the same time arranged some matters more fully in the work-yard,
connected with the loading of the materials at Arbroath. In particular,
Mr David Logan, clerk of works, was held responsible for providing
every thing contained in the Requisition of the foreman-builder; while
Mr Kennedy, engineer’s clerk, was answerable for the other parts of
the respective Requisitions from the Tender and Beacon, and for the
dispatch given in the loading and sailing of the vessels. The masters
of the stone-vessels were accordingly directed, on their arrival by
night or day, to deliver all letters at the office. In the same manner,
before leaving the Rock, Regulations for the proper conduct of the
works there, were also instituted; where his assistants were also
held responsible for the duties of their several departments; Mr Peter
Logan, for the execution of the masonry; Mr Francis Watt, for the good
condition of the Beacon-house, Railways, and Machinery; Captain Wilson,
for the state of the Praams and other boats employed in the landing of
materials, and for the safety of the stones and building-materials in
transporting them from the ship’s hold till they were placed upon the
waggons on the Rock. The steward, Mr John Peters, was answerable for
making the necessary Requisitions for a sufficient stock of provisions,
water and fuel; while Captain Taylor, master of the Tender, was to see
a proper stock of these articles landed and kept in store upon the
Rock. From the hazardous situation of the Beacon-house with regard to
fire, being composed wholly of timber, there was no small risk from
accident; and on this account, one of the most steady of the artificers
was appointed to see that the fire of the cooking-house, and the lights
in general, were carefully extinguished at stated hours.
[Sidenote: Friday, 25th.]
The weather continued to be extremely fine, with the wind at west,
and the barometer standing about 30 inches. The landing operations
proceeded briskly, so that the building was to-day ready for the
Door-lintel.
[Sidenote: Saturday, 26th.]
[Sidenote: Balance-crane shaft is broken.]
The door-lintel being of large dimensions, equal to about a ton
and a half in weight, and considerably heavier than any of the
other stones of this course, in raising it with the balance-crane,
sufficient attention had not been paid to increase the balance-weight
proportionally, and an unequal strain being then brought upon the
opposite arms of the crane, the upright shaft yielded, and broke at one
of the joints; fortunately no person was hurt, though a stop was put
to the work for the present. This unlucky accident happened about 4 in
the afternoon, when the Patriot, then at her moorings, discharging a
cargo of stones, was immediately dispatched to Arbroath with the broken
shaft, where she arrived about 2 o’clock on Sunday morning. The writer
was at this early hour rather alarmed, by Captain Macdonald knocking
at his bed-room door, and calling out in a hollow tone, “that the
Balance-crane had given way.” An express was immediately sent for Mr
James Dove, who, only two days prior to the accident, had left the Bell
Rock, and was in the neighbourhood of Arbroath, and when the messenger
reached him, he was preparing to go with his friends to the church of
his native parish.
[Sidenote: The Writer is welcomed in at the door of the Light-house.]
The shaft of this crane consisted of four hollow pipes of cast iron,
in lengths, the lower one of 8 feet, and the three upper ones of 6
feet, fitted to each other with a flush or square joint, so that the
body of the crane might traverse upon them without interruption, as
will be understood by examining Plate XVII. There was, unavoidably,
a degree of weakness at these joints, which required considerable
precaution in shifting or adjusting the balance-weight, according to
the strain occasioned by a heavy stone. This accident, though speedily
repaired, produced a delay of no less than three days to the building
operations, which, together with the time occupied in making provision
for a new method of inserting the door-hinges into the building, made
this part of the masonry, upon the whole, appear extremely tedious.
Having got the door-lintel laid, the writer was not a little gratified
on being welcomed, with acclamation, in at the Door of the Bell Rock
Light-house. Limited as the height of the building still was, the
formation of the door stamped a new character upon it, and the lintel
gave it an additional appearance of strength.
[Sidenote: Fixtures of the hinges of the door and window-shutters.]
The fixtures of the hinges of the door and shutters of the windows are
of a peculiar construction, as will be seen in the different diagrams
of Plate XIX. They consisted of boxes or cases made of brass, of a
dovetailed form, measuring 16 inches in length, and 1 inch in depth
in the void; one of these cases was inserted into a cavity cut in
the upper bed of one of the rybat-stones on each side of the door or
window, and run up with melted lead. Into this case the dovetail-end of
the hinge was afterwards introduced, and fixed in its place by driving
a middle-piece, after the manner of a Lewis-bat. The advantage of this
method is, that, in the event of its being found necessary, at any
future period, to renew or repair a hinge, all that becomes necessary
is to draw the middle-piece and extract the Lewis from the box, without
requiring to cut or mangle the building, as would be found necessary by
the usual method of inserting hinges into walls. The hinges and cases
were made of fine brass; those for the door weighing 50 lb., and those
for the window-shutters being smaller, weighed about half as much.
[Sidenote: 1810, June.]
[Sidenote: Friday, 1st.]
The weather, during the last week of the month of May, was very
favourable for the operations; and the barometer stood to-day at no
less than 30 inches and 42 hundred parts. The wind was S.E., and the
atmosphere somewhat foggy, but not such as to prevent the landing
operations from going forward. The Patriot was now at her moorings
discharging; and the landing-master’s crew transported one of the
praam-boats to the Rock with 14 stones, which enabled the builders to
complete the Thirty-third course, being the one immediately above the
door-lintel, consisting of 32 stones.
[Sidenote: Saturday, 2d.]
[Sidenote: Shipping makes great dispatch.]
The weather still continuing to be extremely fine, the landing-master
and his crew left the Tender at 4 A. M., and proceeded to deliver the
remainder of the Patriot’s cargo, consisting of 14 stones, with a
proportion of pozzolano, lime, sand, and Roman cement, together with
six bundles of trenails and wedges. She then made sail for Arbroath,
and the Smeaton at the same time arrived with the Thirty-fourth course,
consisting also of 32 stones. She had previously put a new cable
on board of the Floating-light, this being the period at which her
winter-tackle was annually shifted. The Smeaton got to her moorings
at 11 A. M., when Captain Wilson and his crew immediately proceeded
to deliver her, and by 4 in the afternoon she was cleared, and had
sailed again for Arbroath to load, having thus been discharged in five
hours, being the shortest period in which any cargo had hitherto been
delivered at the Bell Rock. This formed a striking contrast with the
delivery of the first cargo of the season, which had been on board
from the 18th till the 29th of May, or eleven days, in the course of
which the Smeaton was put thrice into Arbroath, and once up to Leith
Roads, shewing how very dependent these works are upon the state of
the weather. To-day there were no fewer than 56 pieces of stones
transported to the Rock, being the greatest number hitherto landed in
one day.
[Sidenote: Sunday, 3d.]
[Sidenote: Patriot makes a trip in 33 hours.]
The dispatch given in the loading department at Arbroath was nothing
short of that of the landing at the Rock. The Patriot only got to the
Light-house loading-birth last night at 11 P. M., when Mr Kennedy
commenced loading her at midnight, with 34 pieces of stone, 9 stone
joggles, two casks of pozzolano, two casks of lime, two casks of sand,
and three bundles of trenails and wedges: she sailed again at 4 A.
M., and got fast to her moorings at 5 in the afternoon, having been
absent from the Rock only 33 hours. The landing-master’s crew towed
the Hedderwick praam-boat alongside, and loaded her with 18 pieces of
stone, which were safely landed on the Rock. At 11 P. M. the boats
returned to the Tender, having been at work since 4 o’clock this
morning. The weather was so inviting at this time, that, contrary to
usual practice, a quantity of the stones was laid upon the Rock round
the western side of the building, which were afterwards raised by the
purchase-tackle on the bridge: the building was thus continued for
a longer period than the tide permitted the landing-master’s crew
to proceed with their operations. Some risk, however, attended this
arrangement, as part of the stones were necessarily left on the Rock,
exposed to the wash of the sea, from one tide to another. But the
workmen being now permanently on the Rock, this could scarcely happen
to a great extent, as the sea generally takes a tide or two to get
into so rough a state as to be dangerous in cases of this kind. The
Thirty-fifth course was laid to-day, consisting of 32 pieces of stone;
but it required the work to be continued from 5 in the morning till
8 in the evening, before the trenailing, wedging, and grouting with
mortar, were completed; the artificers having of course pay for their
extra hours.
[Sidenote: Monday, 4th.]
[Sidenote: Thirty-sixth course laid.]
To-day there was a strong breeze of wind from the east, with hazy
weather, but, as the mercury still maintained the high state of 30.32,
every confidence was felt in the landing operations. The Patriot was
accordingly discharged of the remainder of her cargo, and 16 stones,
with other building materials, were landed on the Rock, though not
without considerable difficulty, from the heavy swell of sea which was
running upon it. The artificers also succeeded in building all the
stones which were on the Rock, and finished the Thirty-sixth course,
consisting of 24 blocks.
[Sidenote: The King’s birth-day observed.]
This being the Birth-day of our much revered Sovereign King GEORGE
III., now in the Fiftieth year of his reign, the shipping of the
Light-house service were this morning decorated with colours according
to the taste of their respective captains. Flags were also hoisted upon
the Beacon-house and Balance-crane on the top of the Building. At 12
noon, a salute was fired from the Tender, when the King’s health was
drunk, with all the honours, both on the Rock, and on board of the
shipping.
[Sidenote: Tuesday, 5th.]
[Sidenote: Stair-case completed.]
[Sidenote: Rate of Wages.]
The weather still continuing very favourable for the operations, the
work proceeded with much regularity and dispatch. Twenty stones were
landed to-day from the Smeaton, and the artificers completed the
Thirty-eighth or finishing course of the staircase, which brought the
building to the height of 45 feet. As the walls were here reduced
from 5 feet 9 inches to 3 feet 2 inches in thickness, the scarsement
at the level of this course formed a kind of floor or bench 2 feet 7
inches in breadth, at the top of the staircase, intended for keeping
the water-cisterns, fuel, and provisions. The laying of this course
being attended with a good deal of additional trouble, the artificers
were occupied with it from 5 o’clock in the morning till 8 in the
evening, when all hands being collected on the building, three hearty
cheers were given, and a dram served out, at the completion of the
first floor. During this season, nine hours were counted a day’s work
at the Bell Rock, instead of three hours of tide-work, as in the early
stages of the business. The artificers having, therefore, had six extra
hours to-day, at the rate of 6d. per hour, each had 3s. per day to
receive, in addition to his stated wages of 3s. 4d.; and, as the work
was continued on Sundays, they were now making upwards of two guineas
per week, free of incumbrance, while the foremen were in the receipt of
about double that sum. The inhabitants of the Beacon were consequently
in great spirits, both at the satisfactory progress of the work, and at
the amount of their extra wages.
[Sidenote: Progress of the Works at Edinburgh.]
While the work thus proceeded at the Bell Rock, it was making also
good progress at Arbroath, as the whole of the courses, excepting
three, were now ready for shipping to the Rock. Advice was also
received from Edinburgh, that the Light-room Reflecting-apparatus and
Revolving-machinery were getting regularly forward, so that every
prospect was afforded of the work being brought to a conclusion in the
course of the season.
[Sidenote: Artificers liable to accident. Small Boat and Life-buoy
provided.]
As the Light-house advanced in height, the cubical contents of the
stones were less, but they had to be raised to a greater height;
and the walls being thinner were less commodious for the necessary
machinery, and the artificers employed, which considerably retarded
the work. Inconvenience was also occasionally experienced from the men
dropping their coats, hats, mallets, and other tools, at high-water,
which were carried away by the tide; and the danger to the people
themselves was now greatly increased. Had any of them fallen from the
Beacon or Building at high-water, while the landing-master’s crew were
generally engaged with the craft at a distance, it must have rendered
the accident doubly painful to those on the Rock, who at this time had
no boat, and consequently no means of rendering immediate and prompt
assistance. In such cases, it would have been too late to have got a
boat by signal from the Tender. A small boat, which could be lowered at
pleasure, was therefore suspended by a pair of davits projected from
the cook-house, the keel being about 30 feet from the Rock, as will be
seen from Plate VIII. This boat, with its tackle, was put under the
charge of James Glen, of whose exertions on the Beacon mention has
already been made, and who having in early life been a seaman, was
also very expert in the management of a boat. A life-buoy was likewise
suspended from the bridge, to which a coil of line 200 fathoms in
length was attached, which could be let out to a person falling into
the water, or to the people in the boat, should they not be able to
work her with the oars.
[Sidenote: Wednesday, 6th.]
[Sidenote: Trenailing the Stones discontinued.]
The landing-master succeeded to-day in transporting 44 stones to the
Rock, and the artificers laid the Thirty-eighth course, which consisted
of 16 blocks. The trenailing and wedging of the stones being now
discontinued, as the building was above the ordinary range of the sea,
a great relief was instantly felt, as will be understood from examining
the several courses in Plate XIII.; and as the work was thereby much
simplified, it was now expected that two courses might be laid _per_
day.
[Sidenote: Thursday, 7th.]
[Sidenote: Number of people on the Beacon. Fitting of window-hinges
troublesome.]
To-day 12 stones were landed on the Rock, being the remainder of the
Patriot’s cargo; and the artificers built the Thirty-ninth course,
consisting of 14 stones. The Bell Rock works had now a very busy
appearance, as the Light-house was daily getting more into form.
Besides the artificers and their cook, the writer and his servant
were also lodged on the Beacon, counting in all twenty-nine; and
at low-water the landing-master’s crew, consisting of from twelve
to fifteen seamen, were employed in transporting the building
materials, working the landing apparatus on the Rock, and dragging the
stone-waggons along the railways, of which an idea will be formed by
examining Plate XVIII. There were 27 stones discharged to-day from the
Smeaton; and the artificers laid the Fortieth course of the building,
in which the windows of the water, fuel, and provision store-room
occur. The fitting of the hinge-boxes for the window storm-shutters,
occupied a considerable portion of time, as has already been described
in allusion to the entrance-door.
[Sidenote: Friday, 8th.]
[Sidenote: The comfort of good weather on the Rock.]
In the course of this day the weather varied much. In the morning it
was calm; in the middle part of the day there were light airs of wind
from the south, and in the evening fresh breezes from the east. The
barometer in the writer’s cabin in the Beacon-house oscillated from
30 inches to 30.42, and the weather was extremely pleasant. This, in
any situation, forms one of the chief comforts of life, but, as may
easily be conceived, it was doubly so to people stuck as it were upon a
pinnacle in the middle of the ocean.
[Sidenote: Saturday, 9th.]
[Sidenote: Balance-crane shifted to-day.]
The weather continued to be very agreeable, and ships every where
seen upon the sea. At the Bell Rock we had only the Tender and the
Floating-light, the Smeaton and Patriot being at Arbroath. The
Dickie praam-boat was brought from her moorings this morning, when 9
stones were landed. The artificers were chiefly occupied to-day, in
shifting the balance-crane from the top of the solid, to the top of
the staircase, across which it was supported on strong beams, while
struts were projected under the body of the crane, and butting against
the interior of the walls of the building, as will be understood by
examining the third year’s work of Plate IX. The balance-crane was,
however, so constructed, that its foot might have been allowed to rest
upon the solid of the building throughout the whole operation, and the
shaft lengthened as the building rose, by adding additional pieces,
till the whole of the masonry was completed, which would have formed
a length of shaft extending to 50 feet. It was, however, found, upon
the whole, to be more convenient and economical to lift the crane from
floor to floor as the work advanced.
[Sidenote: Sunday, 10th.]
[Sidenote: Crane erected at western Wharf.]
Although stones had hitherto been occasionally landed on the western,
as well as the eastern side of the Bell Rock, according to the state of
the weather; yet, as the railways and apparatus of the eastern creek
were much sooner in a working condition than those of the other, and
being only 90 feet from the Light-house, while the western Railway
extended to 290 feet in length, as will be seen from Plates VI. and
XVIII., the eastern creek was generally used in all directions of the
wind, when the weather was moderate. To-day, however, the wharf at the
western creek had been completed to its full extent, and one of the
moveable-beam cranes was erected at it, upon a piece of frame-work
constructed of Norway logs, forming also a platform employed in landing
the stones.
[Sidenote: Two stones upset by the Sea.]
In the course of last night, the wind had blown pretty strongly from
the S.E., and towards morning it shifted to the S.W., which created
a considerable swell of sea. Owing to the time unavoidably occupied
in the shifting the balance-crane, and fitting the brass cases for
the Lewis-bat hinges of the window-shutters of the provision-store,
together with the eagerness, and even impatience of Captain Wilson,
the landing-master, on all occasions, to get his part of the business
accomplished by the speedy delivery of the stone-vessels, he had landed
both the Thirty-first and Thirty-second courses, which were thus piled
in rather too great a number at the western side of the building.
During the night, though the range of the sea was considered trifling,
yet it had upset two of the stones, which, when the tide left the
Rock, were found lying at some distance with the Lewis-bats turned
downwards. These two courses, being too much at the mercy of the waves,
were raised to their places on the building, and, though not laid with
mortar for the present, were, nevertheless, out of the reach of heavy
seas, and more at the command of the artificers.
[Sidenote: A Praam boat is sent from the Rock with her cargo.]
Although the praam-boats, from their built, and the construction of
their moorings, rode easily with a cargo on deck, as formerly noticed,
yet a certain risk also attended this state of things, and the writer
rather wished the Smeaton and Patriot to remain at their station, with
the stones on board, until an opportunity was afforded of landing and
getting them at once laid in their places upon the building. One of
the praam-boats had, however, been brought to the Rock with 11 stones,
notwithstanding the perplexity which attended the getting of those
formerly landed taken up to the building. Mr Peter Logan, the foreman
builder, interposed, and prevented this cargo from being delivered, but
the landing-master’s crew were exceedingly averse to this arrangement,
from an idea that “ill luck” would in future attend the Praam, her
cargo, and those who navigated her, from thus reversing her voyage. It
may be noticed, that this was the first instance of a Praam-boat having
been sent from the Bell Rock with any part of her cargo on board, and
was considered so uncommon an occurrence, that it became a topic of
conversation among the seamen and artificers.
At 1 P. M. the bell rung for prayers, which were read by the writer in
the Beacon; after which the artificers went to dinner, and the work
again commenced and was continued till 9.
[Sidenote: Monday, 11th.]
The first operation of the building-artificers this morning, was to
lift the two courses laid on the top of the walls last night, and
build them with mortar; some of the stones of the upper course, in the
mean time, being stowed round the foot of the balance-crane. These two
courses consisted each of 16 stones, besides the dove-tail joggles for
connecting the perpendicular joints, as shewn in diagrams of Plate
XIII. The landing-master’s crew proceeded this morning to discharge the
Patriot, and having loaded the Hedderwick Praam-boat, she was towed to
her moorings to remain until the stones could be received at the Rock.
In the afternoon the Patriot sailed; and in the evening the Smeaton
arrived from Arbroath with another cargo, bringing also letters,
papers, provisions, water, and fuel for the Beacon.
[Sidenote: Tuesday, 12th.]
[Sidenote: Stones sent from the Rock are safely landed.]
To-day the stones formerly sent from the Rock were safely landed,
notwithstanding the augury of the seamen, in consequence of their being
sent away two days before. These, together with 14 dove-tail joggles,
were immediately taken up to the top of the building, and laid, for the
present, without mortar, on the top of the Thirty-fourth course.
[Sidenote: Wednesday, 13th.]
[Sidenote: Floor of the Light-room flat laid.]
The artificers were employed with the Forty-sixth course to-day, and
in making preparations for laying the Forty-seventh, being the floor
for the Light-room stores. In the afternoon and evening, the joiners
were employed in fitting up a piece of frame-work, as a centre for
supporting the interior ends of the stones composing the Floor course,
which projected from the outward face of the building towards the
centre of the apartment, as will be understood from Plates XIII. and
XVI.
[Sidenote: Mr John Reid has got leave ashore, after being three months
afloat.]
The Floating-light having got her winter cable on board, and being
otherwise in good order, Mr John Reid, principal Light-keeper, and
acting master, while Captain Wilson was employed at the Bell Rock,
having been upwards of three months afloat, it was thought proper
that he should now have liberty for a time on shore, that, in his
turn, he might relieve Mr Wilson. Mr Taylor, commander of the
Tender, accordingly went on board of the Floating-light, leaving the
landing-master in charge of the Tender, along with his other duties at
the Rock.
[Sidenote: Thursday, 14th.]
To-day 27 stones and 11 joggle-pieces were landed, part of which
consisted of the Forty-seventh course, forming the store-room floor.
The builders were at work this morning by 4 o’clock, in the hopes of
being able to accomplish the laying of the 18 stones of this course.
But at 8 o’clock in the evening they had still two to lay, and as the
stones of this course were very unwieldy, being 6 feet in length, they
required much precaution and care both in lifting and laying them. It
was, however, only on the writer’s suggestion to Mr Logan, that the
artificers were induced to leave off, as they had intended to complete
this floor before going to bed. The two remaining stones were, however,
laid in their places without mortar, when the bell on the Beacon was
rung, and all hands being collected on the top of the building, three
hearty cheers were given on covering the first apartment. The steward
then served out a dram to each, when the whole retired to their
barrack much fatigued, but with the anticipation of the most perfect
repose even in the “hurricane-house,” amidst the dashing seas on the
Bell Rock.
[Sidenote: First letter written from the Light-house.]
While the workmen were at breakfast and dinner, it was the writer’s
usual practice to spend his time on the walls of the building, which,
notwithstanding the narrowness of the track, nevertheless formed his
principal walk, when the Rock was under water. But this afternoon he
had his writing-desk set upon the store-room floor, when he wrote to
Mrs Stevenson, certainly the first letter dated from the Bell Rock
_Light-house_, giving a detail of the fortunate progress of the work,
with an assurance that the Light-house would soon be completed at
the rate at which it now proceeded; and the Patriot having sailed
for Arbroath in the evening, he felt no small degree of pleasure in
dispatching this communication to his family.
[Sidenote: Friday, 15th.]
[Sidenote: Floors of the Bell Rock and Edystone Light-houses.]
The floor-courses of the Bell Rock Light-house lay horizontally upon
the walls, as will be seen from the sections in Plates VII. and XVI.
They consisted in all of 18 blocks, but only 16 were laid in the first
instance, as the centre-stone were necessarily left out, to allow the
shaft of the balance-crane to pass through the several apartments of
the building. In the same manner also, the stone which formed the
interior side of the man-hole, was not laid till after the centre stone
was in its place, and the masonry of the walls completed. The number of
stones above alluded to are independently of the sixteen joggle pieces
with which the principal blocks of the floors were connected, as shewn
in the diagrams of Plates VII. and XIII. The floors of the Edystone
Light-house, on the contrary, were constructed of an arch-form, and the
haunches of the arches bound with chains, to prevent their pressing
outward, to the injury of the walls. In this, Mr Smeaton followed
the construction of the Dome of St Paul’s; and this mode might also
be found necessary at the Edystone, from the want of stones in one
length, to form the outward wall and floor, in the then state of the
granite quarries of Cornwall. At Mylnefield Quarry, however, there was
no difficulty in procuring stones of the requisite dimensions; and the
writer foresaw many advantages that would arise, from having the stones
of the floors to form part of the outward walls without introducing the
system of arching: in particular, the pressure of the floors upon the
walls would thus be perpendicular; for, as the stones were prepared in
the sides, with _groove-and-feather_, after the manner of the common
house-floor, they would, by this means, form so many girths, binding
the exterior walls together, as will be understood by examining the
diagrams and section of Plate VII., with its letter-press description;
agreeably to which he had modelled the floors in his original designs
for the Bell Rock, which were laid before the Light-house Board in the
year 1800.
[Sidenote: 31 Persons lodged in the Beacon-house.]
[Sidenote: Pay and Premiums at the Rock.]
The weather still continuing favourable for the operations at the Rock,
the work proceeded with much energy, through the exertions both of the
seamen and artificers. For the more speedy and effectual working of the
several tackles, in raising the materials as the building advanced in
height, and there being a great extent of Railway to attend to, which,
required constant repairs, two additional mill-wrights were added to
the complement on the Rock, which, including the writer, now counted
thirty-one in all. So crowded was the men’s barrack, that the beds
were ranged five tier in height, allowing only about 1 foot 8 inches
for each bed, while the greatest extent of floor-room measured only
about 8 feet 6 inches across, between the beds on opposite sides, as
will be seen in the sections and diagrams of Plate VIII. The artificers
commenced this morning at 5 o’clock, and, in the course of the day,
they laid the Forty-eighth and Forty-ninth courses, consisting each of
16 blocks. From the favourable state of the weather, and the regular
manner in which the work now proceeded, the artificers had generally
from four to seven extra hours’ work, which, including their stated
wages of 3s. 4d., yielded them from 5s. 4d. to about 6s. 10d. per
day, besides their board; even the postage of their letters was paid
while they were at the Bell Rock. In these advantages, the foremen
also shared, having about double the pay and amount of premiums of the
artificers. The seamen being less out of their element in the Bell Rock
operations than the landsmen, their premiums consisted in a slump sum,
payable at the end of the season, which extended from three to ten
guineas.
[Sidenote: Seamen find one of the lost sets of moorings.]
As the laying of the floors was somewhat tedious, the landing-master
and his crew had got considerably beforehand with the building
artificers in bringing materials faster to the Rock than they could be
built. The seamen having, therefore, some spare time, were occasionally
employed, during fine weather, in dredging or grappling for the
several mushroom-anchors and mooring-chains, which had been lost in
the vicinity of the Bell Rock, during the progress of the work, by the
breaking loose and drifting of the floating-buoys. To encourage their
exertions in this search, Five Guineas were offered as a premium for
each set they should find; and after much patient application, they
succeeded to-day in hooking one of these lost anchors with its chain.
[Sidenote: Experiment of collecting Gas from Fishes.]
It was a general remark at the Bell Rock, as before noticed, that fish
were never plenty in its neighbourhood, excepting in good weather.
Indeed, the seamen used to speculate about the state of the weather
from their success in fishing. When the fish disappeared at the Rock,
it was considered a sure indication that a gale was not far off, as
the fish seemed to seek shelter in deeper water, from the roughness
of the sea, during these changes of the weather. At this time, the
Rock, at high-water, was completely covered with podlies, or the fry
of the coalfish, about six or eight inches in length. The artificers
sometimes occupied half an hour after breakfast and dinner in catching
these little fishes, but were more frequently supplied from the boats
of the Tender. This evening the landing-master’s crew brought to the
Rock a quantity of newly caught codfish, measuring from 15 to 24 inches
in length. The membrane called the _sound_, which is attached to the
back-bone of fishes, being understood to contain, at different times,
greater portions of azote and of oxygen than common air, the present
favourable opportunity was embraced for collecting a quantity of this
gas in a drinking-glass, inverted into a pail of salt-water. The
fish being held under this glass as a receiver, their bladders were
punctured, and a considerable quantity of gas was thus collected. A
lighted match was afterwards carefully introduced into the glass, when
the gas exhibited in a considerable degree the bright and luminous
flame which an excess of oxygen is known to produce.
[Sidenote: Saturday, 16th.]
[Sidenote: Cause of ground swells.]
The weather was hazy, and the wind had shifted to-day from west to
east, accompanied with a heavy ground-swell in the sea. At the Bell
Rock, this was sometimes observed to be the precursor of a gale,
while, on other occasions, the swell did not make its appearance till
the force of the wind had ceased. Many speculations have been made by
naturalists upon the probable cause of ground-swells, so often observed
by seamen, and which sometimes appear even without the accompaniment of
wind, either before or after. To account for this, it may be noticed,
that the waters of the German Ocean or North Sea, from their connection
with the Atlantic Ocean, are often affected by gales of westerly
winds, which never reach our shores, though they have the effect of
forcing an undue portion of the waters of the Atlantic into the British
seas, which tend to overfill all the friths and bays, producing the
phenomenon of a ground-swell;--a condition of things which may also be
supposed to follow from the account given of the gale experienced by
the writer off Flamborough-head, on the 19th September 1809, described
at page 320.; which might as readily have been checked in its progress,
by the contrary wind, before it reached the northern shores, as off the
coast of England. This subject is further illustrated by the writer in
a paper read before the Wernerian Society, on the bed of the German
Ocean, and given in the Appendix, No. V.
[Sidenote: Landing-master’s dress, and activity of his crew.]
The landing-master having this day discharged the Smeaton, and loaded
the Hedderwick and Dickie praam-boats with 19 stones, they were towed
to their respective moorings; when Captain Wilson, in consequence
of the heavy swell of sea, came in his boat to the Beacon-house, to
consult with the writer as to the propriety of venturing the loaded
praam-boats with their cargoes to the Rock, while so much sea was
running. After some dubiety expressed on the subject, in which the
ardent mind of the landing-master suggested many arguments in favour of
his being able to convey the praams in perfect safety, it was acceded
to. In bad weather, and especially on occasions of difficulty like the
present, Mr Wilson, who was an extremely active seaman, measuring about
5 feet 3 inches in height, of a robust habit, generally dressed himself
in what he called a _Monkey Jacket_, made of thick duffle-cloth, with
a pair of Dutchman’s petticoat-trowsers, reaching only to his knees,
where they were met with a pair of long water-tight boots; with this
dress, his glazed hat, and his small brass speaking-trumpet in his
hand, he bade defiance to the weather. When he made his appearance in
this most suitable attire for the service, his crew seemed to possess
additional life, never failing to use their utmost exertions when the
captain put on his “_storm-rigging_.” They had this morning commenced
loading the praam-boats at 4 o’clock, and proceeded to tow them into
the eastern landing-place, which was accomplished with much dexterity,
though not without the risk of being thrown, by the force of the sea,
on certain projecting ledges of the rock. In such a case, the loss even
of a single stone would have greatly retarded the work. For the greater
safety in entering this creek, it was necessary to put out several
warps and guy-ropes, to guide the boats into its narrow and intricate
entrance; and it frequently happened that the sea made a clean breach
over the praams, which not only washed their decks, but completely
drenched the crew in water.
[Sidenote: Want of the western wharf.]
On this, as on many other occasions, the want of the western wharf
was particularly felt; for, although it had long been used with great
advantage in the ordinary traffic of the Rock, and was now carried to
its full extent, it was still not fit for all the purposes of landing
weighty materials, otherwise the landing operations would have been
accomplished with much more ease and facility to-day. So much, however,
had been to do in boring the rock, inserting iron-bats and other
operations, accessible only at the lowest tides, that, although Mr Watt
and his squad of artificers had embraced every opportunity, by day and
night,--for this work to the last was carried on by torch light,--yet
the wharf of the western railway was not entirely completed.
[Sidenote: Operation of shifting the Balance-crane. Its properties.]
The building-artificers were employed to-day in raising the
Balance-crane to the light-room-store, where it was supported upon
two beams of oaken timber, which were made to rest upon the outward
extremity of the floor, or close to the wall of the house. The removal
of the crane from one storey to another was attended with considerable
trouble. The body of the crane, as will be understood by examining
Plates IX. and XVII., was raised upon the shaft at every two or three
courses which were added to the height of the building. This mode might
have been continued throughout, without once raising the foot of the
crane, by simply adding to the length of the shaft. But, all things
taken into view, it was considered preferable to lift the whole machine
from floor to floor. This was accomplished in the following manner: Two
beams of fir-timber were laid across the walls of the house, on which
the body of the crane was rested. This new position did not prevent the
purchase-tackle of the crane from being worked, and it was therefore
applied to lift the foot and the four lengths of the shaft, which
were laid aside till successively wanted in the course of building.
The foot, with two lengths of the shaft, being placed upon the oaken
beams above alluded to; a cutter or spear-bolt was passed through one
of the numerous holes in the shaft; when the beams on which the body
of the crane rested on the walls being removed, the crane was again
in a complete working condition. The Balance-crane had therefore the
property of being applicable to raising itself, from stage to stage,
as well as of laying the stones, and preserving its equilibrium when
loaded. In case, through inattention or accident, an undue proportion
of weight had been brought upon one end of the beam of the crane, as
was the case when the door-lintel was laid, four spurs or diagonal
supports of oak, were attached to the shaft, the lower ends of which
rested upon the floor and butted against the wall, while the upper ends
fitted into a collar or circular piece of cast-iron, which embraced
the shaft immediately under the body of the crane. These preparatory
operations occupied a great part of this day, after which there was no
further delay occasioned by the Balance-crane, till it was again to be
raised to the next floor, except the occasional lifting of the body,
and applying additional lengths to the shaft, as the building rose,
things which were accomplished without retarding the work.
[Sidenote: Sunday, 17th.]
[Sidenote: Western wharf finished to-day.]
It was fortunate, in the present state of the weather, that the
Fiftieth course was in a sheltered spot, within the reach of the tackle
of the winch-machine upon the bridge; a few stones were stowed upon
the bridge itself, and the remainder upon the building, which kept the
artificers at work. The stowing of the materials upon the Rock, was
the department of Alexander Brebner, mason, who spared no pains in
attending to the safety of the stones, and who, in the present state
of the work, when the stones were landed faster than could be built,
generally worked till the water rose to his middle. At 1 o’clock to-day
the bell rung for prayers, and all hands were collected into the upper
barrack-room of the Beacon-house, when the usual service was performed.
At low-water this afternoon all hands were employed in completing
the western wharf,--a work which had now been in progress for a
twelvemonth. One of the moveable-beam cranes was elevated on it, under
a salute of three hearty cheers. This wharf was formed of timber,
consisting of successive layers of Norway logs, like the Eastern Wharf,
as represented in Plate XI., which were raised to the level of the
Railways, or about 6 feet in height, and fixed down with bat-bars of
iron, measuring 7 feet in length, having been sunk about 12 inches into
the Rock.
[Sidenote: Remarkable state of the sea at the Bell Rock to-day.]
The wind blew very hard in the course of last night from N.E., and
to-day the sea ran so high that no boat could approach the Rock. During
the dinner-hour, when the writer was going to the top of the building
as usual, but just as he had entered the door, and was about to ascend
the ladder, a great noise was heard over-head, and in an instant he
was soused in water, from a sea which had most unexpectedly come over
the walls, though now about 58 feet in height. On making his retreat,
he found himself completely whitened by the lime which had mixed with
the water, while dashing down through the different floors; and, as
nearly as he could guess, a quantity equal to about a hogshead had come
over the walls, and now streamed out at the door. After having shifted
himself, he again sat down in his cabin, the sea continuing to run so
high that the builders did not resume their operations on the walls
this afternoon. The incident just noticed, did not create more surprise
in the mind of the writer, than the sublime appearance of the waves, as
they rolled majestically over the Rock. This scene he greatly enjoyed
while sitting at his cabin window: each wave approached the Beacon
like a vast scroll unfolding; and, in passing, discharged a quantity
of air, which he not only distinctly felt, but was even sufficient to
lift the leaves of a book which lay before him. These waves might be
10 or 12 feet in height, and about 250 feet in length. Their smaller
end being towards the north, where the water was deep, and they were
opened or cut through by the interposition of the Building and Beacon.
The gradual manner in which the sea, upon these occasions, is observed
to become calm or to subside, is a very remarkable feature of this
phenomenon. For example, when a gale is succeeded by a calm, every
third or fourth wave forms one of these great seas, which occur in
spaces, of from 3 to 5 minutes, as noted by the writer’s watch; but, in
the course of the next tide, they become less frequent, and take off,
so as to occur only in 10 or 15 minutes; and, singular enough, at the
third tide after such gales, the writer has remarked, that only one or
two of these great waves appear in the course of the whole tide.
[Sidenote: Thursday, 21st.]
[Sidenote: Landing-master’s crew have now more leisure.]
From Monday 18th till this date, the work went forward in the usual
routine, and the building was now in readiness for the floor of the
kitchen or third apartment. In the present state of things, the two
stone-vessels Smeaton and Patriot, could not be fully employed, as,
owing to the greater height of the building, every operation required
much more time, in proportion to the tonnage which the vessels brought
off to the Rock. Indeed, the original intention of providing two
vessels for this department was chiefly to guard against accident, as,
in this service, they were much exposed to danger, in the event of
which, without a second vessel, the work must have been arrested in
its progress. Having now also the full use of the western creek, the
process of landing was seldom delayed, excepting from want of demand on
the part of the builders; it was still, nevertheless, necessary to keep
up the establishment of shipping, for the reason above stated.
[Sidenote: Disagreeable state of the weather.]
The 19th was a very unpleasant and disagreeable day, both for the
seamen and artificers, as it rained throughout with little intermission
from 4 A. M. till 11 P. M., accompanied with thunder and lightning,
during which period the work nevertheless continued unremittingly; and
the builders laid the Fifty-first and Fifty-second courses. This state
of weather was no less severe upon the mortar-makers, who required to
temper or prepare the mortar of a thicker or thinner consistency, in
some measure, according to the state of the weather. From the elevated
position of the building, the mortar-gallery on the Beacon was now
much lower, and the lime buckets were made to traverse upon a rope
distended between it and the building, as will be seen from Plate IX.
On occasions like the present, however, there was often a difference
of opinion between the builders and the mortar-makers. John Watt, who
had the principal charge of the mortar, was a most active worker,
but being somewhat of an irascible temper, the builders occasionally
amused themselves at his expence. For, while he was eagerly at work
with his large iron-shod pestle in the mortar-tub, they often sent
down contradictory orders, some crying, “Make it a little stiffer,
or thicker, John,” while others called out to make it “thinner;” to
which he generally returned very speedy and sharp replies; so that
these conversations at times were rather amusing. The brass cases of
the upper-hinges of the window of this apartment, occurring in the
Fifty-second course, occasioned a good deal of detention, on the 20th,
in laying it, when the artificers were employed from 4 in the morning
till 9 in the evening.
[Sidenote: Extra pay.]
[Sidenote: Responsible situation of the principal workmen.]
During wet weather, the situation of the artificers on the top of the
building was extremely disagreeable; for, although their work did
not require great exertion, yet, as each man had his particular part
to perform, either in working the crane, or in laying the stones, it
required the closest application and attention, not only on the part
of Mr Peter Logan, the foreman, who was constantly on the walls, but
also of the chief workmen. Robert Selkirk, the principal builder, for
example, had every stone to lay in its place. David Cumming, a mason,
had the charge of working the tackle of the balance-weight, and James
Scott, also a mason, took charge of the purchase with which the stones
were laid; while the pointing the joints of the walls with cement,
was entrusted to William Reid and William Kennedy, who stood upon a
scaffold suspended over the walls in rather a frightful manner. The
least act of carelessness or inattention on the part of any of these
men might have been fatal, not only to themselves, but also to the
surrounding workmen, especially if any accident had happened to the
crane itself, while the material damage or loss of a single stone would
have put an entire stop to the operations, until another could have
been brought from Arbroath. The artificers having wrought seven and
a half hours of extra time to-day, had 3s. 9d. of extra pay, while
the foremen had 7s. 6d. over and above their stated pay and board.
Although, therefore, the work was both hazardous and fatiguing, yet the
encouragement being considerable, they were alwise very cheerful, and
perfectly reconciled to the confinement, and other disadvantages of the
place.
[Sidenote: Carpenter of the Floating-light leaves the service.]
During fine weather, and while the nights were short, the duty on board
of the Floating-light was literally nothing but a waiting on, and
therefore one of her boats, with a crew of five men, daily attended
the Rock, but always returned to the vessel at night. The carpenter,
however, was one of those who was left on board of the ship, as he
also acted in the capacity of assistant light-keeper; being, besides,
a person who was apt to feel discontent, and to be averse to changing
his quarters, especially to work with the mill-wrights and joiners at
the Rock, who often, for hours together, wrought knee-deep, and not
unfrequently up to the middle in water. Mr Watt having, about this
time, made a requisition for another hand, the carpenter was ordered to
attend the Rock in the Floating-light’s boat. This he did with great
reluctance, and found so much fault, that he soon got into discredit
with his messmates. On this occasion, he left the Light-house service,
and went as a sailor in a vessel bound for America,--a step which,
it is believed, he soon regretted, as, in the course of things, he
would, in all probability, have accompanied Mr John Reid, the principal
Light-keeper of the Floating-light, to the Bell Rock Light-house, as
his principal Assistant. The writer had a wish to be of service to this
man, as he was one of those who came off to the Floating-light in the
month of September 1807, while she was riding at single anchor, after
the severe gale of the 7th, at a time when it was hardly possible to
make up this vessel’s crew; but the crossness of his manner prevented
his reaping the benefit of such intentions.
[Sidenote: Patriot makes a trip to Arbroath and back to the Rock, in 24
hours.]
The trips of the stone-vessels became more and more remarkable for
dispatch. The Patriot having only sailed for Arbroath yesterday morning
at 8 o’clock, returned this evening at the same hour with a cargo;
when the landing-master immediately got his praam-boats alongside, and
came to the Rock with 16 stones, 8 joggles, 8 casks of pozzolano, and
the same quantity of lime and sand, with seven logs of timber for the
Railways, which were immediately taken up to the Beacon, till they were
wanted on the Rock. Such, therefore, was the dispatch given to the
loading of the materials at Arbroath, together with the persevering
activity of Mr Spink,--who had succeeded Mr Macdonald in the command of
the Patriot,--and his mate Mr Peter Soutar, that, although she did not
reach Arbroath till the morning of the 21st, at 1 o’clock, yet being
instantly loaded, she was made fast to her moorings again at the Rock,
after an absence of only 24 hours.
[Sidenote: An attempt made to land stones at high-water, with the
bridge-apparatus.]
The weather was extremely fine to-day, and the artificers laid the
Fifty-sixth course, or kitchen-floor, forming, like the other floors
of the building, a part also of the outward wall. For supporting the
inward extremity of these long stones, until a sufficient weight was
built upon the exterior wall, the joiners had erected a piece of
frame-work on the floor below on which they rested. This morning at 4
o’clock, the landing-master’s crew had commenced their operations, and
by 12 noon 34 stones were landed, together with the several articles
mentioned above, which discharged the Patriot, and she again sailed for
Arbroath. An attempt was made to-day to land materials at high-water
with the bridge-apparatus; but, although the water was smooth, yet
there was a certain _lift in the sea_, which occasionally brought a
sudden strain on the frame of the bridge, and made the whole shake and
jerk in such a manner as to communicate a considerable degree of tremor
to the whole fabric of the Beacon-house, shewing that this mode of
landing weighty stones could hardly be ventured upon, even in the very
finest weather.
[Sidenote: Progress of landing the stones. The Seamen become
discontented.]
The building operations had for some time proceeded more slowly, from
the higher parts of the Light-house requiring much longer time than an
equal tonnage of the lower courses. The duty of the landing-master’s
crew had, upon the whole, been easy of late; for, though the work was
occasionally irregular, yet the stones being lighter, they were more
speedily lifted from the hold of the stone-vessel to the deck of the
praam-boat, and again to the waggons on the railway, after which they
came properly under the charge of the foreman-builder; the artificers
working the several purchase-tackles in raising the stones through the
successive stages, from the railways to the bridge, and from thence
to the top of the building, as represented in Plates IX. and XVIII.
It is, however, a strange, though not an uncommon feature in the
human character, that when people have least to complain of, they are
most apt to become dissatisfied, as was now the case with the seamen
employed in the Bell Rock service, about their rations of beer. Indeed,
ever since the carpenter of the Floating-light, formerly noticed, had
been brought to the Rock, expressions of discontent had been manifested
upon various occasions. This being represented to the writer, he sent
for Captain Wilson, the landing-master, and Mr Taylor, commander of
the Tender, with whom he talked over the subject. They stated, that
they considered the daily allowance of the seamen in every respect
ample, and that the work being now much lighter than formerly, they had
no just ground for complaint; Mr Taylor adding, that if those who now
complained “were even to be fed upon soft bread and turkeys, they would
not think themselves right.” At 12 noon, as before noticed, the work of
the landing-master’s crew was completed for the day. But at 4 o’clock,
while the Rock was under water, those on the Beacon were surprised by
the arrival of a boat from the Tender, without any signal having been
made from the Beacon. It, however, brought the following note to the
writer from the landing-master’s crew.
_Sir Joseph Banks, Tender._
“SIR,
“We are informed by our masters, that our allowance is to be as
before, and it is not sufficient to serve us, for we have been at
work since 4 o’clock this morning, and we have come on board to
dinner, and there is no beer for us before to-morrow morning, to
which a sufficient answer is required before we go from the Beacon;
and we are, Sir, your most obedient servants.”
On reading this, the writer returned a verbal message, intimating,
that an answer would be sent on board of the Tender, at the same time
ordering the boat instantly to quit the Beacon. He then addressed the
following note to the landing-master.
[Sidenote: Correspondence with the Landing-master.]
“_Beacon-house, 22d June 1810,
5 o’clock, P. M._
“SIR,
“I have just now received a letter purporting to be from the
landing-master’s crew and seamen on board of the Sir Joseph Banks,
though without either date or signature; in answer to which, I
inclose a statement of the daily allowance of provisions for the
seamen in this service, which you will post up in the ship’s-galley,
and at 7 o’clock this evening I will come on board to enquire into
this unexpected and most unnecessary demand for an additional
allowance of beer. In the inclosed, you will not find any alteration
from the original statement, fixed in the galley at the beginning of
the season. I have, however, judged this mode of giving your people
an answer, preferable to that of conversing with them on the Beacon.
I am, Sir, your most obedient servant,
“_To Captain Wilson_.
ROBERT STEVENSON.”
“_Beacon-house, 22d June 1810._--SCHEDULE of the daily Allowance
of Provisions to be served out on board of the Sir Joseph Banks
Tender.”--“1½ lb. beef; 1 lb. bread; 8 oz. oatmeal; 2 oz. barley;
2 oz. butter; 3 quarts beer; vegetables and salt no stated allowance.
When the seamen are employed in unloading the Smeaton and Patriot,
a draught of beer is, as formerly, to be allowed from the stock of
these vessels. Further, in wet and stormy weather, or when the work
commences very early in the morning, or continues till a late hour
at night, a glass of spirits will also be served out to the crew as
heretofore, on the requisition of the Landing-master.”
“ROBERT STEVENSON.”
[Sidenote: Writer goes on board of the Tender.]
On writing this letter and schedule, a signal was made on the Beacon
for the landing-master’s boat, which immediately came to the Rock,
and the schedule was afterwards stuck up in the Tender’s galley. When
sufficient time had been allowed to the crew to consider of their
conduct, a second signal was made for a boat, and at 7 o’clock the
writer left the Bell Rock, after a residence of four successive weeks
in the Beacon-house. The first thing which occupied his attention on
board of the Tender, was to look round upon the Light-house, which he
saw with some degree of emotion and surprise, now vieing in height
with the Beacon-house; for, although he had often viewed it from the
extremity of the western Railway on the Rock, yet the scene, upon the
whole, seemed far more interesting from the Tender’s moorings, at the
distance of about half a mile.
[Sidenote: Two of the Seamen are dismissed the service.]
The Smeaton having just arrived at her moorings with a cargo, a signal
was made for Captain Pool to come on board of the Tender, that he might
be at hand to remove from the service any of those who might persist in
their discontented conduct. One of the two principal leaders in this
affair, being the master of one of the praam-boats, and who had also
steered the boat which brought the letter to the Beacon, was first
called upon deck, and asked if he had read the statement fixed up in
the galley this afternoon, and whether he was satisfied with it. He
replied that he had read the paper, but was not satisfied, as it held
out no alteration on the allowance; on which he was immediately ordered
into the Smeaton’s boat. The next man called had but lately entered the
service, and being also interrogated as to his resolution, he declared
himself to be of the same mind with the Praam-master, and was also
forthwith ordered into the boat. The writer, without calling any more
of the seamen, went forward to the gangway, where they were collected,
and listening to what was passing upon deck: he addressed them at
the hatchway, and stated that two of their companions had just been
dismissed the service, and sent on board of the Smeaton, to be conveyed
to Arbroath. He therefore wished each man to consider for himself,
how far it would be proper, by any unreasonableness of conduct, to
place themselves in a similar situation, especially as they were aware
that it was optional in him either to dismiss them, or send them on
board a Man-of-war. It might appear that much inconveniency would be
felt at the Rock by a change of hands at this critical period, by
checking for a time the progress of a building so intimately connected
with the best interests of navigation; yet this would be but of a
temporary nature, while the injury to themselves might be irreparable.
It was now, therefore, required of any man who, in this disgraceful
manner, chose to leave the service, that he should instantly make his
appearance upon deck, while the Smeaton’s boat was alongside. But those
below having expressed themselves satisfied with their situation, viz.
William Brown, George Gibb, Alexander Scott, John Dick, Robert Couper,
Alexander Shephard, James Grieve, David Carey, William Pearson, Stuart
Eaton, Alexander Lawrence, and John Spink, were accordingly considered
as having returned to their duty. This disposition to mutiny, which had
so strongly manifested itself, being now happily suppressed, Captain
Pool got orders to proceed for Arbroath Bay, and land the two men he
had on board, and to deliver the following letter at the office of the
work-yard.
“_On Board of the Tender off the Bell Rock,
22d June 1810. 8 o’clock P. M._
“DEAR SIR,
“A discontented and mutinous spirit having manifested itself of
late, among the Landing-master’s crew, they struck work to-day,
and demanded an additional allowance of beer, and I have found
it necessary to dismiss D----d and M----e, who are now sent on
shore with the Smeaton. You will, therefore, be so good as to pay
them their wages, including this day only. Nothing can be more
unreasonable than the conduct of the seamen on this occasion, as the
landing-master’s crew not only had their own allowance on board of
the Tender, but, in the course of this day, they had drawn no fewer
than 24 quart pots of beer from the stock of the Patriot, while
unloading her.
“I remain, yours truly,
“ROBERT STEVENSON.”
“_To Mr Lachlan Kennedy, }
Bell-Rock Office, Arbroath._” }
On dispatching this letter to Mr Kennedy, the writer returned to the
Beacon about 9 o’clock, where this afternoon’s business had produced
many conjectures, especially when the Smeaton got under way, instead of
proceeding to land her cargo. The bell on the Beacon being rung, the
artificers were assembled on the bridge, when the affair was explained
to them. He, at the same time, congratulated them upon the first
appearance of mutiny being happily set at rest by the dismissal of its
two principal abettors.
[Sidenote: Saturday, 23d.]
[Sidenote: Progress of the Works at Arbroath.]
The Smeaton having landed the disaffected men and delivered the
letter, returned to the Bell Rock last evening at 8 o’clock, when the
landing-master and his crew immediately proceeded to discharge her,
leaving the loaded praams at their moorings for the night. By letters
from the work-yard from Mr David Logan, clerk of works, the writer
learned, that, when the two courses which the stone-cutters had now in
hand were completed, there would only be one more to prepare, and that
already several of the masons were about to be paid off.
[Sidenote: Sunday, 24th.]
[Sidenote: The Works are visited by Mr Murdoch of Soho.]
At the Rock, the landing of the materials, and the building operations
of the light-room-store, went on successfully, and in a way similar to
those of the provision-store. To-day it blew fresh breezes; but the
seamen nevertheless landed 28 stones, and the artificers built the
Fifty-eighth and Fifty-ninth courses. The works were visited by Mr
Murdoch junior, from Messrs Boulton and Watt’s works of Soho. He landed
just as the bell rung for prayers; after which the writer enjoyed much
pleasure from his very intelligent conversation: and having been almost
the only stranger he had seen for some weeks, he parted with him, after
a short interview, with much regret.
[Sidenote: Wednesday, 27th.]
[Sidenote: Sixty-second course laid.]
There were 46 pieces of stone landed to-day, 16 of which were built,
being the Sixty-second course, in which the upper brass cases for the
hinges of the storm-shutters occurred, each of which weighed about
25 lb., or 100 lb. for the four cases with their hinges. The sole or
foot of the balance-crane was also shifted, an operation which became
necessary at the height of about every 16 feet of the Light-house;
and it was now raised from the store-room to the kitchen-floor. The
shaft of the crane consisted of one piece of 8 feet, and three of 6
feet, making its whole length 26 feet, of which, about 7 feet were
occupied with the body and foot of the crane. The operations of laying
the courses in which the hinge-cases of the storm-shutters of the
different windows occurred, like those of the entrance-door, being very
tedious, the Beacon-bell was rung this morning at the very early hour
of 3 o’clock, and as the work continued till half-past 9 at night, the
artificers had 8 hours and a half’s extra work, which yielded them 4s.
3d. of extra pay.
[Sidenote: Thursday, 28th.]
[Sidenote: Workmen wetted by the sea on the top of the walls.]
The Sixty-third and Sixty-fourth courses were laid to-day, consisting
of 16 stones each. Last night the wind had shifted to north-east,
and blowing fresh, was accompanied with a heavy surf upon the Rock.
Towards high water it had a very grand and wonderful appearance. Waves
of considerable magnitude rose as high as the solid or level of the
entrance-door, which, being open to the south-west, was fortunately to
the leeward; but on the windward side, the sprays flew like lightning
up the sloping sides of the building; and although the walls were now
elevated 64 feet above the Rock, and about 52 feet from high-water
mark, yet the artificers were nevertheless wetted, and occasionally
interrupted in their operations on the top of the walls. These
appearances were in a great measure new at the Bell Rock, there having
till of late been no building to conduct the seas, or object to compare
them with. Although, from the description of the Edystone Light-house,
the mind was prepared for such effects, yet they were not expected to
the present extent, in the summer season; the sea being most awful
to-day, whether observed from the Beacon or the Building. To windward,
the sprays fell from the height above noticed, in the most wonderful
cascades, and streamed down the walls of the building in froth as white
as snow. To leeward of the Light-house, the collision or meeting of
the waves produced a pure white kind of _drift_, which is attempted
to be represented in the Frontispiece to this work: it rose about 30
feet in height, like a fine downy mist, which, in its fall, felt upon
the face and hands more like a dry powder than a liquid substance.
The effects of these seas, as they ranged among the beams, and dashed
upon the higher parts of the Beacon, produced a temporary tremulous
motion throughout the whole fabric, which to a stranger must have been
frightful.
[Sidenote: Saturday, 30th.]
[Sidenote: Mr John Reid’s Report on the Floating-light.]