fourth or bed-room floor. They had, however, no extra hours’ work, a
circumstance which had not occurred for several weeks before. Although,
from the rapid progress which was now making with the Building, there
was every prospect that it would be finished in the course of this
year; yet, as the Light-room and its apparatus were very critical parts
of the operation, which would necessarily fall to be transported to
the Rock at a late period of the season, and were, consequently, liable
to many casualties, it was proper to make provision for continuing the
Floating-light for another winter, in case the light should not be
exhibited from the Light-house. This vessel had now been on her station
for three years; and as she lay at anchor in 19 fathoms water, it had,
consequently, been impossible thoroughly to examine her bottom. What
rendered her state more uncertain, was the condition of the logs of
timber employed for supporting the temporary Railways on the Rock for
nearly a similar period. These logs were of the common Norway-fir, and
when laid down measured about ten inches upon each side; but after
lying about three years on the Rock, they were so much wasted by the
small insect formerly mentioned, that they would not now square to more
than 7 inches, without leaving traces of the ravages of this animal,
having thereby lost at the rate of about one-half inch on each side
of sound timber per annum. Directions had been given to Mr John Reid,
who, during the summer months, had the command of the Floating-light,
and who was also professionally a ship-carpenter, to take a convenient
opportunity of trimming the vessel, in such a manner as to give her a
_list_ first to one side and then to the other, so as to get her bottom
as fully examined as possible. This having been done, Mr Reid intimated
that he considered her in a sound state. The writer accordingly left
the Beacon-house to-day, accompanied by the landing-master, to see
some of the side-planks which had been _dubbed_ or dressed with a
carpenter’s adze, and, on examination, he had the satisfaction to
find that they appeared perfectly fresh. This was a matter of some
consequence to the work, as it must have been attended with great
inconvenience, to have removed such a vessel as the Floating-light,
and put another in her place, even for a short period. After this
inspection, the writer returned to the Rock, having previously
requested of Mr Reid to make a report in writing, which he did in the
following terms:
“_Pharos Floating-Light, off the Bell Rock,
30th June 1810._
“SIR,
“According to your orders, I have, on several occasions, during this
month, _careened_ the Float, and inspected her bottom as much as
possible while the vessel is at anchor; but I can see no appearance
of the wood-worm in any part of it. There is indeed plenty of
sea-weed, mussels, and red-worms (creatures with many feet), but it
is not this kind of worm that perforates the planks of shipping;
and as this destructive animal generally makes its appearance
between wind and water, I am apt to believe that the Pharos’
bottom is perfectly sound and healthy. With regard to the beam and
knee observed to be _working_ a little, I will send a note of the
scantling of the timber that will be necessary for securing it, to Mr
Dickie, the carpenter, at Arbroath. I, for one, have no objections
to another winter on board, without further repairs; for though she
rolls heavily in the trough of the sea, yet she has, upon the whole,
been a very kindly ship to me.--I am, Sir, your most obedient servant,
“To Mr Stevenson.
JOHN REID, _Carpenter_.”
[Sidenote: 1810, July.]
[Sidenote: Narrow escape of one of the Masons.]
While William Kennedy, one of the masons, was stepping off the bridge
into the entrance-door of the Light-house, one of the cast-iron slips
of the balance-weight of the crane, weighing about 70 lb., fell from
the top of the building and grazed his left shoulder, but, fortunately,
in so gentle a manner, that it hardly ruffled the skin; a few inches
nearer, it would have carried away his arm or killed him on the spot.
[Sidenote: Sunday, 1st.]
[Sidenote: Writer describes his Cabin.]
The artificers laid 12 stones to-day, and the seamen landed no fewer
than 34 blocks.--The writer had now been at the Bell Rock since the
latter end of May, or about six weeks, during four of which he had
been a constant inhabitant of the Beacon, without having been once off
the Rock. After witnessing the laying of the Sixty-seventh or second
Course of the bed-room apartment, he left the Rock with the Tender, and
went ashore, as some arrangements were to make for the future conduct
of the works at Arbroath, which were soon to be brought to a close;
the landing-master’s crew having, in the mean time, shifted on board
of the Patriot. In leaving the Rock, the writer kept his eyes fixed
upon the Light-house, which had recently got into the form of a house,
having several tiers or storeys of windows. Nor was he unmindful of
his habitation in the Beacon, now far overtoped by the masonry; where
he had spent several weeks in a kind of active retirement, making
practical experiment of the fewness of the positive wants of man. His
cabin measured not more than 4 feet 3 inches in breadth on the floor;
and though, from the oblique direction of the beams of the Beacon, it
widened towards the top, yet it did not admit of the full extension of
his arms when he stood on the floor; while its length was little more
than sufficient for suspending a cot-bed during the night, calculated
for being triced up to the roof through the day, which left free
room for the admission of occasional visitants. His folding-table
was attached with hinges, immediately under the small window of the
apartment, and his books, barometer, thermometer, portmanteau, and
two or three camp-stools, formed the bulk of his moveables. His diet
being plain, the paraphernalia of the table were proportionally simple;
though every thing had the appearance of comfort, and even of neatness,
the walls being covered with green cloth, formed into pannels with
red tape, and his bed festooned with curtains of yellow cotton-stuff.
If, in speculating upon the abstract wants of man in such a state
of exclusion, one were reduced to a single book, the Sacred Volume,
whether considered for the striking diversity of its story,--the
morality of its doctrine,--or the important truths of its Gospel, would
have proved by far the greatest treasure.
[Sidenote: Monday, 2d.]
[Sidenote: Case of George Dall, an impressed seaman.]
In walking over the work-yard at Arbroath this morning, the writer
found that the stones of the course immediately under the cornice were
all in hand, and that a week’s work would now finish the whole; while
the intermediate courses lay ready numbered and marked for shipping
to the Rock. Among other subjects which had occupied his attention
to-day, was a visit from some of the relations of George Dall, a young
man who had been impressed near Dundee in the month of February last:
A dispute had arisen between the Magistrates of that borough and the
Regulating Officer as to his right of impressing Dall, who was _bona
fide_ one of the protected seamen in the Bell Rock service. In the
mean time, the poor lad was detained, and ultimately committed to the
prison of Dundee, to remain until the question should be tried before
the Court of Session. His friends were naturally very desirous to
have him relieved upon bail. But as this was only to be done by the
judgment of the Court, all that could be said was, that his pay and
allowances should be continued in the same manner as if he had been
upon the sick-list. The circumstances of Dall’s case, were briefly
these. He had gone to see some of his friends in the neighbourhood
of Dundee, in winter, while the works were suspended, having got
leave of absence from Mr Taylor, who commanded the Bell Rock Tender,
and had in his possession one of the Protection Medals, represented
in Plate XII., and alluded to at page 209. Unfortunately, however,
for Dall, the Regulating-Officer thought proper to disregard these
documents, as, according to the strict and literal interpretation of
the Admiralty regulations, a seaman does not stand protected unless
he is actually on board of his ship, or in a boat belonging to her,
or has the Admiralty-protection in his possession. This order of the
Board, however, cannot be rigidly followed in practice; and therefore,
when the matter is satisfactorily stated to the Regulating-Officer,
the impressed man is generally liberated. But in Dall’s case this
was peremptorily refused, and he was retained at the instance of
the Magistrates. The writer having brought the matter under the
consideration of the Commissioners of the Northern Light-houses, they
authorised it to be tried on the part of the Light-house Board, as one
of extreme hardship. The Court, upon the first hearing, ordered Dall to
be liberated from prison; and the proceedings never went further.
[Sidenote: Tuesday, 3rd.]
[Sidenote: Magistrates of Arbroath visit the Bell Rock.]
During the three years in which the operations of the Bell Rock
Light-house had been in progress, the Magistrates of the Royal Burgh
of Arbroath, where the work-yard was established, had shewn the
utmost attention in forwarding the works, by every means in their
power. In particular, a free or peculiar birth had been given to the
vessels of the Light-house service, where a crane was permitted to
be erected; and the building materials were allowed to be reshipped
for the Light-house, without any additional charge for shore-dues.
Indeed, the whole community of this town seemed to view the work, and
those concerned with the operations, in a very favourable manner. The
writer was therefore happy, at this time, in having an opportunity of
giving effect to an arrangement long talked of, with the Magistrates
and some of their friends, of taking a sail to the Bell Rock, to see
the progress of the works. This having been accordingly intimated to
Provost Airth, he gladly embarked in the Tender, along with two of
the former Chief-Magistrates, Balfour and Milne, and Bailies Duncan,
Fleming, Anson, Wightman, and Kid, together with Mr John Colville,
Town-Clerk, Messrs Bruce, Bell, Balfour, Johnston, Christie and
Lindsay, &c. in all sixteen. The vessel sailed from Arbroath at an
early hour, but the weather became thick and foggy, with the wind at
S.E., and it was 2 o’clock P. M., before she reached her moorings at
the Rock, which being then covered with water, the party had to wait
till about 6 before a landing could be made. During these four hours,
the vessel had a very unpleasant rolling motion: the party cast many a
weary look towards the Rock for its appearance; and, on landing, much
satisfaction was expressed at getting a firm footing upon the railways.
The party soon began to clamber up to the Beacon, and, after examining
all its parts, crossed the bridge, but only a few ventured to the top
of Light-house, from the narrowness of the passages, and difficult
position of the ladders. After spending fully three hours upon the
Rock, the water began to rise upon the Railways, when the gentlemen
again embarked, and were greeted with cheers from the workmen. The
wind being fair, and the weather pleasant, the Tender soon reached
Arbroath, when the party landed, much delighted with their trip, while
the writer was not a little pleased at having thus had an opportunity
of gratifying so many of his friends.
[Sidenote: Wednesday, 3d.]
[Sidenote: Number of Artificers on the Rock reduced to 22.]
The artificers had yesterday laid the Sixty-eighth course of the
building, consisting of 16 stones, of which 10 had also been landed.
The Tender having returned from Arbroath this afternoon, the
landing-master’s crew left the Patriot, and took up their quarters
again on board of the Tender. The artificers lodged in the Beacon
had of late varied from twenty-six to thirty-one in number; but the
Railways being finished, the work now admitted of their being reduced
to twenty-two. During the time that the Rock was covered with water,
and materials could not be landed, the masons were employed in dressing
off and repolishing any inequalities which appeared on the interior
walls of the different apartments. The raising of stones from the
waggons on the Rock to the top of the building, now about 80 feet
in height, had become rather a tedious operation. The lift with the
balance-crane in particular being upwards of 45 feet, it required some
precaution and trouble in coiling such a length of chain upon the
barrel. It therefore became necessary to lessen this operation, by
placing a winch-machine on the store-room floor, and projecting a beam
from the western window, to form a stage in taking up the stones, as
will be understood by examining the third year’s work of Plate IX., and
the general view of the operations at the Rock represented in Plate
XVIII.
[Sidenote: Narrow escape of the Smeaton at the Bell Rock. Advantage of
Alarm-bells.]
Being now within twelve courses of being ready for building the
cornice, measures were taken for getting the stones of it and the
parapet-wall of the Light-room brought from Edinburgh, where, as before
noticed, they had been prepared, and were in readiness for shipping.
The honour of conveying the upper part of the Light-house, and of
landing the last stone of the building on the Rock, was considered
to belong to Captain Pool of the Smeaton, who had been longer in the
service than the master of the Patriot. The Smeaton was therefore now
partly loaded with old iron, consisting of broken railways and other
lumber, which had been lying about the Rock. After landing these at
Arbroath, she took on board James Craw, with his horse and cart,
which could now be spared at the work-yard, to be employed in carting
the stones from Edinburgh to Leith. Alexander Davidson and William
Kennedy, two careful masons, were also sent to take charge of the
loading of the stones at Greenside, and stowing them on board of the
vessel at Leith. The writer also went on board, with a view to call
at the Bell Rock, and to take his passage up the Firth of Forth. The
wind, however, coming to blow very fresh from the eastward, with thick
and foggy weather, it became necessary to reef the mainsail, and set
the second-jib. When in the act of making a tack towards the Tender,
the sailors who worked the head sheets were all of a sudden alarmed
with the sound of the smith’s hammer and anvil on the Beacon, and had
just time to put the ship about to save her from running ashore on the
north western point of the Rock, marked “James Craw’s horse,” in Plate
VI. On looking towards the direction from whence the sound came, the
Building and Beacon-house were seen, with consternation, while the ship
was hailed by those on the Rock, who were no less confounded at seeing
the near approach of the Smeaton, and, just as the vessel cleared
the danger, the smith and those in the mortar-galley made signs in
token of their happiness at our fortunate escape. From this occurrence
the writer had an experimental proof of the utility of the large
Bells which were in preparation to be rung by the machinery of the
Revolving-light; for, had it not been the sound of the smith’s anvil,
the Smeaton, in all probability, would have been wrecked upon the Rock.
In case the vessel had struck, those on board might have been safe,
having now the Beacon-house as a place of refuge; but the vessel, which
was going at a great velocity, must have suffered severely, and it was
more than probable that the horse would have been drowned, there being
no means of getting him out of the vessel. Of this valuable animal and
his master, both delineated in Plate X., we shall take an opportunity
of saying more in another part of the work.
[Sidenote: The Artificers on the Beacon greatly alarmed.]
The weather cleared up in the course of the night, but the wind shifted
to the N.E., and blew very fresh: and it was with difficulty that a
communication could be made with the Tender, after which the Smeaton
bore away for Leith about 7 A. M. At 9 she was abreast of Fifeness, and
at half-past 1 P. M. got safely into Leith harbour, after a passage
of about six hours, which was fully the quickest which the writer
had made from the Bell Rock to Leith, a distance of about 88 miles.
From the force of the wind, being now the period of spring-tides, a
very heavy swell was experienced at the Rock: at 2 o’clock on the
following morning, the people on the Beacon were in a state of great
alarm about their safety, as the sea had broke up part of the floor
of the mortar-gallery, which was thus cleared of the lime-casks, and
other buoyant articles; and the alarm-bell being rung, all hands were
called to render what assistance was in their power for the safety of
themselves and the materials. At this time, some would willingly have
left the Beacon and gone into the Building: the sea, however, ran so
high, that there was no passage along the bridge of communication;
and when the interior of the Light-house came to be examined in the
morning, it appeared that great quantities of water had come over the
walls, now 80 feet in height, and had run down through the several
apartments, and out at the entrance-door. From this state of things the
work was stopped for two days, in the course of which the joiners got
the mortar-gallery refitted, and the landing-master’s crew supplied it
with a fresh stock of materials for making mortar. Notwithstanding this
state of the sea upon the Rock, the Tender and Patriot still kept at
their moorings. Such, indeed, was the practice of the seamen, in this
kind of life, that, unless when the wind blew from N.W., or in such a
direction as made the vessels ride with their sterns towards the Rock,
they never thought of moving from their moorings, unless the vessels
were deeply loaded.
[Sidenote: Progress of the Light-room works.]
On reaching Edinburgh, the writer found the Light-room and
Reflecting-apparatus in considerable forwardness at the Greenside
Company’s works. He had also received advice from Prescot, that the
plate-glass for the windows would soon be in a state of readiness; and
Messrs Meirs and Son of London intimated, that they would cast the
Bells at any time, on receiving a week or ten days notice. The only
article connected with the light-room, regarding which there was a
doubt, was the coloured glass for distinguishing the light, which had
long since been commissioned from Mr Okey of London, who, though a very
ingenious artist, was rather an irregular correspondent.
[Sidenote: Works at Arbroath completed.]
The upper course of the Light-house at the work-yard of Arbroath, was
completed on the 6th, and the whole of the stones were therefore now
ready for being shipped to the Rock. The operations of the hewers
or stone-cutters were thus brought very nearly to a close: only the
23 steps of the stone staircase of the Light-house remained to be
dressed; and this piece of work was reserved for some of the principal
masons, on their return from the Rock, as the steps could not be
conveniently built until the balance-crane and other bulky apparatus
were removed from the building. From the present state of the works,
it was impossible that the two squads of artificers at Arbroath and
the Bell Rock could meet together at this period; and as, in public
works of this kind, which had continued for a series of years, it is
not customary to allow the men to separate without what is termed
a “Finishing-pint,” five guineas were for this purpose placed at
the disposal of Mr David Logan, clerk of works. With this sum the
stone-cutters at Arbroath had a merry-meeting in their barrack,
collected their sweethearts and friends, and concluded their labours
with a dance. It was remarked, however, that their happiness on this
occasion was not without alloy. The consideration of parting, and
leaving a steady and regular employment, to go in quest of work, and
mix with other society, after having been harmoniously lodged for years
together in one large “Guildhall or Barrack,” was rather painful.
The completion of this part of the work at Arbroath was felt as an
era in the Light-house affairs, by admitting of the discharge of so
considerable a number of the artificers. Mr David Logan, by this means
also, got off to the Bell Rock, having been hitherto chiefly confined
to the operations ashore.
[Sidenote: Mr Smeaton’s daughter visits the Light-house works at
Edinburgh.]
While the writer was at Edinburgh, he was fortunate enough to meet
with Mrs Dickson, only daughter of the late celebrated Mr Smeaton,
whose works at the Edystone Light-house had been of such essential
consequence to the operations at the Bell Rock. Even her own elegant
accomplishments are identified with her father’s work, she having
herself made the drawing of the vignette on the title-page of the
Narrative of the Edystone Light-house. Every admirer of the works of
that singularly eminent man, must also feel an obligation to her for
the very comprehensive and distinct account given of his life, which
is attached to his Reports, published in three volumes quarto, by the
Society of Civil Engineers. Mrs Dickson being, at this time, returning
from a tour to the Hebrides and Western Highlands of Scotland, had
heard of the Bell Rock works, and from their similarity to those of
the Edystone, was strongly impressed with the desire of visiting the
spot. But, on inquiring for the writer at Edinburgh, and finding
from him that the upper part of the Light-house, consisting of nine
courses, might be seen in the immediate vicinity, and also, that one
of the vessels which, in compliment to her father’s memory, had been
named “The Smeaton,” might also now be seen in Leith,--she considered
herself extremely fortunate; and having first visited the works at
Greenside, she afterwards went to Leith to see “The Smeaton,” then
loading for the Bell Rock. On stepping on board, Mrs Dickson seemed
to be quite overcome with so many concurrent circumstances, tending
in a peculiar manner to revive and enliven the memory of her departed
father; and, on leaving the vessel, she would not be restrained from
presenting the crew with a piece of money. “The Smeaton” had been named
spontaneously, from a sense of the obligation which a public work of
the description of the Bell Rock owed to the labours and the abilities
of Mr Smeaton. The writer certainly never could have anticipated the
satisfaction which he this day felt, in witnessing the pleasure it
afforded to the only representative of this great man’s family. Mrs
Dickson’s stay in Edinburgh was short, as, in seeing so much of the
Bell Rock works, she had accomplished the chief object which brought
her to this side of the country. On her return to the neighbourhood
of Kendal, the place of her residence, she had the kindness to send
the writer a portrait of her father, together with the vignette of the
Edystone Light-house.
[Sidenote: Mr David Logan joins the Works at the Rock.]
At the Bell Rock, Mr Peter Logan, foreman builder, was reinforced
by the able and active exertions of his son Mr David Logan, who was
now relieved from attendance at the work-yard of Arbroath, where the
stone-cutters had just completed their operations. In the mean time,
the walls of the Light-house were progressively rising, and, on Friday
the 6th, the artificers laid the Seventy-first course, consisting of 16
stones, and shifted the foot of the Balance-crane from the kitchen to
the bed-room, about 42 feet above the bridge. A considerable time was,
therefore, occupied in raising a stone from thence to the top of the
building. To remedy this, as formerly alluded to, a beam was projected
from the western window of the light-room store, where a winch-machine
and apparatus were placed, with which the stones were raised from the
bridge to the level of the window-sill. The chain of the balance-crane
was then lowered, and hooked into the Lewis-bat of the stone, which
was thus hoisted up, and laid in its place on the building, as will be
fully understood by examining the progress of the work in Plate IX.
This additional tackle from the store-room window gave a wonderful
facility to the operation of raising the stones; for, though the time
of working upon the walls of the building was now extended to the whole
day, yet the period of landing the materials upon the Rock was still
unavoidably confined to the few hours during which it was left by the
tide at low-water.
[Sidenote: Saturday, 7th.]
[Sidenote: The Patriot is seven days in being cleared of a cargo.]
The landing-master’s crew commenced at 4 o’clock this morning, and
transported 24 blocks of stone and 8 dove-tailed joggles to the Rock
in the course of the day, which cleared the Patriot of her cargo,
when she sailed for Arbroath, having now been no less than 7 days on
the birth. This was, therefore, the most tedious trip since the first
cargo of this season, which, as before noticed, had been on board of
the Smeaton for 11 days. The stones landed to-day could not be raised
to the top of the building, as the joiners had possession of the upper
apartment, where they were fixing the framing used for supporting the
floor-stones, while building. The stones were, in the mean time, left
chiefly on the Rock, though a few were laid upon the bridge.
[Sidenote: Saturday, 8th.]
[Sidenote: Progress of raising the Stones.]
To-day the Seventy-second course was laid. The mill-wrights, in the
mean time, made preparations for fitting up another winch-apparatus
on the bed-room floor, similar to that already described for the
store-room, by projecting a beam from its western window, which was to
form another stage for lifting the materials. When, therefore, a stone
was landed on the Rock, and conveyed along the Railways, within reach
of the winch-apparatus upon the bridge, and raised to its level, it was
next hooked by the chain of the winch on the store-room floor: having
attained that height, it was laid hold of by the chain of the machinery
on the bed-room floor; and last of all, it was hooked to the chain of
the balance-crane, by which it was raised to the top of the walls and
laid in its place. The series of machinery now in motion on the Bell
Rock, was very complete, and gave great facility to the landing of the
materials. A set of tackle was at work at the landing-cranes on the
eastern and western side of the Rock, for lifting the stones from on
board of the Praam-boats, and laying them on the waggons: from thence
they were wheeled along the Railways to the bridge; from which they
were successively lifted, as has been described, by the machinery upon
it; then by that in the store-room; next by that in the bed-room, and
last of all by the balance-crane,--as will be more particularly seen
in the third year’s work of Plate IX., and in the General View of the
Works, Plate XVIII.
[Sidenote: Monday, 9th.]
[Sidenote: Last cargo of stone shipped at Arbroath.]
At Arbroath, the Patriot had now loaded the last cargo of building
materials from that port, consisting of 65 pieces of stone, 4
dove-tailed joggles, 18 casks of pozzolano, lime, sand, and cement,
with three cart-loads of timber, and the necessary supplies of
provisions for the Tender and Beacon-house. From the interest which
the inhabitants of Arbroath took in all that concerned the Bell Rock
Light-house, it soon became generally known that the last cargo from
the work-yard was loading. Upon this occasion, the ships in the harbour
hoisted their colours, in compliment to the approaching termination of
the works; and, at 7 P. M., a great concourse of people collected on
the quays, who united in giving three hearty cheers, as the Patriot
sailed from the harbour. At the Bell Rock, the building-artificers
were at a stand to-day for want of materials, and were employed in
dressing off and polishing the interior of the building, while the
landing-master’s crew were removing lumber from the Rock, which,
for the present, was put on board of the Tender. The joiners and
mill-wrights were occupied in framing a centre for building the
dome-roof of the library.
[Sidenote: Tuesday, 10th.]
The Patriot reached her moorings this morning, but it was then blowing
a fresh gale from W.S.W., and the Tender’s boat had much difficulty in
getting her hawser _reeved_ through the eye-bolt of the floating-buoy.
No materials could be landed on the Rock to-day.
[Sidenote: Wednesday, 11th.]
The weather being moderate, with the wind at S.E., the landing-master’s
crew proceeded this morning to discharge the Patriot at the early hour
of 3 o’clock; and in the course of the day, 30 blocks and 2 dove-tailed
joggles of stone, and 7 casks of pozzolano, lime, and sand, were
landed, besides some timber, which occupied them till 8 o’clock P. M.,
with little intermission. During this time also, the artificers laid
the Seventy-third course, consisting of 16 stones.
[Sidenote: Thursday, 12th.]
[Sidenote: Library Floor laid.]
The building-artificers laid the Seventy-fourth course to-day, being
the floor of the library or strangers’ room, which, like the others,
consisted altogether of 18 stones; but of the floor courses, as before
noticed, only sixteen stones were laid in the first instance, the
centre and the stone connected with the man-hole being left for the
conveniency of moving the machinery as the building advanced in height.
The seamen landed 25 blocks of stone, and the remaining 2 dove-tailed
joggles which discharged the Patriot; and at 2 P. M. she sailed for
Leith, to load a cargo of the upper courses of the Light-house, which
had been worked at Edinburgh. The artificers on the Rock were now
reduced to 22, there having been 6 of their number sent ashore at this
time. The Smeaton having loaded 48 stones at Leith, with sundry other
materials, arrived to-day at the Bell Rock; but the praams were still
at their moorings, loaded with part of the former cargo, which the
builders could not yet receive.
[Sidenote: Friday, 13th.]
To-day the building-artificers laid the Seventy-fifth and Seventy-sixth
courses, consisting each of 12 stones, and the seamen landed 11 stones,
being the remainder of the Patriot’s cargo.
[Sidenote: Saturday, 14th.]
The Seventy-seventh and Seventy-eighth courses were laid to-day: the
landing-master’s crew discharged 26 blocks of stone, and 20 dove-tailed
joggles from the Smeaton, and landed them on the Rock. As it blew very
fresh from the S.W., it was a hard day’s work for the seamen, who
commenced this morning as early as 2 o’clock to load the praam-boats,
and it was between 7 and 8 in the evening before the boats returned on
board of the Tender for the night.
[Sidenote: Sunday, 15th.]
The artificers laid the Seventy-ninth and Eightieth courses to-day,
consisting of 12 stones each, and had no less than seven and a half
hours of extra time, having been at work from 4 o’clock this morning
till 9 in the evening, owing to some difficulty which occurred in
laying the course, in which the upper storm-hinge cases occurred.
[Sidenote: Monday, 16th.]
[Sidenote: Ring-bar course laid.]
[Sidenote: Floors described.]
The artificers laid the Eighty-first course, consisting of 12 stones
from Craigleith Quarry, being one of these worked at Edinburgh, in
which a groove, for an iron-ring, was cut, as an additional security
for the superincumbent weight of the cornice. In the First course of
the Dome of St Paul’s of London, a continuous chain had been sunk
into a groove, in order to bind the haunches of the arch more firmly
together. Mr Smeaton, alluding to this in his Narrative, also inserted
a chain into each of his floor-courses at the Edystone Light-house.
Being of an arched form, these chains inserted into grooves, cut in the
haunch-courses of arches, have a tendency to counteract their pressure
outwards. At the Bell Rock, the writer, however, designed the floors in
such a manner that each projected from the outward wall of the building
towards the centre, and the whole being grooved in a lateral direction,
in the joints, like the deals of a common floor, became as one stone,
having a perpendicular pressure upon the walls. Even in the dome-roof
of the library, though it has a spherical appearance within, yet the
stones are all laid upon horizontal beds, the dome being formed by
hollowing the under beds, and making them overlap or project inward
beyond each other, the pressure being still perpendicular upon the
walls, instead of thrusting outwards, as in the case of an arch.
[Sidenote: Description of the Ring-bar.]
Instead of a continuous chain, as at the Edystone arches, the
writer here introduced a flat-bar of the best Swedish iron into the
Eighty-first course, having been previously connected in three pieces
with _scarf-joints_ and screwed bolts, with nuts. This bar was set
on edge in the building: it measured 3 inches in depth, 1 inch in
thickness, and was in weight about 400 lb. avoirdupois. This bar
was fitted into a groove 3 inches in width, and 4 inches in depth,
cut in the upper bed of the course. The bar having been heated as
nearly as might be to the temperature of about 150 or 160 degrees of
Fahrenheit, it was floated or run up flush with lead, in a very careful
and complete manner by Mr John Gibson, plumber of Leith, who entered
so much into the spirit of this work, that he attended the operation
himself: no pains was, therefore, spared in having this body of melted
lead properly connected with the circular bar of iron. By this means
the iron was preserved from the accession of moisture, and, being much
stronger than copper, it was preferred to that more ductile metal. The
stones of this course were soon laid, but the artificers were occupied
so long with the application of the ring-bar, that they had been at
work from 4 in the morning till 8 in the evening. The Smeaton being
discharged, sailed again for Leith, to take on board the last cargo
of stones for the Light-house. The artificers could only receive 7
blocks of stone and 7 joggles to-day: the Hedderwick Praam-boat was
accordingly left at her moorings with the remainder of the Smeaton’s
cargo still on board.
[Sidenote: Tuesday, 17th.]
[Sidenote: The Dome course occupies much time in laying.]
The seamen landed 2 casks of pozzolano and lime, 4 joggles and 6 blocks
of stone, which discharged the praam-boats. The artificers laid 8
stones of the Eighty-second course, forming part of the dome-roof of
the library. This course consisted of 16 stones, which were attended
with much more difficulty than those of the ordinary courses: from
their projecting into the apartment, and being also more easily
injured, they required more precaution in laying and in the fitting of
the joggles. The artificers were therefore at work to-day from 4 in the
morning till half-past 8 in the evening, in laying one-half of this
course. From the prevalence of S. W. winds, the Patriot only reached
Leith at one P. M. yesterday, and commenced loading this morning, when
she took on board 32 pieces of stone. The Smeaton having also arrived
at Leith this afternoon, both vessels were now off the station, and
it was found necessary to dispatch one of the Floating-light’s boats
to Arbroath, for a supply of pozzolano, lime, and sand, and also for
provisions for the people at the Rock.
[Sidenote: Wednesday, 18th.]
[Sidenote: Landing-master’s crew reduced in number.]
The building-artificers laid the remaining 8 stones of the
Eighty-second course to-day, and had three and a half hours of extra
time. The landing-master’s crew having no materials to land upon the
Rock, were employed to-day in collecting a variety of articles, and
clearing the Building and Beacon of implements not now wanted, which
were carried on board of the Tender. The Floating-light’s boat returned
this afternoon from Arbroath, and immediately landed her cargo. The
landing-master’s crew had for some time past been reduced to nine men,
being little more than was necessary for working the Tender when she
got under way; but at the Rock they had the daily assistance of a boat
and five men from the Floating-light.
[Sidenote: Thursday, 19th.]
[Sidenote: Patriot driven from the Rock.]
The Patriot arrived at the Bell Rock this evening at 9 o’clock, with
a cargo of the cornice-stones; but, as it blew a fresh gale from the
N.E., the Tender’s boat could not make fast her hawser to the moorings,
and she was obliged to stand in for the Bay of Arbroath. There being,
of course, no building materials on the Rock, the artificers were
employed in dressing off and polishing some of the joints in the
interior of the Light-house. At high-water to-day, it being now the
time of spring-tides, there was a great deal of sea upon the Rock:
considerable sprays rushed up to the smith’s gallery on the Beacon, and
the water occasionally rose in jets to the height of 40 feet upon the
building.
[Sidenote: Friday, 20th.]
[Sidenote: Ceremony observed at loading the last stone at Leith.]
The gale from the N.E. still continued so strong, accompanied with
a heavy sea, that the Patriot could not approach her moorings; and,
although the Tender still kept her station, no landing was made to-day
at the Rock. At high-water, it was remarked, that the spray rose to
the height of about 60 feet upon the building. The Smeaton now lay
in Leith loaded; but the wind and weather being so unfavourable for
her getting down the Firth , she did not sail till this afternoon. It
may here be proper to notice, that the loading of the centre of the
Light-room floor, or last principal stone of the building, did not
fail, when put on board, to excite an interest among those connected
with the work. When the stone was laid upon the cart, to be conveyed
to Leith, the seamen fixed an ensign-staff and flag into the circular
hole in the centre of the stone, and decorated their own hats, and that
of James Craw’s, the Bell Rock carter, with ribbons; even his faithful
and trusty horse Bassey, was ornamented with beaus and streamers of
various colours. The masons also provided themselves with new aprons;
and, in this manner the cart was attended in its progress to the ship.
When the cart came opposite the Trinity-House of Leith, the officer of
that Corporation made his appearance, dressed in his uniforms, with
his staff of office; and when it reached the harbour, the shipping
in the different tiers where the Smeaton lay, hoisted their colours,
manifesting, by these trifling ceremonies, the interest with which
the progress of this work was regarded by the public, as ultimately
tending to afford safety and protection to the mariner. The wind had
fortunately shifted to the S.W.; and about 5 o’clock this afternoon the
Smeaton reached the Bell Rock. The writer had also the satisfaction
soon afterwards to see the Patriot made fast to her moorings; but there
was still too much sea to admit of landing upon the Rock.
[Sidenote: Monday, 23d.]
[Sidenote: Many Strangers visit the present interesting state of the
Works.]
The present interesting state of the Light-house, which had now
attained the height of 90 feet, induced a great many strangers to
visit the Bell Rock, while the machinery was in operation, and the
Light-house and Beacon were connected with the wooden-bridge; and
beams were projected from the windows of the store-room and bed-room,
for the suspension of the tackle with which the stones were raised.
The Stone-lighters and Tender also lay in the offing at this time,
while the Praam-boats were occasionally at the landing creeks on the
eastern and western sides of the Rock, delivering the stones, which
were afterwards wheeled along the railways. The whole, as shewn in
Plate XVIII., afforded great pleasure, and excited the surprise of
many visitants, who often endured much hardship in open boats, on a
passage of from 12 to 20 miles, from the shore. Two parties, under
these circumstances, landed to-day, among whom were Messrs Gellatly and
Macpherson, accountants, from the Greenside works at Edinburgh. This
being the fifth day of the gale, much relief was felt at the Rock on
the arrival of the boats.
[Sidenote: Tuesday, 24th.]
[Sidenote: Difficulty of landing and raising the stones of the Cornice.]
At 6 o’clock this morning, Captain Wilson and his people left the
Tender to load the praam-boats with stones from the Patriot, so as
to be ready at tide time for landing them on the Rock. In the course
of this day, the whole of the Eighty-third, and 2 stones of the
Eighty-fourth courses were landed in safety, which greatly relieved the
writer’s mind as to the practicability of landing the stones of the
Eighty-fifth course, forming the balcony-walk and light-room floor, as
shewn in Plates XIII. and XVI. The stones of this course measured 7½
feet in length, and weighed upwards of one ton each. For the safety of
these unwieldy and more delicately formed stones, Captain Wilson had
made some very judicious arrangements. In particular, he had procured
pieces of matting, and the seamen of the Tender and Floating-light had
been at work for some time, preparing additional defenders, made of
old ropes. By a proper application of these, the stones went safely
through the progressive stages of being taken from the hold of the
Smeaton, and laid on the decks of the praam-boats, after which they
were delivered by the landing-apparatus on the Bell Rock, laid on the
stone-waggons, conveyed along the railway to a centrical position
under the bridge, and raised by four different sets of tackles to the
top of the building, as will be understood by examining Plates IX.
and XVIII. These several movements were fortunately accomplished with
all the stones, without even a trifling injury being done to any of
them. The writer, in the course of this day’s work, remarked, that,
from the time that one of these large blocks was laid upon the waggon
at the landing-apparatus, till it reached the top of the building,
then about 95 feet in height, it required, on an average of eight
observations, at the rate of 14 minutes for each. Though the number of
stones landed to-day was only 18, yet there being still some remains
of sea from the former gale, much care and attention became necessary
in the management of these unhandy materials. The landing-master’s
crew, who were frequently working up to the middle in water, were
occupied till 10 o’clock at night before they returned to the Tender.
The building-artificers were no less constantly employed, though they
only laid 8 stones of the Eighty-fourth course to-day, after continuing
their operations till 9 o’clock P. M.
[Sidenote: Wednesday, 25th.]
[Sidenote: Eighty-fourth course completed.]
The landing-master’s crew commenced their operations again this
morning at 6, and, in the course of the day, they landed 10 stones
of the Eighty-fifth, being the course immediately under that of
the balcony; together with 14 dove-tailed joggles for the joints,
as will be understood by examining the diagrams of Plate XIII. The
building-artificers laid the remaining 8 stones of the Eighty-fourth
course. The Patriot having been cleared this evening of her cargo,
sailed to Arbroath for a supply of water and provisions for the people
on the Rock, as the stock at this time was getting low, from the
vessels having of late been much off the station, while employed in
bringing the stones from the work-yard at Edinburgh.
[Sidenote: Eight stones of the Balcony course laid.]
The building-artificers having now 8 blocks of the Eighty-fifth or
Balcony course at hand, which, in one length, formed the balcony-path
and Light-room-floor, excepting the centre-stone, as will be seen
from the diagrams in Plate XIII., above alluded to, they commenced
work at 4 o’clock this morning; but such was the difficulty attending
the laying and fitting the joggled joints of these long stones, that
it was 10 P. M. before they were laid: they had, therefore, no fewer
than eight extra hours to-day, which yielded the high rate of 7s. 6d.
to the workmen, and 15s. to the foremen, besides their stated wages
and provisions. The landing-master’s crew transported the remaining 8
blocks of the balcony to the Rock; and, when the last stone was raised
in safety through its various stages to the top of the building, three
cheers were given by all hands.
[Sidenote: Thursday, 26th.]
[Sidenote: Balcony course completed.]
The winds were still moderate, but it rained very heavily at times,
and the artificers were very uncomfortably situate on the top of the
walls. They, however, persevered in completing the laying of the
balcony-course under every disadvantage. The Patriot returned to the
Rock this afternoon, with a supply of provisions and necessaries; when
she was dispatched to Mylnefield Quarry, for the first cargo of stones
for the establishment of houses at Arbroath, about to be erected for
the use of the families of the Bell Rock Light-keepers, it being only
intended to lodge the keepers themselves at the Rock.
[Sidenote: Friday, 27th.]
[Sidenote: Eighty-sixth course built.]
The artificers had finished the laying of the Balcony-course, excepting
the centre stone of the light-room floor, which, like the centres of
the other floors, could not be laid in its place till after the removal
of the foot and shaft of the balance-crane. This stone was accordingly
left on board of the Smeaton, to be landed with the last cargo. The
Eighty-sixth course, consisting of 8 stones, being the first of the
Parapet-wall of the light-room, was landed and built. During the dinner
hour, when the men were off work, the writer generally took some
exercise by walking round the walls, when the Rock was under water. But
to-day his boundary was greatly enlarged, for, instead of the narrow
wall as a path, he felt no small degree of pleasure in walking round
the balcony, and passing out and in at the space allotted for the
light-room door. In the labours of this day, both the artificers and
seamen felt their work to be extremely easy, compared with what it had
been for some days past.
[Sidenote: Sunday, 29th.]
The building-artificers laid the Eighty-seventh and Eighty-eighth
courses, consisting each of 8 stones; and having made another long
day’s work, they had eight extra hours pay. The landing-master’s crew
transported 2 casks of pozzolano, 2 of lime, and 2 of sand, with 23
blocks of stone, to the Rock, which completed the landing of the
masonry of the exterior walls of the Light-house. Immediately before
dinner the bell was rung, and all hands being assembled, prayers were
read as usual in the artificers’ barrack-room.
[Sidenote: Ceremony observed at landing the last stone.]
Captain Wilson and his crew had made preparations for landing the last
stone, and, as may well be supposed, this was a day of great interest
at the Bell Rock. “That it might lose none of its honours,” as he
expressed himself, the Hedderwick praam-boat, with which the first
stone of the building had been landed, was appointed also to carry the
last. At 7 o’clock this evening, the seamen hoisted three flags upon
the Hedderwick, when the colours of the Dickie Praam-boat, Tender,
Smeaton, Floating-light, Beacon-house, and Light-house, were also
displayed, and the weather being remarkably fine, the whole presented a
very gay appearance, and, in connection with the associations excited,
the effect was very pleasing. The praam which carried the stone was
towed by the seamen in gallant style to the Rock, and, on its arrival,
cheers were given as a finale to the landing department.
[Sidenote: Monday, 30th.]
[Sidenote: Ceremony at laying the last stone of the walls.]
The Ninetieth or last course of the building having been laid to-day,
which brought the masonry to the height of 102 feet 6 inches, the
Lintel of the light-room door, being the finishing-stone of the
exterior walls, was laid with due formality by the writer, who, at
the same time, pronounced the following benediction: “May the Great
Architect of the Universe, under whose blessing this perilous work has
prospered, preserve it as a guide to the Mariner.”
[Sidenote: Tuesday, 31st.]
[Sidenote: Machinery partly dismantled.]
The artificers were employed to-day in taking down the tackle and
machinery from the store-room and kitchen-floors, which were put on
board one of the praam-boats, and conveyed to the Tender. The joiners
were assisted at low-water by some of the seamen, in preparing the
lower parts of the beams of the Beacon-house, for receiving a coat of
hot pitch and tar, as usual, before winter, to defend them against the
ravages of the insect which, as before noticed, had made a considerable
impression on the soles of the beams, where they rested upon the Rock.
The Patriot had sailed for Mylnefield Quarry; and the Smeaton, being
now discharged, left the Rock for Lord Elgin’s works at Charlestown, to
load limestone for the light-keepers’ houses, to be built at Arbroath.
The Tender continued at her moorings, and took on board from time to
time such implements and apparatus as were no longer wanted at the
Rock. The Floating-light, from the uncertainty attending the period of
finishing the light-room and its apparatus, and consequent exhibition
of the light from the building, had, perhaps, a long time yet to remain
at her station; but one of her boats was to be regularly sent with five
seamen, to assist at the operations on the Rock as formerly.
[Sidenote: 1810, August.]
[Sidenote: Wednesday, 1st.]
[Sidenote: Foot and shaft of Balance-crane taken down.]
The artificers and seamen were employed to-day, as yesterday, in
clearing the building of lumber, and in coating the beams of the Beacon
with a mixture of tar and pitch. The _body_ of the Balance-crane was
also supported with beams on the walls of the light-room, in such a
manner that its machinery could be applied to lowering its foot and
shaft down through the apertures left for this purpose in the floors
of the several apartments. The machinery of this useful implement thus
supported, was yet to be used in laying centre-stones in the floors of
the store-room, kitchen, bed-room, library and light-room; and also in
taking up the cast-iron sash-frames and other weighty apparatus of the
light-room.
[Sidenote: Thursday, 2d.]
The several apartments of the building being now entirely cleared
of the tackle and apparatus connected with raising the materials,
the artificers were in readiness for laying the centre-stones of the
several floors.
[Sidenote: Friday, 3d.]
[Sidenote: Lord Kellie with a party visits the Bell Rock.]
This morning, between 7 and 8 o’clock, the works of the Bell Rock were
visited by the Earl of Kellie, the Honourable Mr Methven Erskine, Mr
David Monypenny, Sheriff of Fifeshire and one of the Commissioners
of the Northern Light-houses (now Lord Pitmilly), and his Lordship’s
brother, Mr Alexander Monypenny. The party had left Cambo-house,
upon the coast of Fife, at an early hour; but the wind being from
the south-west, and blowing fresh, had rendered their passage very
uncomfortable. When the boat reached the Tender, the party came on
board, as it was too early in the tide for landing on the Rock, which
was still under water; but when the railways made their appearance,
the party proceeded to the western-wharf, and Lord Pitmilly having
been the first of the Light-house Commissioners who had landed here,
it was named _Pitmilly Wharf_. After viewing the Rock, which was now
partially dry, they ascended to the Beacon-house, and passed along the
bridge, with all its difficult steps, to the Light-house, where the
servants had contrived to cover a table, made up with detached planks,
on which the first breakfast was laid out in the Bell Rock Light-house.
After having gone over the whole of the works, they left the Rock about
mid-day.
[Sidenote: Centre-stone of the Light-room floor laid by the writer.]
At 3 P. M., the necessary preparations having been made, the artificers
commenced the completing of the floors of the several apartments,
and at 7 o’clock the centre-stone of the light-room floor was laid,
which may be held as finishing the masonry of this important National
Edifice. After going through the usual ceremonies observed by the
Brotherhood on occasions of this kind, the writer, addressing himself
to the artificers and seamen who were present, briefly alluded to the
utility of the undertaking, as a monument of the wealth of British
Commerce, erected through the spirited measures of the Commissioners of
the Northern Light-houses, by means of the able assistance of those who
now surrounded him. He then took an opportunity of stating, that toward
those connected with this arduous work, he would ever retain the most
heartfelt regard in all their interests.
[Sidenote: Saturday, 4th.]
[Sidenote: Artificers leave the Rock.]
When the bell was rung, as usual, on the Beacon this morning, every
one seemed as if he were at a loss what to make of himself. There was,
however, upon the whole, still much to do to the Light-house, which is
only yet to be considered in the state of a house with its outward wall
built; but, before being useful or habitable, it must be roofed over,
internally finished, and provided with the necessary furniture and
utensils. At this period, the artificers at the Rock consisted of 18
masons, 2 joiners, 1 mill-wright, 1 smith, and 1 mortar-maker, besides
Messrs Peter Logan and Francis Watt, foremen, counting in all 25; and
matters were arranged for proceeding to Arbroath this afternoon with
all hands, as it now became necessary to new-model the works there.
The Sir Joseph Banks Tender had by this time been afloat, with little
intermission, for six months, during the greater part of which the
artificers had been almost constantly off at the Rock, and were now
much in want of necessaries of almost every description. Not a few
had lost different articles of their clothing, which had dropped into
the sea from the Beacon and Building; some wanted jackets, others,
from want of hats, wore night-caps; each was, in fact, more or less
curtailed in his wardrobe, and, it must be confessed, that at best, the
party were but in a very tattered condition. This morning was occupied
in removing the artificers and their bedding on board of the Tender;
and although their personal luggage was easily shifted, the boats had,
nevertheless, many articles to remove from the Beacon-house, and were
consequently employed in this service till 11 A. M. All hands being
collected and just ready to embark, as the water had nearly overflowed
the Rock, the writer, in taking leave, after alluding to the harmony
which had ever marked the conduct of those employed on the Bell Rock,
took occasion to compliment the great zeal, attention and abilities
of Mr Peter Logan and Mr Francis Watt, foremen, Captain James Wilson,
landing-master, and Captain David Taylor, commander of the Tender,
who, in their several departments, had so faithfully discharged the
duties assigned to them, often under circumstances the most difficult
and trying. The health of these gentlemen was drunk with much warmth
of feeling by the artificers and seamen, who severally expressed the
satisfaction they had experienced in acting under them; after which,
the whole party left the Rock.
[Sidenote: The writer meets with his assistants ashore.]
In sailing past the Floating-light, mutual compliments were made by a
display of flags between that vessel and the Tender; and at 5 P. M.
the latter vessel entered the harbour of Arbroath, where the party
were heartily welcomed by a numerous company of spectators, who had
collected to see the artificers arrive, after so long an absence from
the port. In the evening, the writer invited the foremen and captains
of the service, together with Mr David Logan, clerk of works at
Arbroath, and Mr Lachlan Kennedy, engineer’s clerk and book-keeper,
and some of their friends, to the principal Inn, where the evening
was spent very happily; and after “His Majesty’s health,” and “The
Commissioners of the Northern Light-houses,” had been given, “Stability
to the Bell Rock Light-house” was hailed as a standing toast in the
Light-house service.
[Sidenote: Sunday, 5th.]
The author has formerly noticed the uniformly decent and orderly
deportment of the artificers who were employed at the Bell Rock
Light-house, and to-day, it is believed, they very generally attended
church, no doubt, with grateful hearts for the many narrow escapes
from personal danger which all of them had more or less experienced
during their residence at the Rock.
[Sidenote: Monday, 6th.]
[Sidenote: Plans arranged for building Light-keepers’ houses at
Arbroath.]
Hitherto the account of these works has been given in the form of a
Diary; but now that the chief difficulties of the undertaking are
over, it is proposed to quote only particular dates in reference to
their progress. At the meeting of the Commissioners of the Northern
Light-houses, held at Edinburgh in the month of July 1810, it had
been resolved to purchase a piece of ground contiguous to the harbour
of Arbroath, which presented an unobstructed view of the Bell Rock
Light-house, on which a suite of buildings was to be erected, for the
accommodation of the families of the light-keepers and seamen of the
Tender, and also for the necessary store-houses. Mr Charles Cunningham,
Secretary to the Light-house Board, accordingly corresponded with
Mr John Nicol, writer in Arbroath, who purchased the ground for
the site of these buildings, together with a small court-yard and
bleaching-green, as arranged and laid out in Plate XII. In constructing
these buildings, and enclosing an extensive piece of garden-ground for
the use of this establishment, the artificers, who had just returned
from the Rock, were now to be employed.
[Sidenote: Duty on stone charged for these buildings.]
The Patriot had returned from Mylnefield Quarry to Arbroath with
the first cargo of stones, for the use of these operations, which
were about to be landed duty-free, when the Custom-house officers
interposed, demanding the duty of 33 per cent. on stone carried
coast-ways, as the buildings at Arbroath were not considered as coming
within the exemption granted for the Bell Rock Light-house. After
representing the circumstances of the case to the Board of Customs at
Edinburgh, it was found that another petition would have been required
to the Lords of the Treasury, before the present exemption could be
granted; but the extent of the duty in question being trifling, the
Light-house Board declined making any further application, and the duty
was therefore regularly paid for the stones of this compartment of the
work.
[Sidenote: Three years of the lease of the Work-yard given up.]
The writer finding that the Bell Rock work-yard at Arbroath, which
had been taken upon a lease of seven years, could be dispensed with
after the term of Martinmas, thereby leaving three unexpired years
of the tack still to run, the lease was cancelled by the landlord,
on his being paid one year’s rent in name of damages. This afforded
a satisfactory proof of the termination of the works, at least three
years sooner than the period calculated upon at its commencement. The
great circular platform in the work-yard, shown in Plate XII., which
measured 42 feet in diameter, and was sunk 2 feet 6 inches under the
level of the surrounding ground, used for laying and marking the
courses of the Light-house, before they were shipped for the Rock,
contained a great quantity of stones suitable for the interior walls
of the light-keepers’ houses. The first operation of the builders,
therefore, was to remove the stones of this platform to the site of the
new buildings.
[Sidenote: Friday, 9th.]
[Sidenote: Base-line measured on the Sands of Barry.]
The writer, with a view to making a survey of the coast contiguous to
the Bell Rock, or from Fifeness to the Redhead, embraced the present
as a convenient time for measuring a base-line. For this purpose, the
Sands of Barry, about 9 miles westward from Arbroath, were selected;
and he provided himself with the following apparatus: a strong
iron-chain of the length of 100 feet, carefully graduated; 5 wooden
coffers, each 20 feet in length, 5 inches in width, and 3 inches in
depth, on which the chain was to be stretched; 10 oaken stakes, 4 feet
in length, and 4 inches square at the top, for marking off distances of
1000 feet; 10 picket-rods of fir timber, measuring 8 feet in length,
with cross boards at the top; 2 spars of 20 feet in length, with small
red flags for marking the termination at each end of the Line; and
one of Messrs Miller and Adie’s best Theodolites. With these, he left
the harbour of Arbroath at 5 on the morning of the 9th of August, in
one of the Bell Rock boats, manned with six seamen, and accompanied
by one of his assistants. At 8 o’clock they reached the small village
called the Feus; and after walking about two miles and a half along
the Sands of Barry, flag-staffs were erected at the extremities of the
line intended to be measured, which, in relation to each other, were
situate by compass S.W. ½ S., and N.E. ½ N. The next operation was
to mark off the first 1000 feet of the line in a general way, with the
picket-rods, into spaces of 100 feet. The wooden coffers, or troughs,
for levelling and directing the chain, were then laid on the sands,
which being naturally very flat, required only that certain places
of the track should be partially cleared with the spade. The chain
was then stretched by two of the seamen, to a degree of tension which
they were directed to give it, by as regular and uniform a strain as
possible; and the links being all previously examined, the distances
were carefully marked with an iron pricker. In this manner, the
whole length of a line, extending to 10,866 feet and 9½ inches was
measured. This was altogether a most laborious operation, occupying
14 hours, including the short time the party were at their meals,
which were taken on the field. The line having been thus gone over
from North-east to South-west, the operation was reversed as a check,
from South-west to North-east; the result of which was not a little
satisfactory, as the second measurement only varied one inch from the
first, though the line extended upwards of two miles. The weather was
very favourable; the wind being westerly, and blowing gentle breezes,
while the barometer remained steadily at about 29.78.; the temperature
was marked three times a day, and averaged 54°. The angles and bearings
of the Bell Rock and other objects having been taken from this
base-line, were ultimately referred to in constructing the map of the
coast delineated on Plate IV.
[Sidenote: Trigonometrical Survey of Great Britain.]
For a more complete and perfect mode of making such measurements, the
reader may consult Colonel Mudge’s Account of the Trigonometrical
Survey of England and Wales, in two volumes quarto; a work which shows
the astonishing accuracy with which that great National Survey is
conducted; and also, the correctness to which mathematical instruments
have been brought; and strongly illustrates the difficulties which
assail man, when he aims at absolute precision, even in the most simple
of the arts.
[Sidenote: Tuesday, 14th.]
[Sidenote: Artificers return to the Bell Rock.]
The Smeaton having, in the course of the last ten days, lifted such of
the moorings as could now be dispensed with, took the Dickie praam-boat
in tow, and sailed for Leith, to load the cast-iron sash-frames of
the Light-room. On her return to Arbroath, she took on board the
stone-steps for the Light-house, 23 in number, to be erected between
the passage of the entrance-door and the provision store, as will be
seen from the section of Plate XVI. With these she sailed to-day at 1
P. M., having on board 16 artificers, with Mr Peter Logan, together
with a supply of provisions and necessaries; who left the harbour,
pleased and happy to find themselves once more afloat in the Bell Rock
service. At 7 o’clock, the Tender was made fast to her moorings, when
the artificers landed on the Rock, and took possession of their old
quarters in the Beacon-house, with feelings very different from those
of 1807, when the works commenced.
[Sidenote: The Smeaton is in danger, and obliged to leave her Station.]
The barometer, for some days past, had been falling from 29.90, and
to-day it was 29.50, with the wind at N.E., which, in the course of
this day, encreased to a strong gale, accompanied with a sea which
broke with great violence upon the Rock. At 12 noon, the Tender rode
very heavily at her moorings, when her chain broke at about 10 fathoms
from the ship’s bows. The kedge-anchor was immediately let go, to hold
her till the floating-buoy and broken chain should be got on board;
but while this was in operation, the hawser of the kedge was chaffed
through on the rocky bottom, and parted, when the vessel was again
adrift. Most fortunately, however, she cast off with her head from the
Rock, and narrowly cleared it; when she sailed up the Firth of Forth,
to wait the return of better weather. The artificers were thus left
upon the Rock with so heavy a sea running, that it was ascertained
to have risen to the height of 80 feet on the building. Under such
perilous circumstances, it would be difficult to describe the feelings
of those who, at this time, were cooped up in the Beacon, in so forlorn
a situation, with the sea not only raging under them, but occasionally
falling from a great height upon the roof of their temporary lodging,
without even the attending vessel in view, to afford the least gleam
of hope in the event of any accident. It is true that they had now the
masonry of the Light-house to resort to, which, no doubt, lessened
the actual danger of their situation. But the building was still
without a roof, and the dead-lights, or storm shutters, not being yet
fitted, the windows of the lower storey were stove in and broken,
and, at high-water, the sea ran in considerable quantities out at the
entrance-door. In the course of this afternoon, the spring-tides being
now at the highest, the bridge or gangway was also for a time rendered
completely impassable, from the quantity of sea that constantly washed
over it. The smith’s gallery, at the same time, was also partially
broken up, and several bags of coal, a barrel of small beer, and a few
casks, containing pozzolano, lime and sand, were all swept off the
Beacon. When the sea left the Rock, it was likewise found that two of
the cast-iron legs of the sheer-crane were broken, and that some pieces
of the Railways had been torn up.
[Sidenote: Thursday, 16th.]
[Sidenote: Mortar-gallery completely broken up.]
The gale continues with unabated violence to-day, and the sprays
rise to a still greater height, having been carried over the masonry
of the building, or about 90 feet above the level of the sea. At 4
o’clock this morning, it was breaking into the cook’s birth, when
he rung the alarm-bell, and all hands turned out to attend to their
personal safety. The floor of the smith’s or mortar-gallery was now
completely burst up by the force of the sea, when the whole of the
deals and the remaining articles upon the floor were swept away, such
as the cast-iron mortar-tubs, the iron hearth of the forge, the
smith’s bellows, and even his anvil, were thrown down upon the Rock.
The boarding of the cook-house, or storey above the smith’s gallery,
was also partly carried away, and the brick and plaster-work of the
fire-place shaken and loosened. At low-water, it was found that the
chain of the moveable beam-crane, at the western wharf, had been
broken, which set the beam at liberty, and greatly endangered the
guy-ropes by its motion. It was observed, during this gale, that the
Beacon-house had a good deal of tremor; but none of that “twisting
motion” occasionally felt and complained of before the additional
wooden struts were set up for the security of the principal beams; but
this effect had more especially disappeared ever since the attachment
of the great horizontal iron-bars in connection with these supports,
instead of the chain-braces, shewn in Plate VIII. Before the tide rose
to its full height to-day, some of the artificers passed along the
bridge into the Light-house, to observe the effects of the sea upon
it, and they reported that they had felt a slight tremulous motion in
the building, when great seas struck it in a certain direction, about
high-water mark. On this occasion, the sprays were again observed
to wet the balcony, and even to come over the parapet-wall into the
interior of the light-room. In this state of the weather, Captain
Wilson and the crew of the Floating-light were much alarmed for the
safety of the artificers upon the Rock, especially when they observed,
with a telescope, that the floor of the smith’s gallery had been
carried away, and that the triangular cast-iron sheer-crane was broken
down. It was quite impossible, however, to do any thing for their
relief, until the gale should take off.
[Sidenote: Friday, 17th.]
[Sidenote: Tender returns to the Rock.]
The weather moderated in the course of the last night, and the wind
shifted to S.W., when the Tender, which had been for the last two days
in the Firth of Forth, stood towards the Rock, and reached it at 7 P.
M., but could not come within speech of the inhabitants of the Beacon,
though, from signals mutually exchanged, it appeared that all was
pretty well. Captain Taylor next spoke the Floating-light, and found
no complaint on board. They had, indeed, shipped several heavy seas,
yet no damage had been sustained; and during the gale they rode with
60 fathoms of cable veered out. After making these enquiries, he stood
towards Arbroath to get the Tender’s rigging refitted, and her moorings
repaired, which had suffered in the gale. Knowing also that a new
floor, and other articles, were wanting at the Beacon, he meant also to
supply some of these; but on approaching Arbroath, there was still too
much sea upon the bar of the harbour, and he was obliged to stand off
again to sea.
[Sidenote: Saturday, 18th.]
[Sidenote: Smith’s Anvil, Bellows, &c. washed off the Beacon.]
The wind shifted to the westward to-day, and the Tender got into
Arbroath. In the mean time, Captain Wilson visited the Bell Rock with
a well manned boat from the Floating-light, when he had the happiness
to find Mr Peter Logan and his people in perfect health, though, in the
course of the gale, they had at times been considerably alarmed, while
the sea was making inroads upon their habitation. In searching about
the Rock in quest of some of the articles which had been washed from
the smith’s gallery, it is not a little remarkable, that so ponderous
an article as the anvil, weighing 170 lb., should have been found in
a hole at the distance of 60 feet from the Beacon, and that the iron
pan or hearth of the forge, weighing about 100 lb., was found at the
distance of 200 feet from it. Near to this lay one of the cast-iron
mortar-tubs; but the smith’s bellows, and many other articles amissing,
were never found. Captain Wilson foreseeing that there might be a want
of fuel on the Rock from the late disaster, had very properly carried
two bags of coal from the Floating-light; and, after landing these, he
returned to his ship at 2 P. M.
[Sidenote: Thursday, 23d.]
[Sidenote: Light-room sashes landed. Captain Wilson is hurt by one of
them.]
Both the Tender and the Smeaton having been forced into Arbroath, were
detained there with strong gales of westerly wind, till Monday the
20th, when they sailed for the Rock; the Smeaton, with the sash-frames
of the Light-room on board, and the Tender, with a supply of provisions
and necessaries for the Floating-light and Beacon-house. The wind being
at W.S.W. and the weather more moderate, both vessels got to their
moorings on the 23d, when all hands were employed in transporting the
sash-frames from on board of the Smeaton to the Rock. In the act of
setting up one of these frames upon the bridge, it was unguardedly
suffered to lose its balance, and, in saving it from damage, Captain
Wilson met with a severe bruise in the groin, on the seat of a gunshot
wound received in the early part of his life. This accident laid him
aside for several days.
[Sidenote: Friday, 24th.]
The Smeaton being now discharged, sailed again for other articles still
wanted from Edinburgh, belonging to the Light-room frame. The masons at
the Rock were busily employed in setting up the stair, and in dressing
off and polishing the joints of the interior walls of the Light-house:
For, although the stones had all been polished to a smooth surface
in the work-yard, in order to give the apartments a cleanly and
comfortable appearance, as plastering would have been quite unsuitable
for such a situation, yet the walls in many parts required to be
retouched, when they came to be examined in a more finished state.
James Glen, of whom mention has already been frequently made, was
assisted by the smith in refitting the gallery, and the other injured
parts of the Beacon-house.
[Sidenote: Monday, 27th.]
[Sidenote: Balance-crane removed from the top of the Building.]
The sash-frames of the Light-room, 8 in number, and weighing each
254 lb., having been got safely up to the top of the building, were
ranged on the balcony, in the order in which they were numbered, for
their places on the top of the parapet-wall; and the balance-crane,
that useful machine, having now lifted all the heavier articles, was
unscrewed and lowered, to use the landing-master’s phrase, “in mournful
silence.”
[Sidenote: Wednesday, 29th.]
[Sidenote: Sir William Rae and Party visit the Rock.]
The works were visited at this time by Mr Rae, Sheriff of Edinburgh,
now Sir William Rae, Bart., Lord Advocate of Scotland, and Mr Adam
Duff, Sheriff of Forfar, now of Edinburgh, _ex officio_ Commissioners
of the Northern Light-houses, who, as Members of the Bell Rock
Committee, had individually taken much interest in the Light-house
affairs. The party further consisted of General Brown, Captain Harry
Stuart of the Royal Navy, Mr James Dickson of Leith, and Mr Charles
Cuningham, Secretary and Cashier to the Light-house Board. The writer
had the pleasure of embarking with these gentlemen at Leith on the
28th, in the Bell Rock Tender, and, after calling at the Light-houses
of Inchkeith and Isle of May, the vessel, in the course of the night,
got towards the Rock, and next morning the party landed, and minutely
examined every thing connected with the operations of the Light-house
and Beacon. On this occasion, one of the principal landing-places was
named Rae’s Wharf, and another Duff’s Wharf, as marked on Plate VI.
After breakfasting in the Light-house, Sir William proposed, that the
foremen, landing-master, artificers and seamen, should be collected
on the Beacon, when he expressed the satisfaction which he and his
brother Commissioner felt at seeing the present advanced state of the
Light-house; and, after alluding to the utility which might result
from the publication of the whole proceedings of this work, concluded
an address of much tenderness of feeling, by wishing all of us every
prosperity and happiness. The party having been highly amused and
gratified upon the Rock, again embarked; and at 10 A. M. the Tender
sailed for Leith Roads, where she arrived, at 6 o’clock P. M., having
made the trip from thence in the short space of about 28 hours.
[Sidenote: 1810, September.]
[Sidenote: Sunday, 2d.]
[Sidenote: Wooden-bridge removed from the Rock.]
The writer having accompanied the party to Leith, immediately returned
to the Bell Rock, where he was to make arrangements for bringing the
operations to a conclusion. The steps of the stair being landed, and
all the weightier articles of the Light-room got up to the balcony, the
wooden-bridge was now to be removed, as it had a very powerful effect
upon the Beacon, when a heavy sea struck it; and could not possibly
have withstood the storms of a winter. Every thing having been cleared
from the bridge, and nothing left but the two principal beams, with
their horizontal braces, James Glen, at high-water, proceeded with a
saw to cut through the beams at the end next the Beacon, which likewise
disengaged their opposite extremity, inserted a few inches into the
building. The frame was then gently lowered into the water, and floated
off to the Smeaton, to be towed to Arbroath, to be applied as part
of the materials in the erection of the light-keepers’ houses. After
the removal of the bridge, the aspect of things at the Rock was much
altered. The Beacon-house and Building had both a naked look, to those
accustomed to their former appearance; a curious optical deception was
also remarked, by which the Light-house seemed to incline from the
perpendicular towards the Beacon. The horizontal rope-ladder before
noticed was again stretched, to preserve the communication; and the
artificers were once more obliged to practise the awkward and stradling
manner of their passage between them during 1809, as will be understood
by examining the second year’s work of Plate IX.
[Sidenote: Last Stone of the Light-house laid.]
At 12 noon, the bell rung for prayers, after which the artificers
went to dinner, when the writer passed along the rope-ladder to the
Light-house, and went through the several apartments, which were now
cleared of lumber. In the afternoon, all hands were summoned to the
interior of the house, when he had the satisfaction of laying the
upper step of the stair, or last stone of the Building. This ceremony
concluded with three cheers, the sound of which had a very loud and
strange effect within the walls of the Light-house. At 6 o’clock Mr
Peter Logan, and eleven of the artificers, embarked with the writer
for Arbroath, leaving Mr James Glen with the special charge of the
Beacon and Railways, Mr Robert Selkirk with the Building, with a few
artificers to fit the temporary windows, to render the house habitable.
[Sidenote: 1810, October.]
[Sidenote: Tuesday, 4th.]
[Sidenote: Tender sails for Leith, to be sold.]
At Arbroath, the building operations for the keepers’ houses were
left under charge of Mr Peter Logan and Mr Lachlan Kennedy, when the
writer proceeded for Greenock, to sail on his annual voyage to the
Northern Light-houses. In passing the Floating-light this morning, he
went on board, and examined that ship with Captain Wilson, and had
the satisfaction to find every thing in the most orderly and cleanly
condition. The sailors, with those feelings which usually accompany
taking permanent leave of a vessel, hoisted an ensign flag on board of
the Floating-light, as the Tender was now on her way to Leith to be
dismantled and sold. The writer must also confess, that, on finally
leaving the Sir Joseph Banks Tender, it was not without feelings of
regret, as he had spent a considerable portion of the two last summers
in this beautifully moulded ship.
[Sidenote: A Praam-boat drifts from the Rock.]
On the afternoon of the 5th, a signal was observed flying from the
main-mast-head of the Floating-light, which created considerable alarm
at Arbroath, when the Smeaton sailed to inquire into the cause. Upon
hailing the Floating-light, Captain Wilson informed Mr Pool that the
Hedderwick praam-boat had broke adrift from her moorings, and gave
his opinion as to the course to be steered, in order to fall in with
her. At 8 o’clock next morning she was observed a few leagues to the
eastward, and taken in tow by the Smeaton, to be carried to Leith; but
the wind being westerly, after getting above the Isle of May, she was
obliged to anchor in Canty Bay, to the eastward of Tantallan Castle;
and at noon on the 12th, she got safely into the harbour of Leith,
after a very cross passage of six days.
[Sidenote: Artificers for the erection of the Light-room landed.]
The arrival of the Smeaton had for some days been anxiously watched,
as the remaining parts of the Light-room were ready to ship for the
Bell Rock. No time was therefore lost in getting her loaded; and, on
Thursday the 13th, she again sailed with Mr Dove, and the artificers,
who were to fit up the light-room; and on the following day the whole
were landed at the Rock. The first operation was to put up a temporary
rail round the balcony, with a few iron stanchions, and some ropes, for
the safety of the workmen. Captain Wilson and his crew also erected
a pair of sheers and a suitable tackle for lifting the cast-iron
sash-frames from the balcony to the top of the parapet-wall.
[Sidenote: Saturday, 15th.]
[Sidenote: Dr Barclay and party sail with the writer to the
Light-houses.]
This being the train in which the Bell Rock matters were left, the
writer embarked to-day at Greenock, in the Light-house Yacht, along
with his friends, Dr John Barclay, Mr Charles Oliphant, and Mr
Patrick Neill, who were to accompany him on a tour to the Northern
Light-houses. Notwithstanding the boisterous state of the weather
during the early part of the month of September, it now became
uncommonly fine; the barometer being found to oscillate within a few
parts of 30 inches, and the range of the thermometer, taken daily at
9 A. M., indicated from 43 to 50 degrees. The winds were also chiefly
from the west, which being favourable for the ship’s course, the
trip was not only remarkable for its quickness, but was, upon the
whole, the most pleasant which the writer had ever experienced; as
will readily be imagined by those who have the happiness to know the
excellent qualities of his fellow-travellers, whether considered on
account of their manner, intelligence, or scientific acquirements. This
opportunity is therefore gladly embraced by the writer of recording
their mutual friendships.
[Sidenote: Progress of the Light-room works.]
On returning from this voyage, the writer landed at the Bell Rock on
Sunday the 14th of October, and had the pleasure to find, from the
very favourable state of the weather, that the artificers had been
enabled to make great progress with the fitting up of the Light-room.
From the 14th of September till the 22d, they were occupied in
fitting the sole-plate and trimming-path, forming the basement of the
window-sash-frames. From the 22d till the 23d, the work executed got
two successive coats of oil-paint; and, as it had also been carefully
laid over with linseed-oil at the foundry, while in a hot state, it was
nearly impervious to the effects of the atmosphere, and was likely to
be kept free from oxidation. Between the 28th September and 2d October,
the sash-frames were raised to their places and screwed together,
along with the top-plate or cornice. From the 2d till the 15th, the
copper-smiths were employed in erecting the cupola or roof of the
Light-room, the several parts of which will be more readily understood
by examining Plate XX., with its letter-press description. Besides
finding the works in this forward state, the writer had the happiness
of seeing the plate-glass for the Light-room safely landed on the Rock.
Each of these plates, measuring 32½ inches by 26¼ inches, and one
quarter of an inch in thickness, could not have been soon or easily
replaced; and their safe arrival was therefore considered a very
fortunate circumstance; which having witnessed, the writer set sail for
Leith, where he landed on the following morning.
[Sidenote: Friday, 10th.]
[Sidenote: Loss of Charles Henderson.]
The light-room work had proceeded, as usual, to-day, under the
direction of Mr Dove, assisted in the plumber-work by Mr John Gibson,
and in the brazier-work by Mr Joseph Fraser; while Mr James Slight,
with the joiners, were fitting up the storm-shutters of the windows. In
these several departments, the artificers were at work till 7 o’clock
P. M., and it being then dark, Mr Dove gave orders to drop work in the
light-room; and all hands proceeded from thence to the Beacon-house,
when Charles Henderson, smith, and Henry Dickson brazier, left the
work together. Being both young men, who had been for several weeks
upon the Rock, they had become familiar, and even playful on the most
difficult parts about the Beacon and Building. This evening they were
trying to outrun each other, in descending from the light-room, when
Henderson led the way; but they were in conversation with each other,
till they came to the rope-ladder, distended between the entrance-door
of the Light-house and the Beacon. Dickson, on reaching the cook-room,
was surprised at not seeing his companion, and inquired hastily for
Henderson. Upon which the cook replied, “Was he before you upon the
rope-ladder?” Dickson answered “Yes; and I thought I heard something
fall.” Upon this the alarm was given, and links were immediately
lighted, with which the artificers descended on the legs of the Beacon,
as near the surface of the water as possible, it being then about
full tide, and the sea breaking to a considerable height upon the
building, with the wind at S.S.E. But after watching till low-water,
and searching in every direction upon the Rock, it appeared that poor
Henderson must have unfortunately fallen through the rope-ladder, and
been washed into the deep water.
The deceased had passed along this rope-ladder many hundred times, both
by day and night, and the operations in which he was employed being
nearly finished, he was about to leave the Rock when this melancholy
catastrophe took place. The unfortunate loss of Henderson cast a deep
gloom upon the minds of all who were at the Rock, and it required some
management on the part of those who had charge, to induce the people
to remain patiently at their work: as the weather now became more
boisterous, and the nights long, they found their habitation extremely
cheerless, while the winds were howling about their ears, and the
waves lashing with fury against the beams of their insulated habitation.
[Sidenote: Difficulty attending the procuring of Red-coloured-Glass.]
It has already been noticed, that the plate-glass for the sash-frames
of the light-room was safely landed on the Rock, and the writer had
also the satisfaction of learning to-day that the red-coloured glass
for distinguishing the light was in readiness to ship at London. After
having corresponded with all parts of the kingdom, in endeavouring
to procure red glass of the finest quality, by having it coloured
in the furnace, it was mortifying to find that its manufacture was
wholly impracticable, excepting in the production of small pieces,
containing not more than three or four square inches, similar to those
in the compartments of cathedral-windows: which, in the process of
shading a reflector, must have induced a number of minute divisions,
and necessarily obstructed much of the light. The writer at length
resolved on confining his attention to plates of Crown-glass, stained
by repeated applications of the litharge of gold, laid on after the
manner of gum or paint, which was afterwards subjected to a strong heat
in a muffle or furnace, of a peculiar construction, forming altogether
a very nice and difficult process. In looking through this stained
glass, the eye is not sensible of any effect but that of a fine rich
red colour, when the pigment is properly applied; but, on examining
a cross section of the glass, the green colour of the Crown-glass is
distinctly seen in the centre, while a thin film of red is perceptible
on the edges. Although the effect produced in this way cannot be so
perfect as if the glass were uniformly coloured in the pot; yet, when
applied to the purposes of a distinguishing light, its effects are
highly characteristic and beautiful. As the works were now drawing
near a completion, and all the essential parts of the light-room
apparatus must soon be upon the spot, the writer, after repeated
disappointments from Mr James Okey, glass-stainer of London, found it
necessary to send Mr John Forrest, superintendant of light-keepers’
duty, with instructions to remain there until he got the plates into
his possession. He accordingly arrived in London on the 15th of
September, and immediately waited upon Okey; but, notwithstanding the
numerous letters and pressing calls which had been made upon that
artist, explanatory of the necessity of the case; yet, as the plates
wanted were to be 25 inches in diameter, and, consequently, about 5
inches more than any he had hitherto been required to make, his furnace
was still to rebuild, and his apparatus otherwise to conform to these
enlarged dimensions, before he could begin to the Bell Rock plates.
In order to insure attention and dispatch, Mr Forrest took lodgings at
Clerkenwell, in Mr Okey’s immediate neighbourhood, and paid frequent
visits to his workshop. Numerous glass-workers in various parts of the
country had previously been applied to for this article, but none of
them ever produced a single plate.
[Sidenote: Monday, 22d.]
[Sidenote: Mr Robert Hamilton visits the Bell Rock.]
The whole apparatus and workmen necessary for completing the exterior
of the Light-house being now on the Rock, the writer was desirous of
seeing the ball placed upon the top of the cupola, and accordingly
embarked at Leith in the Yacht for that purpose. Mr Hamilton, who, as
one of the Commissioners, had always taken a most lively interest in
the affairs of the Bell Rock, took this opportunity to pay it another
visit. The wind was at W.S.W., blowing pretty fresh with the barometer
at 29.50; but, in the course of the night, the Yacht got down to the
Floating-light, and was kept plying about, within view of it, till
morning.
[Sidenote: Tuesday, 23d.]
[Sidenote: The ventilator-ball is set upon the cupola.]
The wind had shifted, in the night, to N.W., and blew a fresh gale,
while the sea broke with violence upon the Rock. It was found
impossible to land, but the writer, from the boat, hailed Mr Dove, and
directed the ball to be immediately fixed. The necessary preparations
were accordingly made, while the vessel made short tacks on the
southern side of the Rock, in comparatively smooth water. At noon,
Mr Dove, assisted by Mr James Slight, Mr Robert Selkirk, Mr James
Glen, and Mr John Gibson, plumber, with considerable difficulty, from
the boisterous state of the weather, got the gilded-ball screwed on,
measuring 2 feet in diameter, and forming the principal ventilator
at the upper extremity of the cupola of the Light-room, as will be
seen from the section in Plate XX. At Mr Hamilton’s desire, a salute
of 7 guns was fired on this occasion, and all hands being called to
the quarter-deck, “Stability to the Bell Rock Light-house” was not
forgotten.
[Sidenote: Thursday, 25th.]
[Sidenote: The Light-room is glazed.]
The glazing of the sash-frames of the light-room having been completed
on Wednesday the 24th, the boats of the Smeaton and Floating-light
landed on the morning of the 25th, when the plumbers and glaziers left
the Rock; from whom the writer learned the progress which had been made
with the work. Among other preparations for the glazing, it was stated,
that besides the sheeting provided as a screen, all hands had engaged
to give part of their bedding for the better defence of the glass, in
case it should come to blow so hard as to endanger the stopping of the
work; but although the weather had rather a threatening aspect at
the commencement of this critical operation, yet it was got through
in a manner much beyond expectation, and in one day and a half the
light-room was completely closed; though not without being under the
necessity of lighting torches at night, which were, however, screened
from the view of shipping.
[Sidenote: Saturday, 27th.]
[Sidenote: The Yacht returns to the Rock, but loses one of her boats.]
After the house was glazed, and in a manner externally finished, the
writer sailed from Leith for the Rock, on the 27th of October; but,
as it came to blow very fresh from W.S.W., a landing could not be
effected, and the Yacht was put into Arbroath till the 29th, when the
wind became more moderate, and she again stood off. While in the act of
putting about, with the sea still running high, one of the two boats
astern got entangled and filled with water, when the stem of one of
them unfortunately parted, and she immediately sunk. It was indeed with
great difficulty that the other was saved, by two of the crew jumping
into her, at the risk of their lives; and having baled out the water
with buckets, she was got safely on board.
[Sidenote: Tuesday, 30th.]
[Sidenote: Great dexterity of the Landing-master and his crew.]
This accident obliged the vessel to be anchored all night in the Bay
of Arbroath, and having got another boat she sailed this morning at 5
o’clock. On reaching the Rock, it was found that a very heavy sea still
ran upon it; but the writer having been disappointed on the two former
occasions, and, as the erection of the house might now be considered
complete, there being nothing wanted externally, excepting some of the
storm-shutters for the defence of the windows, he was the more anxious
at this time to inspect it. Two well manned boats were therefore
ordered to be in attendance; and, after some difficulty, the wind
being at N.N.E., they got safely into the western creek, though not
without encountering plentiful sprays. It would have been impossible
to have attempted a landing to-day, under any other circumstances than
with boats perfectly adapted to the purpose, and with seamen who knew
every ledge of the Rock, and even the length of the sea-weeds at each
particular spot, so as to dip their oars into the water accordingly,
and thereby prevent them from getting entangled. But what was of no
less consequence to the safety of the party, Captain Wilson, who
always steered the leading boat, had a perfect knowledge of the set
of the different waves, while the crew never shifted their eyes from
observing his motions, and the strictest silence was preserved by every
individual except himself. Under such regulations, which were observed
on all occasions of difficulty, the landings at the Rock proceeded
with the greatest regularity, and by this means, safety, and even
comfort, were enjoyed, where, under different circumstances, there
would have been much peril. The second or attending boat was steered
by James Shepherd the experienced coxwain of the Floating-light, whose
directions were to keep about two oars’ length astern. This boat was
generally kept light, and as free of incumbrance as possible, that
she might be ready to assist in any case of emergency. The writer is
the more particular upon this subject, as he conceives that much of
the success of the Bell Rock operations depended on the safety which
attended the many thousands of landings made in all sorts of weather.
[Sidenote: State of the Railways.]
On landing at the Rock this morning, the writer found the Railways
much broken up on the eastern-reach and the circular track round
the building; while the western-reach, extending to upwards of 290
feet, had also materially suffered. In several places it had got an
inclination to one side, by the force of the N.E. seas, which came
sweeping round the Rock, and it was evident it could not withstand
the gales of winter. The Norway logs, on which these railways were
supported, had not only been much reduced in strength, by the ravages
of the insect formerly noticed, but, from this cause also, the rails
had got a tremulous motion in heavy seas, which had shaken loose
several of the bolts. It was, however, so far well that they had
already answered the immediate purpose intended by them.
[Sidenote: State of the beams of the Beacon.]
The Beacon-house was found, upon examination, to be in general in a
good state of repair, though the lower parts, where the beams rested
upon the Rock, had suffered from the insect. Several of them, as before
noticed, had been so much hollowed, where they at first rested on the
Rock, that the hand could be introduced into the heart of the log,
while the exterior of the timber, for an inch or two in thickness,
remained quite entire; the charring of the surface, and the hot-pitch,
wherever it could be applied, having completely preserved it. Several
of the beams, however, now rested chiefly upon the bolts, which passed
through the great iron-stanchions sunk into the Rock, as represented in
Plate VIII. But this fabric had nearly served its purpose, and there
was a prospect of its being taken down next summer. It has before been
noticed that these effects, at the parts where the beams rested, or
were in contact with the Rock, had not been anticipated. But, in the
event of a similar erection on any part of the British coast, it would
be proper to provide against this by sinking the foot of the principal
beams 8 inches into the Rock, and shoeing them with sheet lead or
copper; though the action of the latter metal with the iron-work
might be somewhat objectionable, and might render a coating with tin
advisable.
[Sidenote: State of the Light-house.]
Having examined the Beacon-house, he next passed to the Light-house,
by the horizontal rope-ladder represented in Plate IX. The lower part
of the building, as high as the perpendicular range of the tide,
was coated all over with marine plants; toward the north-east, this
appearance had indeed reached about 50 feet in height. On entering
the house, he had the pleasure to find it in a somewhat habitable
condition, the lower apartments being closed in with temporary windows,
and fitted with proper storm-shutters. It may here be remarked as a
strong instance of the very fortunate position of the Entrance-door,
that although the sea had risen to the height of upwards of 80 feet,
on the eastern side of the Light-house, it had not, as yet, been
found necessary to have it hung, although Mr Slight was now setting
about this operation, by the insertion of the Lewis-bats or tails
of the hinges, into their respective brass-boxes, previously built
into the walls. There being, as yet, no inner-door for the passage,
temporary-hatches were also still wanting for the man-holes of the
several floors, to check the sifting air, which, in westerly winds,
made the house very cold, and carried along with it particles of dust,
which might have become injurious to the reflecting-apparatus.
[Sidenote: Condition of the several apartments.]
The lowest apartment at the head of the stair-case was occupied with
water, fuel, and provisions, put up in a temporary way, until the house
could be furnished with proper utensils. The second or light-room store
was, at present, much encumbered with various tools and apparatus for
the use of the workmen. The kitchen immediately over this had, as yet,
been supplied only with a common ship’s coboose, and plate-iron funnel,
while the necessary cooking utensils had been taken from the Beacon.
The bed-room was, for the present, used as the joiners’ workshop, and
the strangers’ room, immediately under the light-room, was occupied
by the artificers, the beds being ranged in tiers, as was done in the
barrack of the Beacon. The light-room, though unprovided with its
machinery, being now covered over with the cupola, glazed and painted,
had a very complete and cleanly appearance. The balcony was only as
yet fitted with a temporary rail, consisting of a few iron stanchions,
connected with ropes; and in this state it was necessary to leave it
during the winter.
[Sidenote: Light-house put under charge of Mr John Reid.]
Having gone over the whole of the low-water works on the Rock, the
Beacon and Light-house, and being satisfied that only the most untoward
accident in the landing of the machinery could prevent the exhibition
of the light, in the course of the winter; Mr John Reid, formerly
of the Floating-light, was now put in charge of the light-house as
principal keeper; Mr James Slight had charge of the operations of the
artificers; while Mr James Dove and the smiths having finished the
frame of the light-room, left the Rock for the present. With these
arrangements the writer bade adieu to the works for the season. At
11 A. M. the tide was far advanced; and there being now little or no
shelter for the boats at the Rock, they had to be pulled through the
breach of sea, which came on board in great quantities, and it was with
extreme difficulty that they could be kept in the proper direction of
the landing-creek.--On this occasion, he may be permitted to look back
with gratitude on the many escapes made in the course of this arduous
undertaking, now brought so near to a successful conclusion.
[Sidenote: November.]
[Sidenote: Saturday, 3d.]
[Sidenote: The Boat is washed off the Beacon.]
The wind having, on Saturday the 3d of November, shifted to the N. E.,
with showers of snow, accompanied by a very heavy swell of sea, it was
stated, in the monthly return from the Rock, that the water had come in
considerable quantities into the threshold of the entrance-door, which,
on this occasion, had to be shut. During this gale, it was thought
that the Beacon would certainly have been carried away by the force
of the tremendous seas which fell upon it, and often washed over it
at high-water. The small boat suspended from projected davits at the
height of 30 feet above the Rock, as shown in Plate VIII., got full of
water by the accidental stopping of the eyelet-hole, while the friction
occasioned by the tremulous motion of the Beacon, and beating of the
waves, chaffed one of the bow-tackle ropes: she then hung suspended
from the stem-tackle, and every sea which came rolling along gave her
a new impulse: this soon wore out the remaining tackle, and she was at
length swept away, after having kept her position since mid-summer.
[Sidenote: Sprays rise 104 feet on the Light-house.]
On one occasion, while the inmates of the Light-house were standing
on the balcony, looking with attention at the wonderful state of the
sea, the sprays conducted by the walls, came full in their faces,
and, passing partly over their heads, struck upon the second tier of
the glass-panes of the light-room, which is 104 feet from the Rock!
During this gale, a thrilling motion was sensibly felt throughout
the building, upon leaning against the walls at particular periods,
when the seas struck the base of the house. The rise of the spray to
the height above mentioned rather surprised the writer, as he had
not himself at any time seen it higher than about 70 feet. He had,
however, felt the tremulous effect alluded to; and it has already been
remarked, that it is not while the gale continues that the sea strikes
so hard, or rises to so great a height; but after the abatement of the
storm, when the waves begin to break in the manner represented in the
frontispiece.
[Sidenote: Sprays fly over the Floating-light.]
This gale was also much felt on board of the Floating-light. Captain
Wilson states, in his account of the weather, that he had to veer out
the long-service, or about 90 fathoms of cable, and often to freshen
hawse, or to shift that part of the cable which was immediately in
the hawsehole of the ship. The seas also which struck the bows of the
vessel were generally carried as far aft as the quarter-deck, and were
not unfrequently thrown over the stern. This gale was, therefore,
considered to have been as severe as that of September 1807, already
described. The Light-house Yacht, now acting as Tender at the Rock,
having been driven from her station, had taken shelter in Burntisland
Roads, ready on the first change of weather to return to the Rock. The
Smeaton and Patriot were fortunately in Arbroath, discharging their
cargoes of stones from Milnfield, for the establishment on shore.
[Sidenote: Mr Reid and Mr Fortune left in the Light-house.]
On Monday the 5th, the Yacht again visited the Rock; when Mr Slight and
the artificers returned with her to the work-yard, where a number of
things were still to prepare connected with the temporary fitting up of
the accommodation for the light-keepers. Mr John Reid and Peter Fortune
were now the only inmates of the house. This was the smallest number of
persons hitherto left in the Light-house. As four light-keepers were
to be the complement, it was intended that three should always be at
the Rock. Its present inmates, however, could hardly have been better
selected for such a situation; Mr Reid being a person possessed of the
strictest notions of duty, and habits of regularity, from long service
on board of a man-of-war, while Mr Fortune had one of the most happy
and contented dispositions imaginable.
[Sidenote: Tuesday, 13th.]
[Sidenote: Experience a heavy gale.]
From Saturday the 10th till Tuesday the 13th, the wind had been from
N.E., blowing a heavy gale; but to-day, the weather having greatly
moderated, Captain Taylor, who now commanded the Smeaton, sailed at 2
o’clock A. M. for the Bell Rock. At 5 the Floating-light was hailed,
and found to be all well. Being a fine moon-light morning, the seamen
were changed from the one ship to the other. At 8, the Smeaton being
off the Rock, the boats were manned, and taking a supply of water,
fuel, and other necessaries, landed at the western side, when Mr Reid
and Mr Fortune were found in good health and spirits. They reported,
that the sea had run very heavily, and rose at times nearly to the
balcony of the Light-house, when it fell with great weight and violence
on the Beacon-house; that, on Sunday the 11th, the wooden-frame of the
western wharf was carried away; and that the railways to the eastward
were also much shattered and broken by large detached masses of rock,
brought from deep water by the impulse of the sea, some of which
left on the Rock were apparently of the cubical contents of several
tons. Though none of these stones have yet been traced as belonging
to any particular part of the Rock, yet they are all of the same red
sandstone. It was intended at this time, that a large stock of coals
and water should have been got into the Light-house, before the Smeaton
went to Leith, to load the remainder of the apparatus; but this, from
the state of the weather, was found impracticable, and she therefore
returned to Arbroath, to wait a change of weather.
[Sidenote: 1810, November.]
[Sidenote: Saturday, 1st.]
[Sidenote: Their description of the effects of the Sea upon the
Light-House.]
It having been intimated at the work-yard, that a log of timber had
come ashore at West-Haven, about six miles from Arbroath, James Glen,
who knew every piece of timber upon the Bell Rock, was dispatched, to
ascertain if it had drifted from thence; and, on his return, reported
that the log had belonged to the Western Wharf. Mr Slight having got
his apparatus prepared, went again off to the Rock with the workmen,
when a large additional supply of water, fuel, and provisions, was also
landed. It was now ascertained, that the whole of the western wharf,
and part of its connecting railway, had been carried away, and that the
circular-track and eastern-reach of the railways were much damaged.
Mr Reid farther stated, that, during the late gales, particularly on
Friday the 30th, the wind veering from S.E. to N.E., both he and Mr
Fortune sensibly felt the house tremble, when particular seas struck,
about the time of high-water; the former observing that it was a tremor
of that sort which rather tended to convince him that every thing about
the building was sound, and reminded him of the effect produced, when
a good log of timber is struck sharply with a mallet; but, with every
confidence in the stability of the building, he nevertheless confessed,
that, in so forlorn a situation, they were not insensible to those
emotions which, he emphatically observed, “made a man look back upon
his former life.”
[Sidenote: 1810, December.]
[Sidenote: Thursday, 6th.]
[Sidenote: The Red-coloured glass arrives at Leith.]
The Smeaton was now much wanted at Leith, where Mr Forrest had arrived
from London on the 1st, with the plates of red-coloured glass; but
the weather continued boisterous, and she was detained in the harbour
of Arbroath with a gale at S.W. To-day the writer got notice from Mr
Andrew Roger, merchant in St Monance, that some fishermen belonging to
that village had picked up a raft of timber, strongly bolted together.
This turned out to be part of the timber of the Western Wharf, which
had drifted from the Rock on the 11th, and had been ever since floating
about the Firth of Forth. It was picked up on the coast of Fife, about
nine miles to the westward of the Isle of May.
[Sidenote: Saturday, 8th.]
[Sidenote: The Reflecting apparatus sent from Leith.]
The wind having shifted last night, the Smeaton sailed from Arbroath
at 10 P. M., for Leith, to take on board the whole of the remaining
appurtenances necessary for the exhibition of the Light. She got
into Leith harbour on the 9th, about mid-day, when the apparatus was
immediately put on board; but the weather was unfavourable for going
down the Firth of Forth. To-day, however, the wind being west, with
a better appearance, the following persons sailed for the Rock, viz.
Mr James Dove, smith, who was to screw together the frame for the
Reflecting-apparatus; Mr James Clark, clock-maker, who had constructed,
and was now to regulate, the Revolving-machinery for the lights; and Mr
John Forrest, who had the general superintendance of the keepers’ duty
of the Northern Light-houses, and being also foreman for Light-room
repairs in the service, was to adjust the reflectors and lamps, and
remain at the Bell Rock until every thing was found to proceed in a
satisfactory manner.
[Sidenote: Friday, 14th.]
[Sidenote: An attempt is made to land at the Rock.]
At day-light this morning, however, the Smeaton was still eight
or nine miles from the Light-house, with hardly any wind. In the
prospect of effecting a landing, Captain Taylor manned the boat when
about two miles distant from the Rock, intending to leave the above
persons, and afterwards to take the earliest opportunity of landing
the apparatus, the tide being now too far spent for attempting the
latter operation. The only articles taken in the boat, besides their
personal luggage, were the two boxes of red-glass, which having already
cost so much trouble, and requiring so much care, Mr Forrest, with his
usual caution, had determined not to lose sight of. The party thus
proceeded, but, on reaching the Rock, they had the mortification to
find it nearly under water, with such a breach of sea that no boat
could approach it. They were, therefore, obliged to return to the ship,
perishing with cold, and chagrined with disappointment.
[Sidenote: Saturday, 15th.]
[Sidenote: Reflecting-apparatus safely landed.]
The wind still continued from N.W., but, most fortunately for the
business of the day, the weather was moderate. Having last night called
at the Floating-light, it was arranged with Captain Wilson, that he
should attend by day-light at the Rock, with one of his boats, to
assist in landing the Smeaton’s cargo. The passengers went off first,
carrying in their boat the two cases of coloured-glass, and a few other
articles, while the Floating-light’s boat followed with the machinery;
and by noon the whole of the Reflecting-apparatus was got safely into
the Light-house. Mr Forrest having thus been enabled to give advice,
which reached the writer on the 17th, that all the articles had been
safely landed; and foreseeing that every thing would be in readiness
in the course of about four weeks, a specification of the appearance
of the light was prepared, to the following effect, for public
advertisement.
[Sidenote: Monday, 17th.]
[Sidenote: The Light is advertised to the Public.]
“NAVIGATION OF THE NORTH SEAS.--A Light-house having been erected
upon the Inch Cape, or Bell Rock, situate at the entrance of the
Friths of Forth and Tay, in north Lat. 56° 29´, and west Long. 2°
22´,--The Commissioners of the Northern Light-houses hereby give
notice, That the Light will be from oil, with reflectors, placed
at the height of about 108 feet above the medium level of the sea.
The light will be exhibited on the night of Friday, the 1st day
of February 1811, and each night thereafter, from the going away
of day-light in the evening until the return of day-light in the
morning. To distinguish this light from others on the coast, it is
made to revolve horizontally, and to exhibit a bright light of the
natural appearance, and a red-coloured light, alternately, both
respectively attaining their greatest strength or most luminous
effect in the space of every four minutes; during that period,
the bright light will, to a distant observer, appear like a star
of the first magnitude, which, after attaining its full strength,
is gradually eclipsed to total darkness; and is succeeded by the
red-coloured light, which in like manner increases to full strength,
and again diminishes and disappears. The coloured-light, however,
being less powerful, may not be seen for a time after the bright
light is first observed. During the continuance of foggy weather,
and showers of snow, a Bell will be tolled, by machinery, night and
day, at intervals of half a minute. NOTICE is hereby also given,
That the Floating-light, moored two and a half miles N.W. ½ N. from
the Bell Rock, will, from and after the 1st day of February 1811, be
_discontinued_, and, as soon thereafter as the weather permits, the
vessel will be removed from her station.”
[Sidenote: List of Newspapers.]
To give this Notice publicity, it was advertised in the following
Newspapers:
SCOTCH.
Edinburgh Weekly Chronicle.
---- Courant.
---- Correspondent.
---- Mercury.
---- Advertiser.
---- Star.
---- Journal.
Leith Telegraph.
Dundee Advertiser.
---- Mercury.
Perth Courier.
Montrose Review.
Aberdeen Journal.
---- Chronicle.
Inverness Journal.
Glasgow Journal.
---- Courier.
---- Western Star.
---- Sentinel.
---- Packet.
---- Herald.
Greenock Advertiser.
ENGLISH.
London Gazette.
---- Globe.
---- Morning Post.
London Courier.
---- Chronicle.
Plymouth Telegraph.
---- Chronicle.
Bristol Gazette.
---- Journal.
---- Mirror.
---- Mercury.
Liverpool Courier.
---- Advertiser.
---- General Advertiser.
---- Saturday Advertiser.
Cumberland Packet.
Newcastle Courant.
---- Chronicle.
---- Advertiser.
---- Tyne Mercury.
Hull and Rockingham Packet.
Hull and Rockingham Advertiser.
York Courant.
---- Herald.
---- Chronicle.
Norwich Mercury.
Hampshire Telegraph.
IRISH.
Dublin Evening Post.
---- Patriot.
[Sidenote: Thursday, 27th.]
[Sidenote: The Light-keepers are left in possession of the House.]
The Tender having got a landing made on the 27th December, every thing
at the Light-house was found in a prosperous state. Mr Dove and Mr
Clark had finished their work about two hours before the Smeaton came
in sight; and Mr Slight had also completed all that was proposed to be
done to the interior finishing of the apartments this winter; so that
Mr Forrest, with Messrs Reid, Bonyman, Leask, and Fortune, the keepers,
were now left in possession of the Light-house.