An Account of the Bell Rock Light-House: Including the Details of the Erection and Peculiar Structure of That Edifice; to Which Is Prefixed a Historical View of the Institution and Progress of the Northern Light-HousesStevenson, Robert
History
An Account of the Bell Rock Light-House: Including the Details of the Erection and Peculiar Structure of That Edifice; to Which Is Prefixed a Historical View of the Institution and Progress of the Northern Light-Houses
Stevenson, Robert
Bell Rock Lighthouse (Scotland); Lighthouses -- Scotland
The upper termination of the Beacon, in its present form, does not
admit of the application of the tide-machine with the bell-apparatus.
Experiments as applicable to this have, however, been tried with a
wind-instrument, to be sounded by the pressure of the sea water; but
it has not succeeded to the extent that seems necessary for a purpose
of this kind. We have indeed thought, that the application of pressure
as a power, communicated by the waters of the ocean, in mechanical
operations, might be carried to almost any extent, by simply providing
a chamber or dock, large enough for the reception of a float or vessel,
of dimensions equivalent to the force required. This description of
machinery is more particularly applicable in situations where the tides
have a great rise, as in the Solway Firth , Bristol Channel, and other
parts of the British seas; and at St Malo, on the coast of France.
[Sidenote: Leading Lights suggested.]
A Beacon of any form, unprovided with a light, must always be
considered an imperfect land-mark, and therefore various modes have
been contemplated, for more completely pointing out the position of
the Carr Rock. It has been proposed that phosphoric lights should be
exhibited from the top of the Building. This object, however, would be
more certainly accomplished, by the erection of leading lights, upon
the Island of May and Mainland of Fife. But these, with other plans
which have been under the writer’s consideration, would necessarily
be attended with a great additional expence, which, in the present
instance, it is not thought advisable to incur.
[Sidenote: Expence of the Carr Rock works.]
Owing to the necessarily slow progress of the operations at the Carr
Rock, the works were carried on partly in connection with the new
Light-house on the Isle of May, and with the assistance of the ordinary
shipping of the Light-house establishment. This renders it difficult to
give a distinct estimate of the expence of the Beacon; but in so far as
it can be collected, it may be stated, including all charges, at about
L. 5000.
_Stations on the Coast of Scotland, where Light-houses have been
suggested as still necessary._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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