Lighthouses and Lightships: A Descriptive and Historical Account of Their Mode of Construction and OrganizationAdams, W. H. Davenport (William Henry Davenport)
History
Lighthouses and Lightships: A Descriptive and Historical Account of Their Mode of Construction and Organization
Adams, W. H. Davenport (William Henry Davenport)
Lighthouses; Lightships
“A lighthouse having been erected upon the Inch Cape, or Bell Rock,
situated at the entrance of the Firths of Forth and Tay, in north
latitude 56° 29´ and west longitude 2° 22´,—The Commissioners of the
Northern Lighthouses 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 daylight in the evening until the return of
daylight 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.”
It was found that this light could be clearly seen and recognized, in
fair weather, at a distance of seven leagues.
The Bell Rock Lighthouse, thus happily completed, is a circular
building, 42 feet in diameter at the base, and 13 feet at the top.
The masonry is 100 feet high, and the whole structure, including the
light-room, 115 feet. From the entrance door, a circular stair leads to
the first apartment, which is used as a store-room. Wooden steps ascend
to the other apartments, which are appropriated to the light-keepers,
and to the appurtenances of the lighting apparatus. The light-room,
which is formed of cast iron, and glazed with polished glass, is
octagonal in shape, 12 feet in diameter, and 15 feet in height. It is
covered with a dome, and terminates in a ball.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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