Smeaton and Lighthouses: A Popular Biography, with an Historical Introduction and SequelAnonymous
History
Smeaton and Lighthouses: A Popular Biography, with an Historical Introduction and Sequel
Anonymous
Lighthouses; Smeaton, John, 1724-1792
Besides the windows of the lantern ten other windows were constructed
for the edifice, namely, two for the store-room, and four each for the
other two rooms. In fixing the bars for these windows, an accident
occurred which had nearly proved fatal to Smeaton, and which he thus
describes:--‘After the boat was gone, and it became so dark that we
could not see any longer to pursue our occupations, I ordered a
charcoal-fire to be made in the upper store-room, in one of the
iron-pots we used for melting lead, for the purpose of annealing the
blank ends of the bars; and they were made red hot altogether in the
charcoal. Most of the workmen were set round the fire, and by way of
making ourselves comfortable, by screening ourselves and the fire from
the wind, the windows were shut; and, as well as I remember, the
copper cover or hatch put over the man-hole of the floor of the room
where the fire was; the hatch above being left open for the heated
vapour to ascend. I remember to have looked into the fire attentively
to see that the iron was made hot enough, but not over-heated: I also
remember I felt my head a very little giddy; but the next thing of
which I had any sensation or idea, was finding myself upon the floor
of the room below, half drowned with water. It seems, that without
being further sensible of anything to give me warning, the effluvia of
the charcoal so suddenly overcame all sensation that I dropped down
upon the floor; and had not the people hauled me down to the room
below, where they did not spare for cold water to throw in my face
and upon me, I certainly should have expired upon the spot.’
By unremitting exertions on the part of Smeaton and his work-people,
the balcony-rails, the lantern, with the cupola and gilt ball, the
lightning-conductor, and, in fact, all the remaining parts of the
lighthouse, with the stores and necessary furniture, were set in their
places by the 16th of October, on which day a light was once more
exhibited on the Eddystone Rock.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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