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
During the storms of winter, Mr. Stevenson says that from the
Forfarshire coast ‘the lighthouse appeared in one of its most
interesting aspects, standing proudly among the waves while the sea
around it was in the wildest state of agitation. The light-keepers did
not seem to be in motion, but the scene was by no means still, as the
noise and dashing of the waves were unceasing. The seas rose in the
most surprising manner to the height of about seventy feet above the
rock, and after expending their force in a perpendicular direction,
fell in great quantities round the base of the lighthouse, while
considerable portions of the spray were seen adhering, as it were, to
the building, and gathering down its sides in the state of froth as
white as snow. Some of the great waves burst and were expended upon
the rock before they reached the building; while others struck the
base, and embracing the walls, met on the western side of the house,
where they dashed together and produced a most surprising quantity of
foam.’
The regulations observed in attending the Bell-Rock may be briefly
stated. The nearest town to the lighthouse is that of Aberbrothock, or
Arbroath, in Forfarshire, about eleven miles distant. A handsome
cutter, called ‘The Pharos,’ is stationed here as a tender to the
lighthouse. This vessel goes off to the rock every fortnight, or in
the course of each set of spring-tides, to relieve the light-keepers
and to supply the house with fuel, provisions, &c. There are four
lighthouse-keepers, three of whom are always on duty, while one is
ashore. If the weather offers no impediment, the light-keepers are
each six weeks at the rock and a fortnight ashore with their
families. The salaries are from fifty to sixty guineas per annum, with
a stated allowance for each man of bread, beef, butter, oatmeal,
vegetables, and small-beer, with fourpence a day extra for tea, &c.
They have also a suit of uniform clothes every third year. Mr.
Stevenson says that the light-keepers were, upon the whole, pleased
with their situation, and talked in a feeling manner of the hardships
of mariners whom they often saw tossed about during the storms of
winter.
According to the present system of Northern lighthouses, the watches
in the light-room are as regularly relieved as on ship-board. The
keeper is liable to immediate dismissal if he leave the light-room
before being regularly relieved; and for securing order and regularity
in this respect a time-piece is placed in each light-room, and bells
are hung in the bed-rooms of the dwelling-houses. At some of the
stations the light-room and the bed-rooms are connected by a set of
tubes, by blowing gently into which the keepers on watch can sound an
alarum-bell in the room below, and rouse his comrade to change guard.
The man below answers this call by a counterblast through the tubes,
and a small index in the light-room is thereby raised to signify that
the signal has been obeyed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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