Chapter VII

THE BELL-ROCK LIGHTHOUSE AS A TYPE OF SCOTTISH LIGHTHOUSES.

History of the Inch-Cape or Bell-Rock Lighthouse as a Type of the Northern Lighthouses--Position and Dangerous Character of the Bell Rock--Ballad of Sir Ralph the Rover-- Proposal to erect a Lighthouse--Mr. Robert Stevenson selected as Engineer--Survey of the Rock--Exhibition of a Floating Light--Preparations for the Lighthouse--First Season on the Rock--Alarming Situation of the Engineer and Men--Effects of the Stormy Sea on the Rock--Erection of Beacon--Winter Employment--The Second Season--A new Tender employed--Praam-boats and Stone-lighters--Progress of the Work--Remarkable appearance of the Rock--Foundation Stone laid--First continuous Course of Masonry--Its Contents--Third Season--Progress of the Work--Winter Operations--Fourth Season--The Beacon used as a Dwelling--Its Interior described--The Engineer's Cabin--The Lighthouse nearly finished--Mr. Smeaton's Daughter visits the Works--Last Stone laid--Light advertized--Lighthouse described--Action of the Sea and of Stormy Weather upon the Lighthouse--Internal Economy of the Lighthouse--Arrangements on Shore--Signals--Curious Accident--The Carr Rock Beacon 74

CHAPTER VIII.

LIGHTHOUSES ON SAND AND CAST-IRON LIGHTHOUSES.

Floating Lights--Objections to--Mitchell's Screw-moorings-- Experiments on the Maplin Sand--Foundation--Erection of Screw-pile Lighthouse--Details of the Wyre Lighthouse--Proposed Lighthouse on the Goodwin Sands--Metallic Lighthouses--Advantages of Metal over Stone--Details of Cast-iron Lighthouse at Morant Point, Jamaica 101

CHAPTER IX.

THE LIGHTHOUSE SYSTEM.

Imperfect Illumination of the old Lighthouses--First Improvements--The Argand Lamp and Reflecting Mirrors--Revolving Lights--The Catoptric System--Varieties of Lights--The Dioptric System--Its Details--Introduction of this Method into Great Britain--Comparison of the two Methods--The Drummond and Voltaic Lights--Gurney's Lamp--Captain Basil Hall's Experiments--Ventilation of Lighthouses 110

SMEATON AND LIGHTHOUSES.