The Sun.
London, England, 1840-09-14 00:00:00

ERECTION OF A SAFETY BE. A . -
CON ON GOODWIN SANDS:, •
- :
On Saturday information Was eceiVed in town tha\\
ltobeeka:onirobset
rinNeiraeidesibtyle,stsatseka.muenrd.Beret yey,prithetVf;c_Ca,.stlnptgari.nsmlt.eletwlE:g
beacon on the Goodwin Sands, a vits'c,c,n, Tiles-frasse4
the town of Deal, bad been succe iktily*eomplisired-,-;./
by which it is hoped to avert the dreg, l'ficisk-,7llife by'-
shipwreck which has to frequently occlllsii(fit part;
of the British channel.
To the high credit of Captain Bullock this desirable.,
object was accomplished on Thursday afternoon last,. .
under his superiatendence and that of Captain Boys,:
superintendent of the Naval Store Department of
Captain Bullock has been lorg engaged in caraying -
cut the above object, and in the arduous duty of cor-
recting the charts in various parts of the globe, and is :,
now doing so under the authority of Government in .
the waters of England. He commenced at Westmin- .
stcr-bridge and proceeded towards the Land's-end, which ,
is at present undergoing his survey. Tan 's-
he has
succeeded in erecting consists of a column about forty •
feet above the level of the sea, having elects and ropes
attached to four of its shies, with holds for hands and ,
feet. At the summit of the column is attached a ,
gallery of hexagon form, made of trellis work, and
capable of holding twenty persons at one time. Above
the gallery, and in continuation of the column, is a flag- •
staff ten feet long, thus making the entire beacon filrye
feet in height: The sides of the gallery are so con-
structed as to enable the persons in it to be covered in.
with sail-cloth, which is reefed in and round it, and can
be used at pleasure ; as also an awning to pass over
it, which is fixed to the flag-staff ; thus entirely pro-
tecting any unfortunate mariner who may seek shelter
on the column from foul and tempestuous weather. A
barrel of fresh water, together with a painted hag en-
closing a flag of distress, is stationed on the gallery, and
the words " Hoist the flag" painted in the languages
of all nations on boards stationed round the inner part
of the gallery, so that the foreigner as well as native sea-
man may be enabled to show a signal of distress, and ob.
tam help from shore, which is about seven miles from
the beacon. The means by which the beacon has been
erected in so extraordinary a place as the Goodwin
Sands, are as follow :—The foundation of the' column
is several feet below the surface of the sand, and is se
cl -
cured in the centre of a stout oak platform, extldirlg
from it on either side several yards. This is secure('
by upwards of two tons of pig iron ballast being las he
to it. In addition to this, eight stout iron bars, ea al
six feet long, are driven obliquely on each quarter of tin:
column, and two also put at a distance of twelve feet:
on each quarter, and chains attached to them, comma-.
nicating with the upper part of the column and thea
gallery. The sands for three or four hours during'
the tides are high and dry, and present a fine tract.:
of level extending for several miles. Great num,.
hers of visitors from Ramsgate and Deal attended tin,
erection of this tribute to humanity. The first persont
to mount it was Lieut. (3. Boycs, a young and intrepid_
officer, who, on reaching the summit, hoisted his hand-
kerchief, a fac simile to a union jack. ;The indefatigable
exertions of Captain Bullock, Captain Boyes, Lieute-
nant Parvey, and Mr. C. B. Yule, second officer of the
Boxer, and the other officers and men engaged in the
undertaking, are deserving of the highest praise, they
being compelled to work for several hours up to their
kneas in water. Several visitors afterwards ascended.
the column, and testified in the strongest terms their
approbation of this stupendous work for the benefit of
humanity.