The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-07-19

e,
totally consumed Two wears later Mr. Smeaton
was engaged in founding the present edihce. On
the 10th October 1883, the lights were frst ex-
hibited and have never since ceased to shine from
sunset TO sunrise.
AS the lighthouse stations multiplied, 1t became
necessary 10 contrive some distinguishing mark by
which the pilot might determine the one he sought.
Various forms and changes of the light were, there
FORE introduced accomplishing nine varieties, name
w. the fixed white, revolving white, revolving red
and white, revolving red and two whites, revolving
white and two reds, flashing, intermittent, double
fixed white, double revolving white. As the red
rays penetrate little more than half as far as the
white, light must consist of red alone, especially
as even white will look red through dry haze.
The other colors less penetrating still, and there
fore wholly unfit
Through the perseverance of Mr.. Hume, par
liamentary committee was appointed IN 1884 to IN
vestigate the condition and administration of British
lighthouses AS usual, great msmanagement was
proved TO exist, combined with an uncertainty and
inconsistency in the charges and tolls levied upon
shipping, which must have occasioned considerable
injury to our commerce.
Some curious anomalies were also exposed IN the
levying of tolls on vessels for the supposed advan-
tage of the lights. Thus throughout England
duty of I'D. to 3D. per ton was levied on every yes
sci passing lighthouse, the rate varying with
every light, which had its distinct rules and system
ship that passed one light paid certain rate per
ton for the whole number, and no more, If It went
the entire circuit Of the coast In the voyage from
Leh to London, therefore, vessel of l42 tons
would pay Fl 9s. 7td. for the Scottish lights,
though it passed only one of them; and would have
"a lis Sd. charged for the nineteen English light
houses passed between Berwick and London.
Yarmouth vessel also, bound for the Thames, but
driven by stress of weather to the FIRTH of Forth,
would pay for the whole series of Scotch lights,
though it had used none, having only been driven
into their waters. In Ireland the charge was made
at certain rates the tonnage of every ship enter
ing an Irish port whether it had passed lighthouse
or not.
In consequence of the report of the committee
of 1884, the act 6 e. Z Will Nv. was passed Under
this statute all the private rights in lighthouses
were extinguished and bought up by the Trinity
house, at a cost Of no less than Fl l82, 546-such
the presumed value of these Indispensable
monopolies.
In Scotland the earliest lighthouse was that of
Cambrae, on little Cambria Island, built in 1855, |
and rebuilt in 1893. The Leith light was estab-
lished in $780, and that on Cape Wrath, completed |
in 1876, is visible for twenty-s mes-being the |
widest range of any British light. The Bell Rock,
finished in 1911, at cost of Eel 1881, and the
Skerryvore lighthouse, in Argyleshire, completed
lately as 1874, for which the estimated cost was
f3l 500, the works of most interest in an en-
gineering point Of view Enormous difficulties |
were overcome in the construction of these edhces,
and both remain triumphs of British skill and sci
ence. The height of the Bell Rock tower is 100
feet that of the Skeryvore, 1873 feet inches. In
the lantern of the former there were "a paraboic
rehectors, each IL inches across the tips, and con-
tanning f2l worth of silver its polished surface.
Ireland first possessed lighthouse in 1858, at
Poalbeg, at the entrance of the Dublin river. The
Balbrggen light was erected in the following year
that on Clare Island in 1907, and is visible for Is
miles. Cape Clear and Arran lights were built in
1877. The Scellig Rock lighthouse was the most
expensive of the Irish beacons, costing f4l ,65l.
The Isle of Man has seven lights, that of the Calf
being the chief Two beacons, one in Denbyhaven,
built 1853, and another in Castletown harbor built
in l765, are intended to aid the herring fishery and
are lighted only during that season.
AT present the British system Of lighthouses re-
mains under the control of three boards, viz:
|. The Trlnity-house Brotherhood, consisting Of
81 members, ii of whom are honorary, and the
rest more or less connected with commerce or ship
ping. Established about 1853.
2 The Commissioners of Northern Lights, hold
ing jurisdiction over the Scotch and Isle of Man
lighthouses, consisting of 25 members, being She
riffs and county magistrates. Established 1856.
g. The Dublin Harbor Corporation, otherwise
called the Ballast Board, to whom committed,
in 1910 the custody of the Irish lights, consists of
20 members, chosen for life among the chief mer-
chants and bankers, together with the mayor and
the sheriifs Of Dublin for the time being. One day
in each week the board sits for lighthouse purposes
number of small lights remain under the con-
troll of local authorities and harbor trustees, &c
The system of lights administered by the three
boards above mentioned, comprised, in the year
ls44-Trinity house, IS fixed and % floating lights
Northern Light Commissioners, 80 fixed, 2 float
ing; Dublin Board 81 fixed, floating local and
harbour lights made up grand total of 3l2 British
lighthouses The cost OF maintaining the public
lIOhf fha ahaut
for the fixed, and FL 200 for the floating lights.
The gross sum collected by the three boards for $50
lights, Qocal and harbor being exclusively was
f349 AIS OF this el3l ,036 was expended in main
tenance and fl5,sl4 in charges of collection, leav-
ing a surplus Of fl96, 63l on the years receipts.