The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1902-12-25


Ago on the seilly rslands.
Leisure Hosrs: Nowhere can the
story Of the lishthouse--its value. its
principles. It's history. It's romance
be more ftly studied or illustrated than
TN the so-calisd English archipelago.
that storm-swept group Of rocks 40
miAS on the Cornish coast, that We
name the sciily Isles. Very fair and
very treacherous are these lonely.
beautiful islets. Here in the genial.
temperate climate engendered by the
encIrclIng blossoms open a full month
ere yet the mainland has rid itself Of
its winter ice and snow Here the
healthful breezes blow pure and un-
tainted on the Atlantic. the sky In clear
and the water is OF the rarcst shades Of
green and blue rs II laps around the
fantastic carved cliffs and rocks New
ertheless, each OF these rocks Is but as
n grim monument TO graveyard
spread around II. Beneath the waters
the sunken wrecks lie strewn as no.
where else about our coasts. Hidden
reefs, raging seas. powerful currents,
dense fogs, one and all have had their
share in destruction. and a tale OF death
and disaster hangs on every rock and
ledge
The frst lighthouse on the scilly
Isles was erected in the year 1881.
There had been an agitation for this
much needed beacon for some time pre-
viously, though. to tell the truth, this
had not emanatcd from the islanders
themselves. Nor In this altogether to
be wondered at Remote from the
mainland. rarely visited, badly govern
ed. the Scillonians were hard put to II
at times to make bare living from
the scanty produce Of their rocky isles:
nor can we marvel that they regarded
the wreck OF some richiy-laden vessel
upon their shores In the light OF an un-
mixed blessing. and prayed to their pa
tron saint. ST. Warna, that many anoth-
CT such might be delivered into their
hands. Wreckers they certainly some
Of them were. and the evil reputation
long clung to them; and II was right In
the hotbed OF this iniquity. ST. Agnes.
fourth OF the inhabited islands. that
the lighthouse was established. The
erection OF this building-220 years ago
was the most important work that
the corporation OF Trinity House-that
ancient and august body that controls
our coastwise lights-had yet attempt
ed, and they were assisted by the gov
ernment to the extent OF being lent
yacht and given the right 10 purchase
their materials includlng plenty OF
best English heart-oak'') h from the ma
val stores nj Plymouth. II IL this self
same venerable structure (subject only
f..- k,N
to this day upon ST. Agnes, where It's
sturdy white bulk forms as striking n
beacon by day as Its half-minute
white flashes do by night. Under Its
shelter are grouped the few stone
houses that contain the hundred or 80
OF population that the qauint little
islet boasts. The tower itself IL 20 feet
high, large and roomy within. with
antiquated wooden staircase climbing
up past little windows set In wall sew
eral feet thick.
Arrived at the top we enter the Ian
tern. but before VIC examine the inter-
esting mechanism Of the light II con
tains, we will pause to notice wide
circle painted upon the stone floor
This marks the position OF the "cres-
set" that originally and for very many
Identical cresset itself can still be seen
In the gardens OF the neighboring Is
land OF Tresco. where the scarlet eeran-
ium with which II In filed from peace
full E ltion Of the flames II once con-
taineu. II is large iron receptacle
with open bars at the top, and II was
burned a coal fire. which simple meth
cd of illumination--or the yet more
primitive one OF circle OF tallow can
dies ranged on a hoop-was the only
one In vogue TIL the end Of the 18th
century. In most cases where the eros
set nre was used II stood on an open
platform on the top OF the tower. Need
les to say, the light II gave was feeble
and inefficient. Great care was needed
to prevent its total extinction in heavy
| rain or spray. and when a strong wind
/. blew from the sea nj the fire would be
blown to the landward side, and the
seaward front would give no light. At
St Agnes the top OF the tower was in
closed In a glass lantern. but this, II
anything, made matters worse. There
was not enough draft to make the coal
burn fercely. and the smoke would COL
lect inside the lantern and dim the
light and befoul the glass. Moreover,
In such remote spot as the Scilly Isles
supervision was difficult, and lightkeep-
ers In consequence careless. The fire
was often badly tended. and some times
allowed to go out altogether. II was
hinted that the local weakness for
wreckage had on one occasion affected
even the guardian OF the light him
self, and that plunder from lost ship
was found concealed In the coal which
should have been burning to warn II
from destruction. Be this as II may, IL
Is certain that the light was often In
visible from ST. Mary's, only two miles
distant.
/ Nevertheless. the antiquated cresset
continued In use doubtless because no
more efficient substitute had yet been
, invented I'll 1890. when Trinity House
replaced II with 30 Argand lamps. fitted
with sllvered refiectors and mounted on
revolving framework worked by
. clockwork machinery 20 produce the
well-known effect Of the clash" This
arrangement is known as the "catop-
tric" system. as opposed TO the now
more general 'dlOptric," where tn,
brilliance Of the light is augmented b,
lenses placed In front Of instead Of re.
fectors placed behind the lamps
/ modified and improved development ol
the ancient catOptric light. placed al
st. Agnes more than 100 years ago, still
continues to illumine this, one OF tho
Oldest OF existing lighthouses In Eng
land, and to such good purpose that II
throws It's beam (of 25. 900 candlepow
a.. s.tf