Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 December 1892 — LONE ROCK OF THE SEA [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

LONE ROCK OF THE SEA

THE FAMOUS BEACON AT EDDYSTONE ROCK. A lAghthouge Which Hm Had Several Predecessors. One Having Been Swept Away with Its Builder—Vainly Assailed hy Terrible Storms. , Guides the Mariner. Of all lighthouses the most familiar is the noble structure which proudly rears its head above the dangerous Eddystone rock, on the English coast. The earliest intimation of a lighthouse on the Eddystone dates back as faf ps 1664, when the proposal was made by Sir John Corryton and ; Henry Bruuker, but nothing further transpired regarding the scheme. The first lighthouse was built by : Henry Wipgtanley, who began his difficult task in 1696 and completed it four later. The structure was of vrodd, and Winstanley soon discovered that it was not strong enough to withstand the terrible storm which roll in from the Atlantic. Accordingly he remodeled and strengthened it considerably, and it being.intimated to the architect that the lighthouse would certainly be overset, he replied that he should only wish to be there in the greatest storm in order to see 'its effect ujrotr the structure. His wish was gratified, for a dreadful tempest raged in 1703. while he and

his workmen and lightjeeepers were in the building, which carried away the lighthouse and its inmates, and all perished in the sea, the only sign remaining being the larger irons whereby the , work was fixed to the rock. It is 'regarded by the Strand Magazine as very remarkable that at the same time this catastrophe happened the model lighthouse at Winstanley's residence in Essex fell down yind was broken to pieces. Other Structures Blown Aw ay.

It being absolutely necessary, as navigation increased, that a guiding light shouid tie maintained upon this reef, so fraught with danger to mariners, it was decided to construct a second lighthouse, and in 1706 John Rudyerd (a comnion laborer's son, who rose to the position of a silk mercer on Ludgate Hill) commenced to build, one of wood upon a stone and timber foundation, the general design—a cone-shaped column—being much more appropriate. With the third Eddystone lighthouse is associated the more familiar name of John Smeaton, who in 1759 completed a tower entirely of stone, which was considered at the time as one of the wonders of the world. The

tower ‘ was built of moorstone (the ‘ true graDlte), found in the neighborhood of Plymouth, and the first block ■ was laid on a Sunday in June, 1757, 1 J4?Aexsct;date being deeply incised ‘ tethirstone itself, and after four upon the rock, hindered innumerable obstacles and dan--fee£6,,the lighthouse was satisfactorily (SJftpleted without any loss of life or li&b, Evejry was ingeniously dovetailed t# its nelghbo)*, and so was the whoi& structure •fchat the most violent storms had no would freguently enwrap the tower like a sheet, raking at times to douWe its'height and totally hiding • <t frdm view. fltn i(f 4iFrawatUckUu>OM. The prdfcent Eddystone lighthouse, Opened in 1882, was completed in three and a half years, and is founded on tWe actual body of the reef at a v distance of forty yards from its predecessor. Sir James Douglass greatly improved upon Smeaton’s design in adopting a cylindrical base instead of the curved shaft commencing at the foundation—this base not only preventing the heavy seas from breaking upon the structure, but affording a convenient landing platform. Operation* in connection With the Dougduring t&eeariy'stage being compelled to »*ork below the

level of low water, and about twelve months later the foundation stone was laid by the Duke of Edinburgh, who, two years later, also placed In position the.top stone, of the tower. The stones are of granite, dove-tailed together, and up to a height of twenty-five feet above highwater level the tower is solid, witli the exception of a large water tank let Into it. From the same level to the center of the lantern is 130 feet, that is, nearly double the height of Smeaton’s tower. It contains nine compartments, as compared with four in Smeaton's, and all the rooms have domed ceilings, their height from floor to apex being 9 feet 9 inches, and the diameter 14 feet,

with the exception of the two oil rooms, which are somewhat smaller.

On learning that no journalist, intent on describing the Eddystone lighthouse, had hitherto succeeded in landing on this most difficult rock, my eagerness to attempt the feat was considerably emphasized. The steam tug Deerhound, specially chartered for the relief, is in readi-

ness, and our party includes the principal light-keeper, an assistant keeper, two skilled mechanics for lighthouse repairs, and three or four visitors who are curious to inspect the lonely sea home for which we are bound. When stores are taken in and everybody is on board, the signal is given, and off we start in a southerly direction. Making a Perilous Landing. When the tug arrived close to the rock anchor was cast and a couple of lines were thrown on board from those on the reef. With these the tug was made fast how on to the lighthouse, and then a strong rope is let down from a crime on the tower and made fast on the visiting boat. Each of those desiring to land grasps this line, puts ins foot in a loop attached thereto and is then hoisted to the landing stage, experiencing meanwhile the thrilling sensation of hanging on a rope in midair, jerking and swaying over the boiling surf, with the salt spray dashing in his face. From the landing stage the entrance is approached by a ladder formed by a series of gun metal rungs let into the stonework, After our recent exertion we make for the kitchen and enjoy a plain, substantial meal, followed by a smoke and a chat; then, escorted by Tom Cuttiiig (third lightkeeper), I make a detour of the building. Under foot Is the water tank, capable of holding 3,500 gallons. The walls are nine feet thick at this point and the gun metal doors weigh a ton, thus massively constructed in erder to withstand the shock of heavy seas. The Light and Living Rooms. ; Thence, by a flight of sixteen steep ' iron steps (a similar flight connects ’ each room), we proceed to the next compartment, where, as well 31s In j that above it, is kept the mainstay

of the light. In these two oil-rooms the mineral oil is stored, each of the huge cisterns being capable of containing 140 gallons, a quantity which will not be much more than enough to last nine months. In the next compartment—the winchroom —are two doors for receiving stores from

the bout bv me ms of a sliding crane ; working through a porthole over ! either door, as well as for laudingand jVmharking in rough weather. Then ■••. nines the kitchen or livin ' room, where tne small party of three cook and eat their meals and enjoy their : leisure moments. Mill ascending, we rca fit the low | lightroom, devoted mainly to- an tip j paratus for giving a white, fixed subj sldiary light. The eighth compartj ment is the bedroom, having five ! berths, two above and three below, I with cretonne curtains, and below 1 arc cupboards for clothes; the two j speaking tubes fixed on the wall an | connected with the lantern and low | lightroom respectively, so that the j Keeper on night duty can easily com j municate with his sleeping matca should ;.n accident bapp n aad assistance he resulted. Considerable space is de~ot?d to t’.c two pressur* pumps for supplj mg oil to the lamps by means of weighted rums, which, being first raised by a pumping lever, descend gradually into th“ oiL sere, inn it up the pipes into the lumps The chief work performed in the service room is at night, when the light is going and the keeper is on duty. Intense Lights lor S trjiy Weather.

Surmounting the last flight of stairs, we enter the most interesting compartment of all, namely, the lantern. It is 16 feet high, 14 feet in diameter and cylindrical in form. The framings are made of steel, covered externally with gun metal, and there is a very careful arrangement for thorough ventilation, having regard to the great heat thrown off by the lamps. The lighting apparatus is the outcome of many costly experiments in optical science. The lamp is known as a Douglass improved sixwick burner —that is, one having six tubes of wick of varying sizes, the larger encircling the smaller, which, when burning, produce a solid flame equal to to the intensity of 722 standard sperm candles. Two such burners are fitted, one above the other, within the revolving drums, so that in bad weather flashes of enormous intensity are sent forth, the combined illuminating power being equivalent to 250,000 candles. The glass apparatus by which the effect of each burner is augmented and economized, consists of two twelve-sided drums, each six feet in height and each side or panel of which is formed by a central lens or bull’s eye and surrounded by concentric rings of larger bull’s eyes, so that the same effect is obtained as though a portion of one huge lens were employed. The two bull’s eyes of adjoining panels are brought close together, much resembling two eyes squinting; and on the rotation of the drums, with the inside central light burning, each bull’s eye and its surrounding rings carry round a concentrated beam of light, which becomes visible to the outside observer as soon as the focus of the bull’s eye falls upon him. A very short interyal occurs between the flash of the first bull's eye and that of the seeond, and after two such flashes nearly half a minute elapses before another pair ol squinting eyes comes round and discharges the two flashes; and thus is obtained the distinctive light of the Eddystone. The two drums are superimposed, with a lamp in each, so that in foggy weather, when both act together, a double lighting power is procurable. The monotonous round of duties carried on day by day so far away from their fellow men invariably induces, after the ttrst mouth, acute depression of spirits, the attack lasting from twelve to twenty-four hours, and, work being temporarily impossible, the sufferer remains in his berth until the sickness moderates, his mates filling his duties meanwhile. Every month (weather permitting) a relieving vessel goes out to the lighthouse. taking the man who has had

his month ashore and returning with the keeper who has completed his three months', but it frequently happens that the weather upsets their calculations, when communication by signal alone can be effected. In fine weather each man is on duty four hours and eight hours off, but when the atmosphere is thick there is double duty to perform, two men being on watch at the same time. At dusk the lamp is lighted, so I accompany the keeper into the interior of the glass drum, and observe how, with a spring grip, he raises the lamp chimney and ignites* the wicks; hut, being still daylight, the illumination is not brilliant, although it increases iu brightness as night comes on. The next proceeding is to wind up the gear which rotates the drums, and, as the weight to be lifted is equal to a ton, and the operation lasts about an hour, it is somewhat fatiguing. On a fine summer's day it is delightfully quiet iu the lantern; tut there are times, as the fury of the tempest beats upon the massive tower and the blinding flash of lightning permeates every apartment, when the men in their solitude cannot fail to be impressed hv the mighty power and majesty of nature’s forces. It was a terrible experience, ever to he remembered by the lightkeepers, when, on the night of the blizzard in March, 1891, the lantern was partly imbedded in snow, entirely obscuring the light on one side and effectually blocking yp the exit. The storm was of such severity that nothing could be done to clear away the obstruction till the next morning, when the tempest had abated.

A PERILOUS LANDING.

THE EDDYSTONE LIGHTHOUSE—A CALM EVENING.

EDDYSTONE LIGHTHOUSE—SECTIONAL VIEW

AFTER THE BLIZZARD.