342 /11

tempest so scevere that those who had ven- tured to predict the downfall of Smcaton's tower were heard to sav, when the storm ceasced, that il the Iiddystone Tighthouse 1s

now standing, 1t will stand to the Dav oof

Judgment.”

Smeaton hunsel, although conscious of

the strengih ol his great work, was sometinmes anxious for its safety, and often he might have been scen i the aoly grev of the morning, standing on Plvimouth Hoc, gazinge with his telescope m the direction o the rock —-his sole thought beimmg of his hicht housce. Smceaton’s tower would be marking the reef to-day but for the fact that the sca had gradually undermimed the rock upon which 1t stood, to such an extent that the oscillation of the building became so alarming as to render it unsafe. It was accordingly aban- doned, and 1w 1877 1t was dccided to crect a new highthouse, more commochous and comfort- able than the old one, the result beig the present structure, designed by Mr. James (afterwards Sir James) N. Douglass, en- gmecr-in-chict of the Trinity THouse.

Before relmquishing the subject of Smeaton’s light- house 1t 15 desirable to cxplain that, after the completion of the new one, 1t was taken down

oreat engincer, on the site formerly oc-

cupicd for about two centuries by the Trinity Landmark : the Jower portion still remaining intact on the rocky as a dis-

tinguishing mark, an iron pole heing fixed m its centre. The old tower 1s now a show- place, so that visitors can inspect the mterior of the historie cdifice. as well as some portraits and relics of 1ts founder, including a copy ol his famous narrative, carclully preserved inoa glass case. Ino the lantern hangs the original chandclier as used 1759 —two circular frames (a0 large one suspended beneath o smaller) carrying twenty-four wax candles of six to the pound a method of illumination which, although decidedly primitive i these days, was a great improvement on the old system (fires Dlazing in open grates and, later, candles

ST R AN

CHANDELILR, 1750,

Lo ()[‘ th(f [‘HH[ SAUEATON'S room and re-erected on Plymouth Ioc, as a memorial to the

G ALINT

shaded by horne or glass) that had hitherto prevailed.

The present Loddystone Tighthouse, opened mo1ss2, was completed e threc-and-a-half vears, and 1s founded on the actual body of the reof at a distance of forty yards from its predecessor. s James Douglass greatly improved upon Smeaton’s design in adopting 2 evimdrical base instead of the curved shalt

commencimg at the foundation—this hasc not onlv preventing the heavy scas [rom

breaking upon the structure, but affording a convenient landing platform a convenicnce much appreciated by the keepers. Opera- tions 1 connection with - the Douglass lghthouse were begunm Julv, 1878, the men during the carly stage being compelled to work helesw the Tevel of Tow water : and about twelve months later the foundation stone was laid by the Duke of Edin- burgh, Master of the Trinity Touse, who, (wo vears subscequently, also placed in position the top stone of the tower, The work (says Mr. 15, Price Fdwards, 1 his coneiscly- written volume on the subject) was executed more rapidly in propor- tion to dimensions than any rock highthouse pre- viously undertaken, this owing chicfly to superior mechanical contrivances ; and 1t o1s satisfactory to lcarn that no loss of lifc or himb o resulted there- from, although o stramge and nearly fatal accrdent happenced to o the son of Sir James Douglass, who, while superintending the demolition of the Smeaton tower, was standing at a hoight of joft. above the sea when a portion of the cham guvs of the shears gave way, and, striking him, hurled him to the rocks below. Al s colleagues thouzht he was killed, but at the erntical moment a wave rose over the rock, and he fell nto the water and was carried by the receding wave out of danger. A\ great deal of interesting miormation respecting the present hizhthousc may bhe gathered from Mr. Price Edwards’s littde book, from whenee we learn that the stones are of granite, dovetaled together, and up to a height of z2sft. above high-water level the tower is solid, with the exception of a large water tank et ointo it IFrom the same level to the centre of the lantern 1s