Wednesday, 1st.
The boats landed to-day at 11 A. M., but the tides being neap, the water went off very slowly, and it was 12 noon before it left the site of the building. After continuing at work one hour and three quarters, the artificers left the rock with all hands, when the tender immediately got under weigh, or rather cast off from her moorings, by simply letting go one end of the mooring hawser, and sailed for Arbroath. But the wind being N.N.W., it was 8 o’clock P. M. before she got into the harbour.
Saturday, 4th.
First course finished to-day. Its cubical contents, &c.
This being the birth-day of King George III., who now entered into the 70th year of his age, and 50th of his reign, a considerable effort was made to get the first entire course of the building laid upon the platform at Arbroath, where it was to be marked and numbered, and made ready for shipping for the Rock. It may seem strange, that after continuing the operations of the work-yard for about twelve months, there should only have been but one course ready to ship for the Rock. Such also was the difficulty of procuring granite of a large size, that this course was obliged to be hewn of the thickness of only one foot. The chief advantage of thick courses in water buildings, besides a saving of hewing, is that of getting sooner out of the reach of the tide, there being nearly as much time necessary for laying a thin course as a thick one. The stones for the first entire course were not quarried particularly for it, but were taken from the whole materials in the yard. The enumeration of the various kinds and quantity of work in this single course of the Light-house, may perhaps surprise the reader. Though only one foot in thickness, it contained 508 feet cubic of granite in outward casing; 876 feet cubic of Mylnefield stone in the hearting; 104 tons of solid contents; 132 feet superficial of hewing in the face work; 4519 feet superficial of hewing in the beds, joints and joggles; 420 feet lineal boring of trenail holes; 378 feet lineal cutting for wedges; 246 oaken trenails; 378 oaken wedges in pairs.
Certainty of commencing building this season.
In the work-yard, about sixty stone cutters were employed in hewing and preparing the various courses of the solid part of the building. Stones were now got pretty readily from Mylnefield quarry; and besides the quarries at Aberdeen, others had been opened near Peterhead, belonging to Mr John Hutchison, which produced a great many fine blocks. As much of the Aberthaw limestone had been broken and prepared for burning as would charge the kiln. A number of casks of the capacity of about 32 gallons, had also been provided and were ready to be filled, in equal numbers, of clean sharp sand, lime and pozzolano earth, in the state of fine powder. After much trouble and correspondence with timber-merchants in Leith, London, and other parts, a considerable quantity of trenails and wedges of British oak were procured, which were to be used in connecting the courses of the solid part of the building, while the works were low, and in danger of being washed away or injured by the sea. These oaken trenails and wedges were made up in bundles, containing about 20. In short, every thing was in a state of readiness in the work-yard, for building the first three courses of the Light-house. The preparations for its foundation at the Rock were now also in considerable forwardness, and the works, upon the whole, put on an appearance which left no doubt as to the commencement of the building this season.
Artificers sail for the Rock.
The writer sailed from Arbroath in the evening of the 6th of June in the Tender, with a fine breeze of northerly wind, having on board 34 artificers, consisting of masons, smiths, mill-wrights and joiners, besides the landing master’s crew, consisting of twelve seamen, who worked the ship. There were also on board Mr Peter Logan, foreman builder; Mr Francis Watt, foreman mill-wright; Mr James Dove, foreman smith; Mr James Wilson, landing master; Mr David Taylor, master; Mr William Reid, mate, and Mr John Peters, steward, counting in all fifty-four persons. The weather was clear, and the vessel had no sooner got out of the harbour, than the lights of the float were distinctly seen; and before day-break, the Tender was made fast to her moorings off the Bell Rock.
Tuesday, 7th.