Saturday, 30th.
Tender sails for Arbroath.
The Tender left her moorings at the Rock this morning for Arbroath, with such of the artificers as could be spared. Those left shifted on board of the Smeaton, and were to be employed at the Beacon, and in laying the Railways, now much wanted, for transporting the stones along the Rock. They also attended to the arrangement of the materials landed upon the site of the building, where, from the lowness of its situation, they lay in safety. In the work-yard considerable progress had now been made with the Second entire course of the building, and after much trouble, the necessary blocks of granite had at length come to hand, for completing it, but still many stones were wanting for the higher ones.
1808, August.
August, Wednesday, 3d.
Returns to the Rock.
The Tender sailed this afternoon from Arbroath, having on board two of the cranes already alluded to, as in preparation for the work, upon a new construction, as will be seen in [Plate XIV.] These were intended to be erected on the site of the building, for laying the stones in a more perfect and expeditious manner than had hitherto been followed in operations of this kind. She carried also forty-seven persons, including artificers and seamen; but as the winds were light, little progress was made during the afternoon, for, as yet, the utility of the Steam-boat, in cases of this kind, had not been developed.
Thursday, 4th.
Four stones laid.
At 4 o’clock this morning the Tender reached her moorings, and was made fast to the south-west buoy, as laid down upon [Plate V.] At 5 o’clock, 32 artificers and 11 seamen landed upon the Rock, from three boats. The landing-master’s crew transported one of the cranes from on board of the Tender, on one of the praams, and landed it at high-water upon the Rock. Having again landed in the evening, the foundation-pit was cleared of water by 6 o’clock, when the Crane was set up and properly guyed with ropes. The center-stone and three others were then laid with mortar, and trenailed to the Rock. After two hours’ work, the site of the building was again overflowed, and at 8 o’clock the artificers returned on board of the Tender.