At 11 A. M., the boats landed, with much difficulty to-day, in order to ascertain the state of the building and apparatus. On examination it was happily found, that none of the stones were lost, and that those observed yesterday to have been lifted off their beds, were the three which had not been trenailed, but which being fortunately confined by two of the jumpers or boring-irons left in the trenail holes of the lower course, were thus held in their places. After laying these stones, the remainder of this tide, which lasted for three hours and a quarter, was occupied in grouting or filling the perpendicular joints, and plastering them over with Parker’s Roman cement, to preserve the pozzolano mortar. At this period, it not only happened to be rough weather, but the building being now at that height, relatively to the tides, which seamen term “Between wind and water,” the upper part of the work was exposed to the wash of every wave towards high-water. It was, therefore, often found necessary to repeat the grouting of the same joints with mortar several times. As the evening tide fell wholly under night, the building artificers did not land; but the squad employed at the Beacon and Railways remained at the Rock throughout the day, and were, indeed, only restrained from taking up their quarters also for the night, in consequence of a positive injunction which the writer thought it prudent to enforce, until the Beacon should be in a more habitable state.
Wednesday, 21st.
22 stones laid.
The artificers employed at the Beacon landed upon it this morning at 7 o’clock; and, at a quarter past 11, the builders landed, and continued at work till 4 P. M., having had five hours’ and a quarter’s work, when 22 stones were laid. The landing-master’s crew, at the same time, transported 19 blocks to the Rock with the praam-boats, which completely discharged the Smeaton of her cargo of 32 stones, four casks of pozzolano, and a similar quantity of cement, lime, and sand, with four bundles of trenails, and the like number of wedges, when she immediately left her moorings.
Thursday, 22d.
Great waste of mortar.
The artificers landed upon the Rock this morning at half-past 11, and, from the advanced state of the building, they were enabled to continue at work for six hours and a half, being the longest tide’s work which had yet been got upon the Rock by the building artificers. During this tide only four stones were laid, but the time was otherwise occupied in boring, trenailing, wedging, and grouting the joints of the stones last built. From the great waste of mortar, owing to the wash of the sea, in the present stage of the building, the usual proportions of its ingredients were not found sufficient for the courses in hand; and having no conveniency for keeping more than a few casks on the Beacon, while it was an object to have the lime always fresh, it was found necessary to dispatch a boat to-day express to Arbroath, for additional supplies of pozzolano, lime and sand.
Friday, 23d.
The work commenced at 12 noon, and continued six hours and a quarter; but, owing to the roughness of the weather, no stones were laid to-day, as, notwithstanding every precaution in pointing the joints with cement, the mortar was continually washed away. This tide was, therefore, occupied in the operation of grouting, and securing the mortar with tow, loaded with pieces of iron laid horizontally along such of the joints as were accessible to this, which had the effect of preserving them until the cement dried sufficiently to defend it against the wash of the sea.