The Tide, for the first time, does not overflow the Building.
The builders landed to-day at a quarter past 12 noon, and remained seven hours and three quarters, when they laid 11 blocks, while the landing-master’s crew transported 46 stones to the Rock. The tide’s work was now so much lengthened, that time was afforded for boring the trenail holes into the course below, fixing the trenails and wedges, and grouting up the perpendicular joints with pozzolano mortar, in a more deliberate manner than when the work was lower in the water. It was remarked to-day, with no small demonstration of joy, that the tide—being neap—did not, for the first time, overflow the building at high-water. Flags were accordingly hoisted, on the Beacon-house, and crane on the top of the Building, which were repeated from the Floating-light, Light-house Yacht, Tender, Smeaton, Patriot, and the two Praams. A salute of three guns was also fired from the Yacht at high-water, when all the artificers being collected on the top of the building, three cheers were given, in testimony of this important circumstance. A glass of rum was then served out to all hands on the Rock, and on board of the respective ships.
Number of Joiners reduced. Balance Crane begun.
Having thus got the Light-house above the sea-level in ordinary neap-tides, and the Beacon into a habitable state, while the Railway operations were confined to the western reach, it was now found expedient to diminish the number of mill-wrights and joiners at the Rock. At this period, the writer went to Edinburgh to attend a general meeting of the Commissioners of the Northern Light-houses, and to report the advanced state of the works,—news which was received with the greatest satisfaction by the Board. He also visited the Shotts Iron-works, and took measures for the immediate construction of a Crane, upon a new principle. This had occupied his attention, along with the general scheme of the work. But, since the unfortunate accident which happened to Wishart, by the fall of the Moveable-beam-crane, it had became more apparently necessary, as the increasing height of this machine rendered the guy-tackles too taunt, to use a sailor’s expression for any thing that is high, or when the ropes, which support a spar or mast, form too small an angle at the top. Instead of these unmanageable tackles, the upright shaft of the new crane was to be kept in an erect position by a balance-weight acting upon the opposite end of the loaded working-beam, which was thus to be kept in a state of equilibrium. As Mr Watt, foreman of the Beacon and Railway works, could now be spared from the Rock for a time, he was sent to Shotts to get the patterns made for this machine, and other implements connected with the progress of the higher parts of the building; from whence the castings were sent to Edinburgh to be fitted up.
Sunday, 9th.
Tenth course completed.
On the writer’s return to the Bell Rock to-day, it appeared from the notes of the foreman builder, and log-book of the landing-master, that the work had made very good progress, of which the building itself bore testimony, being now about 13 feet in height. The wind was at N.E. this morning, and blowed so fresh that a landing could not be made till a quarter past 4 o’clock P. M., when the closing-stone of the Tenth course was laid, after three hours and a quarter’s work; but the landing-master’s crew could not approach the Rock with the praam-boats.
Monday, 10th.
Twenty of the artificers landed this morning at half-past 5, and continued at work till half-past 7. Again, in the evening, the work was resumed at 6, and continued till a quarter from 9. The artificers were employed to-day in dressing off and completing the last laid course. Still the wind being from the N.E., accompanied with a heavy sea, the praams could not approach the Rock, and consequently no materials were landed.
Tuesday, 11th.