At this critical period, Mr Adam Duff, then Sheriff of Forfarshire, now of the county of Edinburgh, and ex officio one of the Commissioners of the Northern Light-houses, happened to be at Arbroath. Mr Duff took an immediate interest in representing the circumstances of the case to the Board of Customs at Edinburgh. But such were the doubts entertained on the subject, that, on having previously received the appeal from the Collector at Montrose, the case had been submitted to the consideration of the Lords of the Treasury, whose decision was now waited for.
Operations at the Rock while the vessels were under embargo.
In this state of things, the writer felt particularly desirous to get the Thirteenth course finished, that the building might be in a more secure state, in the event of bad weather. An opportunity was therefore embraced on the 25th, in sailing with provisions for the Floating-light, to carry the necessary stones to the Rock for this purpose, which were landed and built on the 26th and 27th. But so closely was the watch kept up, that a Customhouse-officer was always placed on board of the Smeaton and Patriot while they were afloat, till the embargo was specially removed from the Light-house vessels. The artificers at the Bell Rock had been reduced to fifteen, who were regularly supplied with provisions, along with the crew of the Floating-light, mainly through the port-officer’s liberal interpretation of his orders. After completing the Thirteenth course, they were employed in erecting a kind of stool or prop of masonry on the western side of the building, for which the stones had fortunately been landed previous to the embargo. This prop, as will be understood by examining the second year’s work of [Plate IX.], consisted of large blocks of stone, measuring 5 feet in length, 2 feet 6 inches in breadth, and 15 inches in thickness, and, when completed, it was 6 feet in height, and 6 feet square at the top, so that the men in working the crane had a sufficient space for standing. By this means, the foot of the lower crane was elevated 6 feet above the Rock, which, added to the length of the working-beam, made a height of about 18 feet, and, in the present state of the building, the stones were thus raised to the level of the last built course. The crane on the top of the building, with which the stones were laid, was, therefore, now only employed to take them from the lower crane, instead of lifting them at once from the waggons on the Railway. During this period, also, the Beacon-house and Railways were completely overhauled, and matters of minor importance attended to, which were obliged to be left behind when the works were going on briskly.
1809, August.
The embargo is taken off the Light-house vessels.
The Lords of the Treasury had no sooner received the appeal from the Board of Customs at Edinburgh, than an order was issued for all vessels and boats belonging to the service of the Commissioners of the Northern Light-houses, to be released and permitted to sail upon their respective voyages. But before this order could be made effective, ten days of the finest weather of the season had elapsed. Every one connected with the work had now become impatient to be again at work, when the writer had the happiness to receive a letter from Mr Charles Cuningham, Secretary to the Commissioners of the Northern Light-houses, stating that an order might be expected to reach the Collector of the Customs at Montrose on the 30th. Mr Kennedy was consequently sent to Montrose to wait the arrival of the post, which happened at midnight, when Mr Paton the Collector, with much attention, gave immediate orders for the liberation of the Bell Rock vessels; and as both the Smeaton and Patriot were loaded and ready for sea, they sailed from Arbroath on Sunday the 30th, with the wind at E.S.E., and arrived at their moorings at the Rock early on the 31st.
The necessity of stopping the Bell Rock shipping doubted, under any circumstances.
On the subject of this embargo, as applicable to the boats and vessels in the Bell Rock service, it would be difficult, and perhaps improper, to give any opinion regarding the discretion or prudence exercised by the Officers of the Customs, especially as the Board itself found it necessary to appeal to the Treasury for instructions. If, however, the Superior Officers at Montrose, aware of all the circumstances of this peculiar case, had allowed the work at the Bell Rock to proceed, till special orders could have been received on this peculiar point, there is reason to believe it would not have been called in question by the Board of Customs at Edinburgh. But when the vessels were peremptorily stopped, and the matter brought formally under its notice, an appeal to the Treasury was considered indispensable.
Tuesday, 1st.