An Account of the Bell Rock Light-House / Including the Details of the Erection and Peculiar Structure of That Edifice; to Which Is Prefixed a Historical View of the Institution and Progress of the Northern Light-Houses

by Robert Stevenson

Rate of Wages.

The weather still continuing very favourable for the operations, the work proceeded with much regularity and dispatch. Twenty stones were landed to-day from the Smeaton, and the artificers completed the Thirty-eighth or finishing course of the staircase, which brought the building to the height of 45 feet. As the walls were here reduced from 5 feet 9 inches to 3 feet 2 inches in thickness, the scarsement at the level of this course formed a kind of floor or bench 2 feet 7 inches in breadth, at the top of the staircase, intended for keeping the water-cisterns, fuel, and provisions. The laying of this course being attended with a good deal of additional trouble, the artificers were occupied with it from 5 o’clock in the morning till 8 in the evening, when all hands being collected on the building, three hearty cheers were given, and a dram served out, at the completion of the first floor. During this season, nine hours were counted a day’s work at the Bell Rock, instead of three hours of tide-work, as in the early stages of the business. The artificers having, therefore, had six extra hours to-day, at the rate of 6d. per hour, each had 3s. per day to receive, in addition to his stated wages of 3s. 4d.; and, as the work was continued on Sundays, they were now making upwards of two guineas per week, free of incumbrance, while the foremen were in the receipt of about double that sum. The inhabitants of the Beacon were consequently in great spirits, both at the satisfactory progress of the work, and at the amount of their extra wages.

Progress of the Works at Edinburgh.

While the work thus proceeded at the Bell Rock, it was making also good progress at Arbroath, as the whole of the courses, excepting three, were now ready for shipping to the Rock. Advice was also received from Edinburgh, that the Light-room Reflecting-apparatus and Revolving-machinery were getting regularly forward, so that every prospect was afforded of the work being brought to a conclusion in the course of the season.

Artificers liable to accident. Small Boat and Life-buoy provided.

As the Light-house advanced in height, the cubical contents of the stones were less, but they had to be raised to a greater height; and the walls being thinner were less commodious for the necessary machinery, and the artificers employed, which considerably retarded the work. Inconvenience was also occasionally experienced from the men dropping their coats, hats, mallets, and other tools, at high-water, which were carried away by the tide; and the danger to the people themselves was now greatly increased. Had any of them fallen from the Beacon or Building at high-water, while the landing-master’s crew were generally engaged with the craft at a distance, it must have rendered the accident doubly painful to those on the Rock, who at this time had no boat, and consequently no means of rendering immediate and prompt assistance. In such cases, it would have been too late to have got a boat by signal from the Tender. A small boat, which could be lowered at pleasure, was therefore suspended by a pair of davits projected from the cook-house, the keel being about 30 feet from the Rock, as will be seen from [Plate VIII.] This boat, with its tackle, was put under the charge of James Glen, of whose exertions on the Beacon mention has already been made, and who having in early life been a seaman, was also very expert in the management of a boat. A life-buoy was likewise suspended from the bridge, to which a coil of line 200 fathoms in length was attached, which could be let out to a person falling into the water, or to the people in the boat, should they not be able to work her with the oars.

Wednesday, 6th.

Trenailing the Stones discontinued.

The landing-master succeeded to-day in transporting 44 stones to the Rock, and the artificers laid the Thirty-eighth course, which consisted of 16 blocks. The trenailing and wedging of the stones being now discontinued, as the building was above the ordinary range of the sea, a great relief was instantly felt, as will be understood from examining the several courses in [Plate XIII.]; and as the work was thereby much simplified, it was now expected that two courses might be laid per day.

Thursday, 7th.