“I have perhaps tired you with this long letter, but I could not give you the description you wanted in fewer words. I shall only further add, that we all remain in good health, and that every thing connected with the Light-room apparatus is in good order.—I am, &c. &c.
“John Forrest”
“To Mr Robert Stevenson,
“Engineer for Northern Light-houses.”
Friday, 2d.
They are left in full possession of the house.
From this very satisfactory communication, it was evident that the Light-house might now be left under the charge of Mr Reid and his assistants. The Tender accordingly sailed this morning, carrying off Mr Bonyman, who had been at Arbroath on leave; when Mr Forrest, who had been upwards of three months at the Rock, came on shore, leaving Mr Reid to instruct his third assistant, Michael Wishart, the mason who had been so severely hurt on the 30th June 1809, by the fall of the moveable beam-crane.
Progress of the ulterior works.
1811, May.
The houses erecting at Arbroath for the families of the Light-keepers, were roofed over in the month of May; at which period, the signal-tower for communicating with the Light-house, represented in [Plate XII.], had attained to half its height, or about 30 feet. The shipping at this station consisted only of the Smeaton as Bell Rock Tender, the other vessels which had been employed in carrying on the work, having been disposed of by public sale. As soon as the weather permitted, the artificers went off to the Rock to put the Railways in a state of repair after the gales of winter; for this purpose, the Beacon-house was still extremely useful as a smith’s shop, while it also served as a store for the implements and bulky articles connected with the fitting up of the interior of the Light-house.
The Lord Justice-Clerk Hope, and a party embark for the Bell Rock.