Light-house Stove takes fire.
Owing to inattention on the part of the Light-keepers, the chimney of the temporary stove, which, for the present, was fitted up in the kitchen, had been allowed, on the 20th of this month, to take fire; and though the surrounding apparatus was proof against burning, yet the heat of the tube, which passes through the Light-room, so cracked and damaged six of the squares of plate-glass, that it was judged proper to replace them with others from the stock on hand.
1811, November.
Sprays rise to the height of the Light-room.
The month of November set in with S.E. winds, and the tides and sea upon the shores of the Firth of Forth, rose higher than had been observed for the last thirty years. During this gale, while Mr Leask, one of the keepers, was standing upon the balcony, a considerable quantity of sprays broke over the cornice, so as to wet all his clothes, and to strike against the glass of the Light-room so forcibly, as to alarm those who were within. This was the first instance observed of the sea rising to the height of about 108 feet above the surface of the Rock. The Light-keepers also stated, that when the tide was at the highest, they expected every minute that the Beacon would have been swept away, as it was frequently wholly under water when the sea broke around the Light-house; nor were they altogether at ease as to their own situation. Several large masses of stone were, upon this occasion, thrown upon the Rock; a mass of about two tons, completely blocked up one of the landing-places until it was broken and removed. The Railways also suffered severely, having been dislocated in several places.
Advantage of double windows.
In the course of the month of December, the Light-house had been visited with very severe gales, but the keepers were now gaining more confidence in the stability of their habitation. Captain Taylor, who commanded the Tender, on questioning them when he landed on the Rock, how they had stood out the bad weather, they, to his surprise, replied, “There has been nothing remarkable in the weather.” They further stated, “that, when the doors and storm-shutters were made fast, and the double windows shut, all was quiet in the several apartments: it was only when they went to the Balcony that they heard the wind: and that the house had little or no motion by the sea striking it, excepting in storms from the north-east, east, or south-east, but especially from the north-east.”
1812.
The Light-house excites much interest.