Bill meets with some opposition at the third reading.
The bill passed through the Committee of the Commons without any impediment, but, on the third reading, it met with some opposition in the House, upon new and unexpected grounds. One of the members for Liverpool opposed the loan, on the ground that that Port maintained its own sea-lights, and that the trade of the Firth of Forth ought also to support its lights. But this objection was withdrawn, upon explaining the position of the Bell Rock relatively to the Firth of Forth, and the difficulty and expence of the proposed building, and shewing that the collection of its Light-duties were proportionally as much confined to the Firth of Forth, though extending between Berwick to the south, and Peterhead to the north, as the more limited sphere of the Liverpool lights were to the ports and havens in the Mersey. This difficulty was no sooner got over, than the bill was likely to have met with another check, from a clause which had been introduced, exempting this work from the duty on stone carried coastwise, which, it was calculated, would have amounted to between L. 2000 and L. 3000. This clause was withdrawn, by the advice of Mr Vansittart, Secretary to the Treasury, as being improper to appear in the shape of an enactment.
Is Passed, and receives the Royal Assent.
The bill then went through the third reading, and passed the House Commons on the 16th of July. It was afterwards brought up to the House of Lords, where it went through the Committee, and the several readings; and having received the Royal Assent, became an act of the Legislature.
The writer immediately returned to Scotland, with feelings of the greatest satisfaction, on the accomplishment of a measure which, in its tendency, was so eminently calculated to meet the wishes of the mercantile interest of the country. But, along with these sensations, there was also a degree of responsibility, and a crowd of difficulties, which still presented themselves, in the execution of a work of so peculiar a nature. Hitherto this undertaking had been viewed only at a distance, clogged with many previous obstacles, which, by the passing of the bill, were removed; and the whole measure now pressed fully upon his mind.
CHAPTER III.
PHAROS FLOATING LIGHT-SHIP.—COMMENCEMENT OF THE OPERATIONS ON THE BELL-ROCK.—ERECTION OF THE BEACON-HOUSE, AND FURTHER PROGRESS OF THE LIGHT-HOUSE WORKS IN 1807.
Floating-Light.
The Act of Parliament, by which the Commissioners of the Northern Light-houses were empowered to undertake the works at the Bell Rock, having only received the Royal Assent late in the month of July 1806, there was not sufficient time for making the necessary preparations for their commencement that season. But the writer, on his return from London, received instructions from the Board to have such preliminary steps in view, as would enable him to begin the operations early in the summer of 1807. This being arranged, he sailed in the month of August, on his annual voyage, for the inspection of the Northern Light-houses.