GREAT LIGHT-HOUSES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VI, Issue 25, 21 June 1890, Page 3

GREAT LIGHT-HOUSES.

There are between six hundred and -even hundred lighthouses off the English. Scotch and Irish coasts, and manv of them are situated in seas which have the reputation of being among the most steadily tempestuous in the world. The Fastnet light off the southwest coast of Ireland : the Calf Rock light, not rar from the Fastnet : the Bishop Rock light, on the ‘Howling Dogs,’ as the ledge offtheScilly Isles is called : and Dhu Heartach light, off the west coast of Scotland, contest the honour of occupying the stormiest and most dangerous positions on the cs-ist of the British Isles : although the Eddystone lighthouse, near Plymouth, is cut off wholly from communication with the shore. I nlike those American light-houses which are situated at a distance from shore, the British light-houses do not appear to be provisioned for a long period. Ifuring recent heavy storms off the Europ-ean coasts, the light-keepers of Fastnet were not only cut off’ from communication with land, bfit were compelled to make signals that they were short of food. Several gallant and unsuccessful attempts to relieve them w ere made by volunteer crew - before they were finallv reaehed with supplies. The keepers of the chief British off shore light-houses, as is the case with American first-class lights, now consist of three men. Several years ago, when the light-houses were in charge of two men. one of the keepers at the Longships light-house died at his post during a storm. The man’s companion was forced to remain with the dead body for many days and nights, and at the same time, of course, to keep the lamps in order. The strain of this horrible situation upon his nerves was so great that before he was rescued he had become hopelessly insane. Tire Calf Roek light stands upon a rock which is from sixty to ninety feet high, and the light rises ninety feet above the roek. The Fastnet light i- nearly one hundred and fifty feet above the water, but the fury of the Atlantic is so great that the waves are said often to pass in sheets over the lantern- of both, and to hide the tops of the tow error two minutes at a time. It is impossible to approach either the Fastnet or the Calf Rock light except in the calmest weather. In the rebuilding of the Calf Rock house, which took four vears, the workmen w ere provisioned in this way : A log w-y,'anchored by means of a rope, out at sea on the leeward -ide of the roek. To this log the provisions, encased in rubi<er bags, were fastened by men in boat-, and the log wa- then draw n in by the men on the roek. It was still more difficult tocon-truet the \V..!f light, in the British Channel. -Seven years were required to build it. and in one [artieul’.rly stormy year. 1862. only eighty-three hours’work could be done between March and 1 >eeemljer. so tempestuous were the seas. The Dhu Heartach light-house is forty-eight mile- from Oban, the nearest town. No boat i- allowed to touch the roek upon which it stand-, and all visitors to it are hoisted from their lioat by mean- of a long derrick. A visitor thudescribes the process by which lie went upon thi- rock : ■ When the boat is in position, a rope with a loop at the end of it, is dropped into the stern. You put one foot into the loop, hold tightly to the rop«e with Iwith hands lielow the block, and are first hoisted into the air, and then pulled downward upon the roek. • There you are clasped in the strong arms of one of the keepers, and before you are released from the friendly grip, you are reassure*! by a kindly voice, bidding you •' Welcome to Dhu Heartach : "