Isle of May
1814.
Light of May first Lighted 1635.
The island of May holds a prominent position at the entrance of the Firth of Forth, as will be seen by referring to the charts of the coast which accompany this work. From its connection also with the estuary leading to the Capital of Scotland, and the principal ports of her commerce, the light of May seems to have been the earliest public light on our shores. Over the entrance door of the old light-house tower, a stone, neatly cut into the figure by which the sun is usually represented, bears the date 1635. It appears, also, from the printed acts of the Scottish Parliament, Vol. v. p. 585., that power was granted, in the reign of Charles I., to James Maxwell of Innerwick, and John Cunninghame of Barnes, to erect a light-house upon the Isle of May, and collect certain duties from shipping for its maintenance:
Patent ratified 1641.
The patent for this purpose, was ratified by the Scots Parliament in 1641.
Much complained of after the Union.
The duties leviable for the light of May produced much dissatisfaction after the Union, English and Irish vessels having been charged with double rates, as foreigners. There was, besides, a general dislike to any thing that was payable in the form of a tax being held as private property. This light being also a coal-fire, exposed in an open choffer to the vicissitudes of the weather, was found to be very insufficient. After the appointment of a Light-house Board in Scotland, in the year 1786, the shipping interest often expressed a desire that the light of May should be included as one of the Northern Lights; that it might undergo the most recent improvements; that, according to the spirit and conditions of the Northern Light-house acts, the invidious distinction between the shipping of the same kingdom, with regard to the light-house duties, might be done away; and also that there might be some prospect of the duties being modified, and ultimately ceasing. In the year 1809, the author foreseeing, that notwithstanding the erection of the Bell Rock light-house, the navigation of this part of the coast would still be very incomplete, unless the light of May were improved, took an opportunity of bringing this subject under the notice of the Commissioners of the Northern Light-houses; but it did not then appear that this could be taken up by the Board, unless it were at the instance of the proprietor.
Family of Scotstarvit become Proprietors of the Island.
The family of Scotstarvit, into whose hands the property of the island and light of May came by purchase, in 1714, along with the estate of Westbarnes, in East Lothian, had long been solicited by the trade of the Firth of Forth, to have the light made better, either by enlarging the choffer for containing the coals, or by altering it to an oil light with reflectors.
Chamber of Commerce get the Light Improved.
Statements to this effect having been laid before the proprietor, by the Chamber of Commerce of Edinburgh, a Committee of that body visited the island in the year 1786, and reported on the state of the light. In consequence of the representation of this Committee, the choffer was enlarged to the capacity of a square of three feet; and, instead of about 200 tons of coal per annum, formerly consumed, the quantity of fuel was now doubled.
Wemyss Coal preferred for the Lights.
The Chamber further recommended, that the stock of coals, hitherto exposed to the open air on the island, should in future be kept under cover, and that the supply should be invariably got from the collieries of Wemyss, which were preferred as fittest for maintaining a steady light, Wemyss coal being then used at Heligoland, and other coal-lights upon the Continent.
Light of May considered the best Coal-Light in the kingdom.
These conditions were most readily complied with by the tutors of Miss Scott, the proprietor; and the light of May, from that period, was found to be very considerably improved, the choffer for containing the fuel being about double the capacity of any other light-house choffer on the coast of Great Britain. The light of May, from this period, may therefore be described as the most powerful coal-light in the kingdom, although, from its exposure, it was still found to be very unsteady, in bad weather, when most required by the mariner. Lime-kilns and other accidental open fires upon the neighbouring shores, were also apt to be mistaken for the Isle of May choffer. To obviate such dangerous mistakes, there was no other method but the introduction of a light from oil, with reflectors, inclosed in a glazed light-room.
Portland Family get possession of the Island.
The Trinity-house of Leith, in the year 1790, presented a memorial to this effect, to the Duke of Portland, into whose possession the light and Isle of May had come by his Grace’s marriage with Miss Scott of Scotstarvit. But after many fruitless applications urged from time to time by the Merchants of Leith, to have the light altered, the measure was at length given up by them as hopeless.
Loss of the Nymphen and Pallas Frigates.
Early in the morning of the 19th day of December 1810, however, two of his Majesty’s ships, the frigates Nymphen and Pallas, had the misfortune to be wrecked near Dunbar, in consequence, it is believed, of the light of a lime-kiln on the coast of Haddingtonshire having been mistaken for the coal light of the island of May. These frigates having come along the northern coast of Scotland, their situation, as may be seen from the annexed maps, was very different from that of ships approaching the land from a distant voyage, who are much more liable to mistakes of this kind.
Their prize-ship arrives in safety.
But what renders the error in this instance more unaccountable is, that one of the ships had even sent a boat ashore at Johnshaven, on the opposite coast of Kincardineshire, in the afternoon of the day preceding their loss; and the other, about the same time and place, dispatched a small prize for Leith Roads, under the command of a Midshipman,—who, in his course up the Firth of Forth, saw the Bell Rock floating light, (for at this time the light-house was not completed),—then the lights on the islands of May and Inchkeith in succession, and before day-light in the morning of the 19th he anchored his little vessel in the Roads. In reporting the prize to the Admiral at Leith, this young gentleman expressed his surprise that the frigates had not reached their station before him. In the course of the forenoon of the same day, however, an express arrived, stating the circumstance of the loss of the Pallas, which had happened in the course of the night, about two miles to the eastward of Dunbar. Soon afterwards, another notice arrived announcing to the Admiral the loss of the Nymphen Frigate in the same manner, and from the same mistake. It is not a little surprising, that although these ships had sailed in company, and were wrecked within a few miles of each other, their similar fate was perfectly unknown by the respective crews, till late in the day on which the accidents happened.
Nine men drowned.
It was, however, so far fortunate, that although the ships became total wrecks, only nine men were lost of their joint crews, amounting to about 600 men; all of whom might probably have perished, from the rocky and exposed shore on which they were stranded, had not the weather been very moderate.
Lord Melville applies to the Light-house Board about the Isle of May Light.
Immediately after the loss of these two fine frigates, valued at not less than L. 100,000, Lord Viscount Melville, first Lord of the Admiralty, applied to the Commissioners of the Northern Light-houses, proposing that the light of May should be assumed as one of the northern lights, and forthwith put under proper regulations.
Duke of Portland proposes to alter the Light;
It may here be proper to notice, that, prior to this accident, the Duke of Portland entertained serious intentions of altering this light; and the author had been employed to report to his Grace on its alteration, from the use of pit-coal to oil, with reflectors, the expence of which he had estimated at the annual sum of L. 600.
And proposes that the Commissioners should become Lessees, which is rejected.
The communication from the Admiralty gave rise to a correspondence between the Light-house Commissioners and the Duke of Portland, who proposed to give the Light-house Board an allowance of L. 600 per annum, for taking burden of the light of May, while his Grace was to continue to levy the duties. This proposal was rejected on the part of the Commissioners, who declined becoming lessees, under the existing acts or constitution of their Board; and it was ultimately concluded, that they could only take up this measure as purchasers for the public, in order to abolish the charge on English and Irish vessels paying as foreigners, and to lessen the duty for that light to the trade in general. In the present state of the light-house funds, this purchase could only be made by a special act of Parliament, and with pecuniary aid from Government:
The Duke demands L. 63,000 for the Light duties and Island.
as the sum demanded by the Duke for the island, and the right to the light-duties, was unavoidably great, amounting to no less than Sixty Thousand Guineas.
Memorial presented to the Admiralty.
In the mean time, Mr Cuningham, Secretary to the Light-house Board, was directed to acquaint Mr Walker, the Duke of Portland’s agent, that the Commissioners could not treat for upholding the light of May for payment of an annual sum. A memorial was then drawn up for the Admiralty, of the whole proceedings in this measure, which was presented by Sir William Rae, Bart., on the part of the Light-house Board; when their Lordships were pleased to give their countenance and support to a bill for the purchase of the light duties and island of May.
Isle of May and Duties purchased at L. 60,000.
This bill was accordingly brought into Parliament, and passed in the Session of 1814, authorising a loan of L. 30,000 to be made from the Treasury to the Commissioners of Northern Light-houses, and empowering them to make the purchase from the Duke of Portland, for the sum of L. 60,000.
Duty of the Light of May reduced by the Act of 1814.
This important transaction having been closed, the Light-house Board, in terms of this act (46th George III. chap. cxxxvi.) were empowered to reduce the light-duty of the Isle of May, to all British vessels, from one penny half-penny, as collected heretofore, to one penny per ton, when English and Irish ships were no longer treated as foreigners, by paying double dues. Immediate measures were also taken for altering and improving the light. It was, however, too late at the end of the session of 1814, to commence operations on the island; but, in the following summer, the new light-house was erected, and a light from oil with reflectors was exhibited, on the 1st day of February 1816, after a coal-light had been continued here for 181 years, or from 1635.
Additional Apartments at the Isle of May.
As the island of May lies about half way between the light-houses of Inch Keith and the Bell Rock, it was thought proper to have two or three apartments in the May Light-house for the reception of such members of the Light-house Board, as might happen to be detained by contrary winds in occasional visits to the Bell Rock, upon which landing is often very difficult and precarious, depending both on the state of the weather and the tides. The dwelling-house at the Isle of May, therefore, is larger than would otherwise have been required for the accommodation of the two light-keepers and their families.
Notice given of the alterations at Isle of May and Inchkeith.
In consequence of this change upon the light of May, notice was given to the public, that it had been assumed one of the Northern Light-houses, and that the Commissioners had directed a new light-house, upon improved principles, to be erected, which would not only alter its former appearance, but also occasion a change on the light of Inchkeith, situate about twenty-two miles farther up the Firth of Forth. The following description of the Isle of May light was published.
Description of the Light of May.
“The light-house on the Island of May, is situate at the entrance of the Firth of Forth, in North Lat. 56° 12´, and Long. 2° 36´ west of London. From the light-house, Fifeness bears, by compass, N. by E. ½ E., distant five miles, and the Staple Rocks lying off Dunbar, S. by W. ½ W., distant ten miles. The light being formerly from coal, exposed to the weather in an open grate or choffer, was discontinued on the night of the 1st day of February 1816, when a light from oil, with reflectors, known to mariners as a Stationary Light, was exhibited. The new light-house tower, upon the Island of May, is contiguous to the site of the old one, and is elevated 240 feet above the medium level of the sea, of which the masonry forms 57 feet, and is therefore similar to the old tower in point of height. The new light is defended from the weather in a glazed light-room, and has a uniformly steady appearance, resembling a star of the first magnitude, and is seen from all points of the compass, at the distance of about seven leagues, and intermediately according to the state of the atmosphere.”—
Old Light-house converted into a Pilot’s Guard-room.
The old light-house tower on the Island of May, has been reduced in height to about 20 feet, and by directions of the Light-house Board, it has been converted into a guard-room like that upon Inchkeith, for the use and conveniency of pilots and fishermen.