Plate XVI. — Elevation and Section of the Light-House
Plate XVI.
Fig. 1. is an Elevation of the Light-house, with the brazen-ladder leading up to the entrance-door. Part of the Rock and railways are seen, on which several figures are at work, landing stones from a boat, as at low-water of spring-tides. The small aperture bored through the outward wall between the door and the window of the Light-room-store, is for the passage of the chain for raising the stores, as described in Fig. 7. Plate XIV. The two leaves of the entrance-door are shewn folded back upon the walls. The first window above the door seen in this view of the building, is that of the Light-room store; the second is one of the bed-room windows; and the third is in the Library; immediately over this are the cornice and balcony-rail, through which last is seen the Light-room door, with the alarm bells on each side. Through the glazed sashes, the reflectors are seen arranged upon the chandelier, connected with the revolving apparatus. On a level with the lower part of the cupola is the signal-ball. On the ensign-staff a flag is hoisted, with a light-house in the field, used as a complimentary signal in the service of the Northern Light-houses.
Fig. 2. is a Section of the Light-house, shewing parts of the Rock and ground-course. a a show part of the railways; b the brazen ladder leading to the entrance-door, which is marked c. In the central part of the solid of the building is shewn the cylindrical drop-hole d d, which passes through the centre-stones of each course, and forms part of the range of the machinery-weight. On each side of the drop-hole, throughout the solid, and walls of the stair-case, are seen the stone-joggles e e, &c. as they occur in the several courses, and were noticed in the description of Plate XIII. Figs. 1. and 2. At the entrance-door a figure is represented receiving stores into the house. Immediately behind him, one of the leaves of the inner door, of brass, appears folded back into its recess in the wall, the upper part being glazed with plate-glass, for the admission of light to the stair-case. In continuation of the range of the machinery-weight above alluded to, and extending between the solid and the ceiling of the provision-store, a column of cast-iron, marked x x, passes up through the well-hole of the stair. The provision store, with which the stone stair communicates, is formed by a scarsement of the walls at the level of letter f, on which the water-cisterns, lockers for provisions, and coal magazine, are ranged. Over these a stage or platform of cast iron is erected, on which a figure is seen at work at the machinery for raising the stores from the railways to the entrance-door of the house. The purchase-chain of this machine passes over the pully at g, as described in Plate XIV. Fig. 7.
The next apartment in ascending the oaken trap-ladders leading through the several apartment, is the Light-room-store, marked h, occupied chiefly with 7 copper oil-cisterns, which are strengthened with polished brass bars forming the front into pannels. This, and the several apartments above are partitioned off from the stair with a pannelled framing of oak. The kitchen i, over the store-room, is chiefly occupied with the fire-place, (though not seen in this section), which, with its cast-iron pipe or chimney ascending through the different rooms to the cupola, stand free, or are not embedded in the walls of the house. On the right-hand side of the kitchen a figure is seen at the cook’s table and lockers; and on the left are seen the oaken trap-ladder set close to the wall, and the lockers, by which it is partitioned off from the apartments. A similar arrangement takes place in the bed-room marked h, occupied chiefly with the oaken bed frames, described in Fig. 6. Plate XIII. The apartment marked l is the Strangers’-room or Library, which contains a small collection of books. The furniture is of oak timber, executed in Mr Trotter of Edinburgh’s best style. The walls were painted by Mr Macdonald of Arbroath, in handsomely decorated pannel-work; and from the dome an antique bronze lamp is suspended. The upper apartment m forms the Light-room and Lantern, rendered fire-proof, as every thing is of stone or metal, excepting a small oaken table and chair for the use of the light-keeper on watch; accented m´ is the copper-ball, shown as hoisted for the signal “All is Well.” The reflecting apparatus and revolving machinery with which the Light-room is occupied, will fall to be described under Plate XX.