See Encycl. both under Ecliptic and in Astronomy-Index. It was observed in Astronomy, Encycl. no. 497, that the obliquity of the ecliptic has been found gradually to decrease. This was observed, among others, by La Lande, who, in the third edition of his astronomy, reckoned the secular diminution of this obliquity at 50 seconds. From a new examination, however, of ancient observations, he has since found reason to estimate it at only 36 seconds; but whether this be perfectly accurate, is very doubtful.

The mean obliquity was determined for the 1st of January 1793, with circular instruments, by Mechain at Barcelona, and Piazzi at Palermo, to be $23^\circ 27' 51''$. Yet the observation of the summer solstice of 1796, by Mechain and Le Francais, gave 11 seconds more; which was justly considered as a perplexing circumstance. But, as one of the ablest of our literary journalists observes, might not this difference arise from the uncertainty of our tables of refraction, as affected by the hygroscopic variations of the atmosphere?

Ecliptic Bounds, or Limits, are the greatest distances from the nodes at which the sun or moon can be eclipsed, namely, near 18 degrees for the sun, and 12 degrees for the moon.

EDYSTONE Rocks, so remarkable for the lighthouse built on them, obtained their name from the great variety of contrary sets of the tide or current in their vicinity. They are situated nearly S. S. W. from the middle of Plymouth Sound, according to the true meridian. The distance from the port of Plymouth is nearly 14 miles, and from the promontory called Ramehead about 10 miles. They are almost in the line, but somewhat within it, which joins the Start and the Lizard points; and as they lie nearly in the direction of the vessels coasting up and down the channel, they were necessarily, before the establishment of a lighthouse, very dangerous, and often fatal to ships under such circumstances. Their situation, likewise, with regard to the Bay of Biscay and Atlantic ocean, is such, that they lie open to the fowls of the Bay and ocean from all the south-western points of the compass; which fowls are generally allowed by mariners to be very great and heavy in those seas, and particularly in the Bay of Biscay. It is to be observed, that the soundings of the sea from the south-westward toward the Edystone are from 80 fathoms to 40, and everywhere till you come near the Edystone the sea is full 30 fathoms in depth; so that all the heavy seas from the south-west come uncontrolled upon the Edystone rocks, and break on them with the utmost fury.

The force and height of these seas is increased by the circumstance of the rocks stretching across the Channel, in a north and south direction, to the length of above 100 fathoms, and by their lying in a sloping manner toward the south-west quarter. This sloping of the rocks, as it is technically called, does not cease at low water, but still goes on progressively; so that, at 50 fathoms westward, there are 12 fathoms water; nor do they terminate altogether at the distance of a mile. From this configuration it happens, that the seas are swelled to such a degree in storms and hard gales of wind, as to break on the rocks with the utmost violence.

The effect of this slope is likewise sensibly felt in moderate, and even in calm weather; for the libration of the water, caused in the Bay of Biscay in hard gales at south-west, continues in those deep waters for many days, though succeeded by a calm; insomuch, that when the sea is to all appearance smooth and even, and its surface unruffled by the slightest breeze, yet those librations still continuing, which are called the groundswell, and meeting the slope of the rocks, the sea breaks upon Upon them in a frightful manner, so as not only to obstruct any work being done on the rock, but even the landing upon it, when, figuratively speaking, you might go to sea in a walnut shell. A circumstance which still farther increases the difficulty of working on the rock is, there being a sudden drop of the surface of the rock, forming a step of about four and a half, or five feet high; so that the seas, which in moderate weather come swelling to this part, meet so sudden a check that they frequently fly to the height of 30 or 40 feet.

Notwithstanding these difficulties, it is not surprising that the dangers to which navigators were exposed by the Edystone rocks should make a commercial nation desirous of having a light-house on them. The wonder is, that any one should be found hardy enough to undertake the building. Such a man was first found in the person of Henry Wintanley of Littlebury in Essex, Gent. who, in the year 1696, was furnished by the master, wardens, and assistants, of the Trinity-house of Deptford Strand with the necessary powers to carry the design into execution.

Mr Wintanley had distinguished himself in a certain branch of mechanics, the tendency of which is to raise wonder and surprise. He had at his house at Littlebury a set of contrivances, such as the following: Being taken into one particular room of his house, and there observing an old slipper carelessly lying on the floor; if, as was natural, you gave it a kick with your foot, up started a ghost before you. If you sat down in a certain chair, a couple of arms would immediately clasp you in, so as to render it impossible to disentangle yourself till your attendant set you at liberty. And if you sat down in a certain arbour by the side of a canal, you were forthwith felt out affloat to the middle of the canal, from whence it was impossible for you to escape till the manager returned you to your former place.—Whether those things were thrown to strangers at his house for money, or were done by way of amusement to those that came to visit the place, is uncertain, as Mr Wintanley is said to have been a man of some property; but it is at least certain, that he established a place of public exhibition at Hyde Park corner, called Wintanley's water-works, which were thrown at fixed times at one shilling each person. The particulars of those water-works are not now known; but, according to the tale of the times, we must naturally suppose a great variety of jets d'eau, &c.

These particulars are at present of no other importance than that they serve to give a sketch of the talents and turn of mind of the original undertaker, and to account for the whimsical kind of buildings which he erected on the Edystone; from the design of which, it seems as if it were not sufficient for his enterprising genius to erect a building on the spot, where, of all others, it was least likely to stand unhurt; but that he would also give it an elevation, in appearance the most liable to subject it to damage from the violence of the wind and waves.

This ingenious man entered upon his great undertaking in 1696, and completed it in something more than four years. The first summer was occupied with making 12 holes in the rock, and in fastening 12 great irons, which were to hold the work that was afterward to be done. The next summer was spent in making a solid body, or round pillar, 12 feet high and 14 feet in diameter. In the third year, the aforesaid pillar or Edystone work was made good at the foundation, from the rock, to 16 feet in diameter; and all the work was raised, which, to the vane, was 80 feet high. Being all finished, with the lantern, and all the rooms that were in it; we "ventured" (says Mr Wintanley) "to lodge there soon after midsummer, for the greater dispatch of this work: but the first night the weather came bad, and so continued, that it was eleven days before any boats could come near us again; and not being acquainted with the height of the seas rising, we were almost all the time drowned with wet, and our provisions in as bad a condition, though we worked night and day, as much as possible, to make shelter for ourselves."

Mr Wintanley, however, succeeded in setting up the light on the 14th of November in that year (1698); but he was detained till within three days of Christmas before he could return to shore, being almost at the last extremity for want of provisions.

In the fourth year, observing the effects that the sea produced on the house, burying the lantern at times, although more than 60 feet high, Mr Wintanley encompassed the aforesaid building early in the spring with a new work of four feet thickness from the foundation, making all solid for near 20 feet high; and taking down the upper part of the first building, and enlarging every part in its proportion, he raised it 40 feet higher than it was at first: Yet, he observes, "the sea, in times of storms, flies in appearance one hundred feet above the same," and at times doth cover half the side of the house and the lantern as if it were under water."

No material occurrences concerning this building happened till November 1703, when the fabric, needing some repairs, Mr Wintanley went down to Plymouth to superintend the work. And "we must not wonder (says Mr Smeaton), if, from the preceding accounts of the violence of the seas, and the structure of the lighthouse, the common sense of the public led them to suppose this building would not be of long duration. The following is an anecdote which I received to the same effect from so many persons that I can have no doubt of the truth of it: Mr Wintanley being among his friends previous to his going off with his workmen on account of those reparations, the danger being intimated to him, and that one day or other, the light-house would certainly be overflown; he replied, "He was so very well assured of the strength of his building, he should only wish to be there in the greatest storm that ever blew under the face of the heavens, that he might see what effect it would have on the structure."—It happened that Mr Wintanley was but too amply gratified in this wish; for while he was there with his workmen and light-keepers, that dreadful storm began, which raged most violently on the 26th of November 1703, in the night; and of all the accounts of the kind which history furnishes us with, we have none that has exceeded this in Great Britain, or was more injurious or extensive in its devastation. The next morning, November 27th, when the violence of the storm was so much abated that it could be seen whether the lighthouse had suffered by it, nothing appeared standing, but, upon a nearer inspection, some of the large irons by which the work was fixed upon the rock; nor were any of the people, or any of the materials of the building, ever found afterwards, save only part of an iron chain, chain, which had got so fast jambed into a chink of the rock, that it could never afterwards be disengaged till it was cut out in the year 1756."

Thus perished Mr. Winstanley, together with his building; but so great was the utility of that building while it stood, that the public could not fail to be de- frous of having another in its place. Accordingly, in 1706, an act of parliament of the 4th of Queen Anne was passed, for the better enabling the matter, &c., of the Trinity house of Deptford-strand to rebuild the same. By this act, the duties payable by shipping passing the light-house were vested in the corporation of the Trinity-house, who were empowered to grant a lease to such undertaker or undertakers as they should approve. In consequence, they agreed with a Captain Lovell or Lovet for a term of 99 years, commencing from the day on which a light should be exhibited, and continuing so long as that exhibition should last during the said term. On this foundation Captain Lovell engaged Mr. John Rudyerd to be his engineer or architect and surveyor.

It does not appear that Mr. Rudyerd was bred to any mechanical business or scientific profession, being at that time a silk mercer on Ludgate-hill; nor is it known that, in any other instance, he had distinguished himself by any mechanical performance before or after. His want of personal experience, however, was in a degree afflit- ed by Mr. Smith and Mr. Norcutt, both shipwrights in the king's yard at Woolwich.

It is not, as Mr. Smeaton observes, very material in what way this gentleman became qualified for the ex- ecution of his work; it is sufficient that he directed the performance in a matterly manner, and so as perfectly to answer the end for which it was intended. He saw the errors in the former building, and avoided them; instead of a polygon he chose a circle for the outline of his building, and carried up the elevation in that form. His principal aim appears to have been use and sim- plicity; and indeed, in a building so situated, the former could hardly be acquired in its full extent without the latter. He seems to have adopted ideas the very reverie of his predecessor; for all the unwieldy ornaments at top, the open gallery, the projecting cranes, and other contrivances, more for ornament and pleasure than use, Mr. Rudyerd laid totally aside. He saw, that how beautiful soever ornaments might be in themselves, yet when they are improperly applied and out of place, by affecting to show a taste, they betray ignorance of its first principle, judgment; for whatever deviates from pro- priety is erroneous, and at best stupid.

It is impossible for us to give an accurate account of the construction of Mr. Rudyerd's light-house. We can only say, in general terms, that it was altogether built of wood; for the courses of moorstone, which Mr. Rudyerd, adverting to the maxim, that weight is best resisted by weight, introduced into the solid part of his building, must be considered as being of the nature of ballast; the weight of these amounted to above 270 tons. The main column of the building consisted of one simple figure, being an elegant frustum of a cone, unbroken by any projecting ornament, or anything on which the violence of the storms could lay hold; measuring, exclusively of its sloping foundation, 22 feet and eight inches on its largest circular base; 61 feet high above that circular base; and 14 feet and three inches in diameter at the top; so that the circular base was some- what greater than one-third of the total height, and the diameter at the top was less than two-thirds of the base at the greatest circle. On the flat roof of this main column, as a platform, Mr. Rudyerd fixed his lan- tern, which was an octagon of ten feet and six inches diameter externally. The mean height of the window- frames of the lantern above the balcony floor was nearly nine feet; so that the elevation of the centre of the light above the highest tide of the base was 70 feet; that is, lower than the centre of Mr. Winstanley's second lantern by seven feet, but higher than that of his first by 24 feet. The width of Mr. Rudyerd's lantern was, however, nearly the same as that of Mr. Winstanley's second; but instead of the towering ornaments of iron-work, and a vase that rose above the top of the cupola no less than 21 feet, Mr. Rudyerd judiciously contented himself with finishing his building with a round ball of two feet and three inches diameter, which terminated at three feet above the top of his cupola. The whole height of Mr. Rudyerd's light-house, from the lowest tide to the top of the ball, was 92 feet, on a base of 23 feet and four inches, taken at a medium between the highest and lowest part of the rock that it covered. The whole building was completed in the year 1729, three years from its commencement.

This great work, after having braved the elements for forty-six years, was burnt to the ground in 1755. On the 2d of December of that year, when the light- keeper, then on the watch, went, about two o'clock in the morning, into the lantern, to snuff the candles according to custom, he found it in a smoke; and in spite of all that he and his companions could do, the whole edifice was on fire in the compass of little more than eight hours, and in a few days was burnt to its foundation. The three light-men were with much difficulty got on shore, when one of them immediately ran off, and has never since been heard of. Another, who had been dreadfully burned by melted lead, of which, according to his own account, he had swallowed a quantity, lingered in agony for twelve days, and then expired. His stomach being opened, there was found in it a solid piece of lead of a flat oval form, which weighed seven ounces and five drachms; and thus was verified an affection which, to the surgeon and others who attended him, appeared altogether incredible, viz. that any human being could live after receiving melted lead into the stomach.

On the destruction of Mr. Rudyerd's light-house, Mr. Smeaton (see Smeaton in this Supplement) was recommended by Lord Macclesfield, then president of the Royal Society, as the fitted person in England to build another. It was with some difficulty that he was able to persuade the proprietors that a stone building, properly constructed, would in all respects be preferable to one of wood; but having at last convinced them, he turned his thoughts to the shape which was most suitable to a building so critically situated. Reflecting on the structure of the former buildings, it seemed a material improvement to procure, if possible, an enlargement of the base, without increasing the size of the weight, or that part of the building which is between the top of the rock and the top of the solid work. Hence he thought a greater degree of strength and stiffness would be gained, accompanied with less resistance to the acting power. On this occasion, the natural figure of the waist or bole of a large spreading oak occurred to Mr Smeaton.

"Let us (says he) consider its particular figure.—Connected with its roots, which lie hid below ground, it rises from the surface with a large swelling base, which at the height of one diameter is generally reduced by an elegant curve, concave to the eye, to a diameter less by at least one third, and sometimes to half its original base. From thence, its taper diminishing more slowly, its sides by degrees come into a perpendicular, and for some height form a cylinder. After that, a preparation of more circumference becomes necessary, for the strong insertion and establishment of the principal boughs, which produces a swelling of its diameter.—Now we can hardly doubt but that every section of the tree is nearly of an equal strength in proportion to what it has to resist; and were we to lop off its principal boughs, and expose it in that state to a rapid current of water, we should find it as capable of resisting the action of the heavier fluid, when deprived of the greater part of its clothing, as it was that of the lighter, when all its spreading ornaments were exposed to the fury of the wind; and hence we may derive an idea of what the proper shape of a column of the greatest stability ought to be, to resist the action of external violence, when the quantity of matter is given of which it is to be composed."

The next thing to be considered was, how the blocks of stone could be bonded to the rock, and to one another, in so firm a manner, as that not only the whole together, but every individual piece, when connected with what preceded, should be proof against the greatest violence of the sea. For this purpose, cramping was the first idea, but was rejected on account of the great quantity of iron which was necessary, and from the trouble and loss of time which would attend that operation. In its place was substituted the method of dovetailing. From some specimens which Mr Smeaton had seen in Belidor's description of the stone floor of the great sluice at Cherburgh, (where the tails of the upright headers are cut into dovetails for their insertion into the mats of rough masonry below,) he was led to think, that if the blocks themselves were, both inside and outside, formed into large dovetails, they might be managed so as to lock one another together, being primarily engrafted into the rock; and in the round or entire courses above the top of the rock, they might all proceed from, and be locked to, one large centre stone. These particulars being digested in his own mind, he explained his design by the help of drawings; with which, after mature deliberation, the proprietors were perfectly satisfied; and declared, that the scheme was not only in itself practicable, but, as appeared to them, the only means of doing the business effectually.

During this time Mr Smeaton had never visited the rock on which he was to be employed; he therefore resolved to go to Plymouth early in the spring of 1756, that he might lose no opportunity of viewing it. At Plymouth he met Mr Josias Jessop, to whom he was referred for information and assistance, and who afterwards proved of great service: he was not only an approved workman in his branch as a shipwright, but a competent draughtsman and an excellent modeller; in which last (says the author) he was accurate to a great degree: he therefore appeared to be a very fit person to overlook the exact execution of a design given.

Mr Jessop, like others, expressed his doubts that a stone building could stand on the Edystone; but they were removed by the proposed mode of its construction. As Mr Smeaton was impatient to go to the rock, he seized the first opportunity that seemed to promise any chance of landing on it. On the 2d of April he got within a stone's throw of it, but could not land; on the 5th he was more fortunate; he now landed, and laid on the rock for two hours and a half. This time was employed in taking a general view of the whole. No remains of the house could be perceived either on the rock, or about it, except the greatest part of the iron branches that had been fixed by Mr Rudyard; and some of the moonstones were discerned lying in the bottom of the gut. Such traces were also observed of the situation of the irons fixed by Mr Winstanley, as to render it no very difficult task to make out his plan, and the position of the edifice: whence it appeared very probable, that Mr Winstanley's building was overflit altogether, and that it had torn up a portion of the rock itself, as far as the irons had been fastened in it. With regard to the fleps, which were said to have been cut in the rock by Mr Rudyard, the traces of only five were remaining; these were faintly cut, and without much regularity. It was next tried in what degree the rock was workable; and Mr Smeaton had the satisfaction of finding everything succeed to his wishes.

Having thus determined that there was no impracticability in fixing a stone building, it became of the greatest importance to secure a more safe and certain landing on the rock; as it would frequently happen, while the vessels were lying off the rock, waiting for a favourable time to enter the gut, that tides might change, ground swells come on, winds shift, and storms arise, which would of course make it desirable to return to Plymouth, if possible, though the purpose of the voyage was unperformed. In addition to this, when vessels had got with some facility into the gut, they frequently could not get out again without extreme danger: for as the larger fort had not room to turn in it, they were in reality obliged to go out stern forward; the Sugar-loaf rock being so critically placed, with shallow water on both sides of it, that it prohibits a thorough passage. It was true, indeed, that by the skill and expertise of those seamen who had frequently attended the service of the Edystone, not only row boats, but the attendant vessels, after having delivered their cargoes, had been carried quite through, at the top of an high tide, with a fair wind and smooth water: but this was not an experiment to be commonly repeated. The two voyages which Mr Smeaton had made were in a small sailing vessel of about ten or twelve tons burden, which was built for the service, and called the Edystone Boat. It occurred to him, that while the light house was standing, if the boat had been flayed on the rocks while lying in the gut, there was a possibility of the men being saved by getting into the house, as the light-keepers would have been ready to throw out a rope to their assistance: but that if any accident of the kind were to happen now that the house was down, and no protection nor shelter to be had, there was little chance of their escape;—and these considerations being likely Edystone likely to cast a damp on every exertion to land, he determined to go out no more without another failing boat to attend.

The weather being unfavourable for visiting the rock, all exertions were used to forward the work on shore; and, first, a work-yard was chosen in a field adjacent to Mill Bay, about a mile west from Plymouth. The next object was to procure moor-stone, or granite; and with this view the author visited Hingstone Downs, and observed the manner of working the stone, which is curious. He next went to Lanlivery, near Fowey harbour, from which place the stone-work for the late light-house had been furnished.

During this time he had made five voyages to the rock with little success; the event of the last had strongly pointed out, that the much greater tonnage of the stone which must be necessary to be carried out and fixed, in case of a stone building, than was requisite in the compositions of his predecessors, would make the uncertainty and delay which they had described as being attendant on their voyages, in order to fix their work, bear far heavier on the scheme; and would thus occasion the whole time of the performance to be lengthened. It appeared, therefore, that had a vessel been fixed within a quarter of a mile, or some such competent distance from the rocks, and which should be capable of lodging the workmen, all their tools and loose materials, the several pieces of wrought stone only excepted, that then the workmen might, by means of small row-boats or yawls, have effected a landing both of themselves and of their materials, and have been at work on the rock during the greatest part of those days which otherwise, as voyagers, they would have lost in fruitless endeavours to get to the place of action. Agreeably to this opinion, it was proposed to build a strong and very well found sloop of about fifty tons, with iron chains for mooring her on the rocky ground near the Edystone. A vessel was in fact afterward moored in this situation: but it was one not built for the service, but originally intended to have been stationed as a temporary floating light during the rebuilding of the light-house.

Mr Smeaton now made a sixth voyage to the rock, on which he employed himself for nineteen hours in taking such dimensions as would enable him to make an accurate model of its surface. He likewise attempted a seventh voyage: but being unable to reach the Edystone, he bore away for Falmouth, in order to examine the moor-stone works at Constantine in that neighbourhood. From the difficulties which occurred here, as well as at other places, he was convinced that a sufficient quantity of moor-stone could not be readily and expeditiously procured, in order to complete the whole building; and that he must therefore confine the moor-stone to the outside, as being more durable, and content himself with the use of Portland, or some other free-working stone, for the inside work. In consequence, after making three more voyages to the rock, and completing all the observations which he was desirous of taking there, he visited the isle of Portland in his return to London, and made the necessary agreements for carrying on his work.

On his arrival in London, Mr Smeaton again met the proprietors, from whom he experienced the greatest liberality and confidence: they declared, that as he was now apprized of what was to be done, they left both the time and the means of its accomplishment to him.

On this occasion (he observes), I found myself totally unfettered; and perhaps no resolution of the proprietors ever more conducing to the ultimate success of the work than this, which set me so much at liberty. Had they been of the same temper and disposition by far the greatest part of those who have employed me, both before and since, their language would have been, Get on, Get on, for God's sake, get on! the public is in expectation; get us something speedily to show, by which we may gain credit with the public!—This, however, was not their tone, which I looked upon as a happy earnest from the proprietors in the outset.

During his stay in London, he resolved, as an absolutely necessary preliminary step, to form models of the rock, both in its present state and as cut to the intended shape for receiving the building. Connected with the last was a model of the building itself, shewing distinctly how the work was to be adapted to each separate step in the ascent of the rock, and particularly exhibiting the construction of the first entire course after rising to the level of the upper surface of the rock: to this a folding being fitted, the model shewed the external form of the whole building, including the lantern; while, by a section on paper, the whole inside work was represented. These models, as well, indeed, as most of the material parts of the buildings, were the entire work of Mr Smeaton's own hands. After exhibiting these to the Lords of the Admiralty, who expressed their warmest approbation, he returned to Plymouth on the 23rd of July 1756.

On his arrival at Plymouth, he found that Mr Jeffop had completely fitted up, for present service, the sloop, which had before been used as an attendant; as well as the Edystone boat, and a large yawl, with sails and oars. Another seaman was now taken into the service, which made the number of the crew six. The Neptune Buoys, which had been built for the purpose of exhibiting a temporary light, but which was afterward moored near to the rock, was arrived: but as her destination was not known, all orders for mooring-chains were suspended, and Mr Smeaton was obliged to content himself with preparing cables in the best manner that he could for mooring the sloop in that situation. As the weather was unfavourable, he had but one opportunity of visiting the rock; he therefore applied vigorously to prepare every thing on shore. The first business was to establish the working companies, which were to consist of two complete sets of hands, to relieve each other by turns; so that, whenever winds and tides would permit, the work might be pursued by day and night. In his distribution and management of these people he appears to have acted with great judgment. He made choice of, and agreed with, Mr Thomas Richardson, a master mason of Plymouth, to act as foreman of one of the companies; and also with William Hill, who had been some time foreman to another master mason of the same place, to act as the other foreman. He likewise entered three masons, and nine tinniers (Cornish miners), as a company, to go out with Mr Richardson to take the first turn, or week, commencing from Saturday the 31st of July. Mr Jeffop was appointed general assistant. The wages of the foremen, while at sea, were to be 5s. per day certain; and for every hour spent on the rock, the farther premium of 1s.—but when employed in the work-yard or otherwise on shore, their wages were to be 3s. 6d. per day. The wages of the masons were to be 2s. 6d. per day certain at sea, with a premium of 9d. per hour; and the tanners were to have 2s. per day certain at sea, and 8d. per hour. In the work-yard, or at shore, the masons were to have 2od. and the tanners 18d. per day, and to be paid for over-time when required to work;—and that the seamen might not want inducement to do their utmost in landing the workmen at the Edystone as early as possible, at every opportunity, and in supplying them with what was necessary for keeping them at work, over and above their weekly wages, which were settled at 8s. per week, they were all to receive a premium for every landing on the rock; the master seaman having 2s. 6d. and the ordinary men 2s. to make their advantage equivalent to that of the other workmen, in whatever service the seamen, who were constantly on duty, were employed. Mr Jeffop, as general assistant, was to have 1os. 6d. per day at sea, and 5s. per day on land; and every one was to supply himself with victuals.—Mr Smeaton likewise agreed for half an acre of ground on the west side of Mill-bay for a work-yard, as before mentioned, which he marked out, and ordered to be fenced with boards. At this time arrived Mr John Harrison, who was to act as clerk to the Edystone works, with whom a plan was digested for keeping the accounts and correspondence; and for the distinct noting of so great a variety of articles, it was found expedient to open fourteen different books.

Matters being thus settled on shore, and the weather having become more promising, Mr Richardson and his company embarked in the floop, with her ground tackle on board, attended by the author and Mr Jeffop, and having also the yawl properly manned. Having landed on the rock, Mr Smeaton proceeded to fix the centre, and to lay down the lines of the intended work on its surface; and being followed by Mr Richardson, he, with sharp picks, left indelible traces of those lines, so as that the workmen might proceed on them whenever they should be able to land. The roughness of the sea, however, soon rendered it advisable to return to the floop; and from the same cause it was thought unsafe to attempt to moor her that evening. On the next day, the wind continued to blow very fresh; but on the following they were able to moor the floop; and every one being anxious to make a beginning, the whole company landed on the rock, and immediately began the work, which was pursued for about four hours, when they were driven off by the sea. On the following day, all hands landed before sun-rise, and worked, during that tide, for six hours; and in the afternoon's tide they again landed, and continued the work, by the help of links, till ten o'clock at night. They pursued this course for some time with very little interruption, working, at an average, for about five hours in each tide.

The weather had now been fair from August 27th to the 14th of September; and in this space they had worked for 177 hours on the rock. During this interval, also, Mr Jeffop had prevented a West Indianman homeward bound, and a man of war's tender, from driving on the rocks, to which they were approaching, though they themselves were not aware of it. On the 16th, the work on the rock was in the following situation: The lowest new step (the most difficult to work, because the lowest), with its dovetails, was quite completed.—The second step was rough bedded, and all its dovetails scarfed out.—The third step (being the lowest in Mr Rudyerd's work) was smooth bedded, and all the dovetails roughed out.—The fourth was in the like state.—The fifth was rough bedded, and its dovetails were scarfed out; and the sixth was smooth bedded, and all the dovetails roughed out.—Lastly, the top of the rock, the greatest part of the bulk whereof had been previously taken down as low as it could be done with propriety, was now to be reduced to a level with the upper surface of the fifth step; the top of that step being necessarily to form a part of the bed for the seventh or first regular course: so that what now remained, was to bring the top of the rock to a regular floor by picks; and from what now appeared (as all the upper parts that had been damaged by the fire were cut off) the new building was likely to rest on a basis even more solid than the former lighthouses had done.

The equinoctial winds that were now reigning, afforded little prospect of doing much more work on the rock for this season: for though a more moderate interval of weather might be expected, yet that must be employed in weighing the biffs's moorings. To prevent the necessity of this, however, it was an object of consideration, whether they could not dispense with that operation, and thereby have a little more time for work on the rock. Mr Smeaton's contrivance for this purpose was admirable; but it was rendered vain by the bad failing of the biffs. After overcoming many difficulties, the biffs with Mr Smeaton on board was driven at a great rate towards the bay of Bicly, in danger every hour of being swallowed up by the waves, or dashed in pieces on the rocks of Scilly. At last, on Friday morning the 26th of November, they reached Plymouth Sound, and relinquished all thoughts of returning to their work on the rock that season.

The winter therefore of 1756, and the following spring, were employed in preparing materials for the outwork: the masonry particularly required great attention. It was a desirable object to use large and heavy pieces of stone in the building; yet their size must necessarily be limited by the practicability of landing them with safety. Now small vessels only could deliver their cargoes alongside of this hazardous rock; and these could not deliver very large stones, because the sudden rising and falling of the vessels in the gulf amounted frequently to the difference of three or four feet, even in moderate weather; so that in case after a stone was raised from the floor of the vessel, her gunwale should take a swing, so as to hitch under the stone, one of a very large magnitude must, on the vessel's rising, infallibly sink her. From this consideration, it was determined that such stones should be used as did not much exceed a ton weight; though occasionally particular pieces might amount to two tons. That they might attain a certainty in putting the work together on the rock, the stones of each course were tried together in their real situation with respect to each other; and they were so exactly marked, that every stone, after the course was taken, afunder, could be replaced in the identical position in which it lay on the platform; platform, within the fortieth part of an inch;—nor was this judged sufficient; for every course was not only tried singly together on the platform and marked, but the course above it was put on it, and marked in the same way; so that every two contiguous courses might fit each other on the outside, and prevent an irregularity in the outline. This degree of accuracy might seem superfluous; but as the nature of the building required the workmen to be in a condition to resist a storm at every step, it became necessary to fix the centre stone first, as being least exposed to the stroke of the sea; and in order to have sure means of attaching all the rest to this, and to one another, it was indispensable that the whole of the two courses should be tried together; in order that, if any defect appeared at the outside, by an accumulation of errors from the centre, it might be rectified on the platform.

Another circumstance, to which Mr Smeaton was particularly attentive, and concerning which his remarks are very valuable, was to ascertain the most proper composition for water cements. In making mortar for buildings exposed to water, tarras had been most esteemed; but still there were objections to its use. Mr Smeaton was therefore induced to try the terra fuscolana, found in Italy, as a substitute for tarras. Fortunately there was a quantity of it in the hands of a merchant at Plymouth, which had been imported as a venture from Civita Vecchia, when Westminster-bridge was building; and which he expected to have sold for that work to a good advantage, but failed in his speculation; for having found that tarras answered their purpose, neither commissioners, engineers, nor contractors, would trouble themselves to make a trial of the other material. This was found in every respect equal to tarras, as far as concerned the hardening of water-mortar, if not preferable to it; and if made into a mortar with lime produced from a stone found at Aberthaw, on the coast of Glamorganshire, it exceeded, in hardness, any of the compositions commonly used in dry work; and in wet and dry, or wholly wet, was far superior to any which Mr Smeaton had seen, insomuch, that he did not doubt its making a cement that would equal the best merchantable Portland stone in solidity and durability.

These preliminary arrangements being settled, they proceeded, on the 3d of June 1757, to carry out the Neptune busts, and to begin the work. After getting up the moorings (a work of no small difficulty and some danger), and after fixing the fender-piles, the shears, windlass, &c., the first stone was landed, got to its place, and fixed, on Sunday the 12th of June; and on the next day the first course was completed. On the 14th, the second course was begun; but, in consequence of a fresh gale, the workmen were obliged to quit the rock, after securing every thing as well as possible. Such was the violence of the gale, that it was impracticable for the boats to get out of the gut, otherwise than by passing the Sugar-loaf rock, in which they providentially succeeded. On the 18th, they were again as suddenly driven from their work, and several pieces of stone were washed away by the violence of the sea. In the night of the 6th of July, the watch on the deck of the bust espied a sail on the rocks, and one of the yawls was sent to her relief, which brought back the whole crew, several of whom were in their shirts, and in great distress.

It was a snow of about 130 tons burthen, which was returning in ballast from Dartmouth; but not knowing exactly where they were, they had mistaken the rocks for so many fishing-boats, till it was too late to clear them; and on the vessel's striking, she filled so quickly, that the boat floated on deck before they could get into it.

During this time, the building went on, though its progress was retarded by various interruptions and accidents; till, at the latter end of August, when the seventh course was nearly finished, a violent storm arose, which carried away the shears and triangles, together with two of the largest stones which had been left chained on the rock! yet notwithstanding these and various other difficulties, the ninth course was complete by the end of September.

"Being now arrived at the eve of October (says Mr Smeaton), I maturely considered our situation; and finding that we had been 18 days in completing the last course, whereas the former one was begun and finished in five, though the weather, both on shore and above head, had remained to all appearance much the same; I from thence concluded it to be very probable, we might not get another course completed in the compass of the month of October: So that when I reflected on the many difficulties that we had suffered last year by continuing out to the month of November, and how little work we in reality did after this time, it appeared to me very problematical whether we might be able, with every possible exertion, to get another course finished this season; and considering how very ineligible it was to have a course lie open during the winter in this stage of the work, and that we had now got three complete courses established above the top of the rock, the sum of whose height was four feet six inches; and that we could not leave the work in a more defensible state, whether as relative to the natural violence of the sea, or the possibility of external injuries—from these considerations, it appeared to me highly proper to put a period to the outwork of the present season."

At the commencement of the following year, 1758, the weather proved very tempestuous till March; and on visiting the rock, they discovered that the great buoy on the moorings had been carried away; nor were the mooring chains, though fought with the greatest perseverance, recovered till the middle of May. In consequence of this delay, and from other accidents, the tenth course of the building was not completed till the 5th of July. From this time, the progress was without any very material interruption; so that on the 26th of September the 25th course, being the first of the superstructure, was finished. The work was now so far advanced, that Mr Smeaton made a proposal to the Trinity Board and to the proprietors, of exhibiting a light during the ensuing winter; and for this purpose he continued his operations longer than he otherwise would have done, in order to complete the first room, and make it habitable; but foul weather coming on, he was obliged to quit the rock, and returned to Plymouth. A storm ensued; and, on the next morning, looking out with his telescope, he could discern the house with the sea breaking over it, but nothing of the busts. On the following day, the air being more clear, he had a distinct view of the building; but the busts was This was a day of double regret, as it likewise brought a negative on his proposal for exhibiting a light from the house during the winter. The bays had run into Dartmouth harbour; she was brought home; and the work on the rock being secured against the winter, the operations of the third season were closed.

During the early part of 1759, Mr Smeaton was employed in London in forming and making out the necessary designs for the iron rails of the balcony, the cast iron, the wrought iron, and the copper works for the lantern, together with the plate glass work. It was not till the 22nd of June that he arrived at Plymouth. As the moorings had been again lost, new chains were provided, and the bays was once more fixed in her situation. On the 3rd of July he landed on the rock, and found everything perfectly sound and firm, without the least perceptible alteration, excepting that the cement, used in the first year, now in appearance approached the hardness of the moorstone; and that used in the last year had the full hardness of Portland; but on hauling up the stones for the next circle from the store-room, where they had been deposited, he had the mortification to find only seven instead of eight. It was imagined that a body of falling water, making its way through the open ribs of the centre, had washed this stone out of the store-room door, though it weighed between four and five hundred weight.

The progress of the work, however, was now such, that a whole room, with its vaulted cover, was built complete in seven days.

On the 17th of August the main column was completed.

On the 27th Mr Richardson and his company left the Edystone, and gave an account that they had lived in it since the 23rd, having found it much more warm than the bays's hold and cabin.

They had now finished every thing belonging to the masonry. The work of the cupola was going on briskly in the yard at Mill-bay, though it was retarded by the successive illnesses of the two principal copper-smiths. However, by the exertions of Mr Smeaton, who was himself ready to work at every business, all matters were put in such forwardness, that by the 8th of September there was nothing to prevent the frame of the lantern from being fixed in its place but bad weather. It was not till the 15th that the weather permitted the boats to deliver their cargoes. The 16th was remarkably fine; so that by the evening the whole frame of the lantern was screwed together, and fixed in its place.

On the 17th, which was also exceedingly fine, the cupola was brought out, and the screws and tackle were set up for hoisting it.

"This (says Mr Smeaton) perhaps may be accounted one of the most difficult and hazardous operations of the whole undertaking; not so much on account of its weight, being only about 11 cwt. as on account of the great height to which it was to be hoisted clear of the building, and to as, if possible, to avoid such blows as might bruise it. It was also required to be hoisted a considerable height above the balcony floor; which, though the largest base that we had for the screws to stand on, was yet but 14 feet within the rails, and therefore narrow in proportion to their height. About noon the whole of our tackle was in readiness; and in the afternoon the Weston (boat) was brought into the Edystone gut, and in less than half an hour her troublesome cargo was placed on the top of the lantern without the least damage. During the whole of this operation it pleased God that not a breath of wind discomposed the surface of the water, and there was the least swell about the rocks I had observed during the season.

"Tuesday, September 18th, in the morning, I had the satisfaction to perceive the Edystone boat, on board of which I expected the ball to be; and which being double girt, I had ordered the carriage of it to be carefully attended to. The wind and tide were both unfavourable to the vessel's getting soon near us; therefore, being desirous to get the ball screwed on before the screws and tackle were taken down, one of the yawls was dispatched to bring it away. This being done, and the ball fixed, the screws and tackle were taken down, which took up nearly as much time as was employed in setting them up; that is, near 12 hours each, in the whole, to do the work of an hour.—I must observe, that by choice I screwed on the ball with mine own hands, that in case any of the screws had not held quite tight and firm, the circumstance might not have been slipped over without my knowledge; being well aware, that even this part would at times come to a considerable stress of wind and sea, and which could not be replaced without some difficulty in case anything should fail.—It may not be amiss to intimate to those who may in future have to perform the same operation, that the scaffold on which this was done consisted of four boards only, well nailed together, at such distances as to permit it to be lifted over the ball when done with. It refted on the cupola, encompassing its neck; and Roger Cornthwaite, one of the masons, placed himself on the opposite side upon it, to balance me while I moved round to fix the screws."

Respecting the disposition of the internal part of the edifice, Mr Smeaton fixed the beds in the uppermost room, and the fire-place, which constituted the kitchen, in the room below it; whereas, in the late house, the upper room was the kitchen, and the beds were placed in one of the rooms below; the consequence of which was, that the beds and bedding were generally in a very damp and disagreeable state. The present disposition has perfectly answered the end proposed, as nothing can be more completely dry than the two habitable rooms.

On the 1st of October, every thing being finished, and the chandeliers hung, there was nothing to hinder a trial by lighting the candles in the daytime. Accordingly 24 candles were put into their proper places, and were continued burning for three hours, during which time it blew a hard gale; and a fire being kept at the same time in the kitchen, they both operated without any interference; not any degree of smoke appearing in the lantern nor in any of the rooms; and by opening the vent holes, which had been made in the bottom of the lantern for occasional use, it could be kept quite cool; whereas, in the late light-house, it used to be so hot, especially in the summer, as to give much trouble by the running of the candles.

All being thus in readiness, and a conductor, in case of lightning, being adapted to the building, notice was given to the Trinity-house that the light would be exhibited on the 16th of October 1759. The season of the the year being now advanced to that which was always very precarious, the Neptune buss was unmoored, and on the 9th of October she came to an anchor in Plymouth harbour.—“And thus (says Mr Smeaton), after innumerable difficulties and dangers, was a happy period put to this undertaking, without the loss of life or limb to any one concerned in it, or accident, by which the work could be said to be materially retarded.”

With regard to subsequent occurrences, it is truly observed, that the best account is, that, after a trial of 40 years, which have elapsed since the finishing of the building, it still remains in its original good condition. A few particulars are however interesting. On the 15th of October Mr Smeaton, with Mr Jeffop, visited the house, and, landing, found all well. Henry Edwards, one of the light keepers, gave an account that they lighted the house as they were directed, and found the lights to burn steadily, notwithstanding it blew very hard; that they had the greatest seas on the days immediately preceding the lighting; and that then the waves broke up so high, that had they not been thrown off by the cove course, they would have endangered breaking the glass in the lantern; that when the seas broke the highest, they had experienced a sensible motion; but that, as it was barely perceptible, it had occasioned them neither fear nor surprize.

During his stay at Plymouth, in the times of stormy weather, Mr Smeaton took several opportunities of viewing the light-house with his telescope from the Hoe; and also from the garison, both which places were sufficiently elevated to see the base of the building, and the whole of the rock at low water in clear weather; and though he had many occasions of viewing the unfinished building when buried in the waves in a storm at south-west; yet having never before had a view of it under this circumstance in its finished state, he was astonished to find that the account given by Mr Winstanley did not appear to be at all exaggerated. At intervals of a minute, and sometimes of two or three, when a combination happened to produce one overgrown wave, it would strike the rock and the building conjointly, and fly up in a white column, enveloping it like a sheet, rising at least to double the height of the house, and totally intercepting it from the sight; and this appearance being momentary, both as to its rising and falling, he was enabled to judge of the comparative height very nearly by the comparative spaces, alternately occupied by the house and by the column of water in the field of the telescope.

The year 1759 concluded with some very stormy weather; and in January 1760, Mr Jeffop visited the house, but could not land. He got a letter, however, from Henry Edwards, acquainting him that there had been such very bad weather that the sea frequently ran over the house; so that for 12 days together they could not open the door of the lantern nor any other. He said, “the house did shake as if a man had been up in a great tree. The old men were almost frighted out of their lives, willing they had never seen the place, and cursing those that first persuaded them to go there. The fear seized them in the back; but rubbing them with oil of turpentine gave them relief.” He farther mentioned, that on the 5th of December, at night, they had a very great storm; so that the ladder, which was fastened below the entry door, broke loose, and was washed away. Also, on the 13th, there was so violent a storm of wind that he thought the house would overset; and at midnight the sea broke one pane of glass in the lantern. They had a very melancholy time of it, having also had a great deal of thunder and lightning.—“The storms (observes Mr Smeaton) which the building has now sustained without material damage, convince us, and every one, of the stability of the stone light house, except those (who were not a few) who had taken a notion that nothing but wood could resist the sea upon the Edystone rocks; who said, that though they allowed it was built very strong, yet if such a storm as had destroyed Winstanley’s light-house was again to happen, they doubted not but it must share the same fate. The year 1762 was ushered in with stormy weather, and indeed produced a tempest of the fifth magnitude; the rage of which was so great, that one of those who had been used to predict its downfall was heard to say, If the Edystone light-house is standing now, it will fland till the day of judgment. And, in reality, from this time, its existence has been so entirely laid out of mens minds, that whatever storms have happened since, no inquiry has ever been made concerning it.”

For the length of this detail we cannot bring ourselves to make any apology. If there be a few of our readers to whom it may appear tedious, we are persuaded that there are many more to whom it will be in a high degree interesting; while such of them as are engineers will derive instruction even from this very abridged history of the Edystone light-house.