Importance of Lighting the Scottish Coast--Formation of
Board of Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses--Early
Proceedings of the Board--Principal Northern Lighthouses--The
Isle of May Lighthouse--Loss of two Frigates--Application of
the Admiralty to the Lighthouse Board, by whom the Duties
and the Island of May are purchased--Numerous Shipwrecks
on the Island of Sanday--Foundation-stone of Start-Point
Lighthouse laid--Rev. W. Traill's Address upon the occasion--
Subsequent Proceedings on Sanday Island--North Ronaldsay
Lighthouse--Melancholy Accident--Importance of the Northern
Lighthouses 64

CHAPTER VII.

THE BELL-ROCK LIGHTHOUSE AS A TYPE OF SCOTTISH
LIGHTHOUSES.

History of the Inch-Cape or Bell-Rock Lighthouse as a
Type of the Northern Lighthouses--Position and Dangerous
Character of the Bell Rock--Ballad of Sir Ralph the Rover--
Proposal to erect a Lighthouse--Mr. Robert Stevenson selected
as Engineer--Survey of the Rock--Exhibition of a Floating
Light--Preparations for the Lighthouse--First Season on the
Rock--Alarming Situation of the Engineer and Men--Effects
of the Stormy Sea on the Rock--Erection of Beacon--Winter
Employment--The Second Season--A new Tender employed--Praam-boats
and Stone-lighters--Progress of the Work--Remarkable appearance
of the Rock--Foundation Stone laid--First continuous Course of
Masonry--Its Contents--Third Season--Progress of the Work--Winter
Operations--Fourth Season--The Beacon used as a Dwelling--Its
Interior described--The Engineer's Cabin--The Lighthouse nearly
finished--Mr. Smeaton's Daughter visits the Works--Last Stone
laid--Light advertized--Lighthouse described--Action of the
Sea and of Stormy Weather upon the Lighthouse--Internal Economy
of the Lighthouse--Arrangements on Shore--Signals--Curious
Accident--The Carr Rock Beacon 74

CHAPTER VIII.

LIGHTHOUSES ON SAND AND CAST-IRON LIGHTHOUSES.

Floating Lights--Objections to--Mitchell's Screw-moorings--
Experiments on the Maplin Sand--Foundation--Erection of
Screw-pile Lighthouse--Details of the Wyre Lighthouse--Proposed
Lighthouse on the Goodwin Sands--Metallic Lighthouses--Advantages
of Metal over Stone--Details of Cast-iron Lighthouse at Morant
Point, Jamaica 101

CHAPTER IX.

THE LIGHTHOUSE SYSTEM.

Imperfect Illumination of the old Lighthouses--First
Impr