EDDYSTONE LIGHTHOUSE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 201, 23 August 1879, Page 6

EDDYSTONE LIGHTHOUSE.

The Duchess of Edinburgh was prevented from laying the corner-atone of the Eddystone Lighthouse the other day by a storm. Old Neptune always did object to that particular pieca of engineering. In his wruth he forever buried the first lighthouse on.i its builier beneath the waves, and ever since he baa been undermining the foundation of the present tower. Winslauley built the first Eddyetone of wood, and with it was engulfed during t!>e terrib'o storm of November 26, 1703. This storm was perhaps the most fearful and fatal that ever visited Britain. Twelve men-of-war were lost and their crews of 2000 men drowned within eight of the English coast. In one county (Kent) 17,000 trees were torn up by the roots, while in ano'her county 15,000 sheep were lest. Eight thous•ndj persons were drowned by

the floods of the Thames, Severn, and other English rivers, and the damage in London aloce amounted to a million pounds sterling. It it little wonder, therefore, that Winstanley'd wooden lighthouse was swept away. The second lighthouse was also of wood, and was buiit by Rudyerd. It took the very opposite method of making its exit, and was destroyed by fire after showing a light for forty-seven years. Then John Smeaton built the present lighthouse, which has stood for over 100 y>ars. It is rather a curious fact that none of the builders of the Eddystone Lighthouses were practical engineers. Winstanley was a country gentleman, Rudyerd was a silk mercer, and Smeaton was an instrument maker.