OF THE EDDYSTONE LIGHTHOUSE. 43 



He then bored 36 holes in the rock, for cramps, 

 which he sunk in 20 or 30 inches deep; these holes 

 were made to spread off at the bottom; and the bolts 

 being driven in, in three pieces, were wedged into the 

 holes. Squared oak balk was then laid into the steps, 

 and others across them at right angles, trenailing them 

 together as he proceeded, and cramping them to the 

 rock, with the cramps above described, till a solid base 

 of oak was formed, two courses above the highest part 

 of the rock. In the centre was an upright piece called 

 the " Mast/' also cramped down to the rock, and which 

 served as a centre for the building as it proceeded. 



Upon these oak courses he laid five courses of 

 Granite, and continued building with alternate courses 

 of oak and granite to the height of 27 feet above the 

 highest part of the rock. Here he made a floor and 

 store-room. He then surrounded the whole with 

 upright timbers, like the staves of a cask, 9 inches 

 thick at bottom, and rather thinner as they ascended. 

 These timbers carried the building 61 feet above the 

 highest part of the rock, and 34 from the floor above 

 mentioned. This space of 34 feet was left hollow, and 

 divided into store-houses and dwelling rooms. The 

 outside timbers were strongly cramped and bolted 

 together, and the seams stuffed with oakum to make 

 them water tight ; and a cornice was carried round the 

 top, outside, to throw off the sea from thelanthorn. 



This building, 22 feet 8 inches diameter at the base, 

 61 feet high in the column and 92 feet to the top of the 

 ball, was well projected ; and might have stood the 

 assaults of the sea, until the worms had sapped its 

 oak basis, which was on this account continually requir- 

 ing repair. But in 1755, 49 years after its erection, it 

 was entirely destroyed by fire : the men, however, being 

 saved by the exertions of a Mr. Edwards, of Cawsand ; 

 who contracted an illness on the occasion, which made 

 his own life the sacrifice for those he had saved. 



In reflecting on the failures of the former buildings, 

 Mr. Smeaton was led to think of the trunk of an oak 

 tree as the most stable form ; and imagined that it was 



