.")] 2 SKARGARDS-FLOTTA. 



northern fortresses. To the iron of the enemy," says the 

 valorous parson in conclusion, " Carlsten will never suc- 

 cumb, and we are convinced that the saying as to gold 

 being more perilous to Swedish might than steel, was for 

 the last time exemplified when the three crowns (the 

 arms of Sweden) were sold at Sweaboi-g." , 



Carlsten Castle was erected chiefly to render the harbour 

 a secure refuge for the Swedish navy in case of war and 

 disaster. At one time it was contemplated, I believe, to 

 remove hither the Skdrgarcls-flolla , or flotilla of gunboats, 

 pertaining to tlie western coast, then stationed at Gothen- 

 burg ; and this as well for its greater security, as that in 

 the Avinter-time it might be enabled, on an emergency, to 

 proceed to sea, which, if lying in the river Gotha, would 

 be difficult, if not impossible, owing to the great accu- 

 mulation of ice. Objections were, however, made to the 

 change, the most serious being that the sliip-worm {Teredo 

 iiai-alis, Linn.) abounds to a remarkable degree in the 

 Marstrand waters. I myself, indeed, have now in my 

 possession a piece of wood taken from a vessel that had 

 been wrecked there a year or two previously, that is 

 perfectly honeycombed by these destructive creatures. 



On the summit of the Castle, and at a height of about 

 300 feet above the sea-level, stands the celebrated beacon- 

 light so well known to mariners navigating the Cattegat. 

 It was first erected in 1781 ; and in 1836 was enlarged 

 and converted into a light-house of the first rank. The 

 apparatus is of English manufacture. The 16 parabolic 

 reflectors, 4 of which are attached to each side of a square 

 frame, are of (silver) plated copper, Clinches in diameter, 

 and the number of lamps is the same. It revolves in 8 

 minutes, and in that time gives out four brilliant lights, 

 each lasting from 25 to 30 seconds, with equal intervals of 

 darkness between them. Marstrand Light, which in clear 

 weather can be seen at a very great distance, may be 



