226 THE BELL ROCK LIGHTHOUSE. PART V1T. 



able character of the material, and its liability to be 

 destroyed by fire. Although it would be possible to 

 erect a lighthouse of cast iron, its cost at that time would 

 have been equal to one of stone, with which, in point of 

 durability, it was not to be compared. " I have there- 

 fore," he concluded, " no hesitation in giving a decided 

 opinion in favour of a stone lighthouse." With such ex- 

 amples as the Tour de Cordouan near the entrance of the 

 Garonne, and the Eddystone off the coast of Cornwall, he 

 held that there could be no doubt as to the superiority of 

 this plan to any other that could be proposed. Although 

 the Inchcape was not so long uncovered by the tide as 

 the Eddystone rock, and there might be greater delay in 

 getting in the first four or five courses of the foundation, 

 this was only a question of time ; and he had no doubt 

 that this difficulty could be overcome, and the whole struc- 

 ture completed in the space of about four years. In his 

 report he further says : " Mr. Stevenson, to whose merit 

 I am happy to bear testimony, has been indefatigable in 

 obtaining information respecting this rock, arid he has 

 made a model of a stone lighthouse nearly resembling 

 that of the Eddystone, in which he has proposed various 

 ingenious methods of constructing the work by way of 

 facilitating the operations. I own, however, after fully 

 considering them, and comparing them with the con- 

 struction of Mr. Smeaton I mean in the process of 

 building and also reflecting that there are undoubted 

 proofs of the stability of the Eddystone, that I am in- 

 clined to give the latter the preference ; its general 

 construction, in my opinion, rendering it as strong 

 as can well be conceived." But, taking into account 

 that the foundation of the proposed building lay so 

 much lower in the sea, he suggested that the column 

 should be somewhat higher, so that the eave of the cupola 

 should be about 100 feet above the surface of the rock, 

 the Eddystone being only 84 feet 6 inches, though this 

 alteration would involve a somewhat greater diameter 



