72 REPORT OF THE MEETINGS FOR 1899 



hunting, enraged at this audacity, remounted his horse, 

 and pursuing the offender, overtook him at this place, and 

 80 belaboured him with his hunting whip that his death, 

 which happened within a year and a day, was laid to 

 his charge."* 



The village of Whitley was held by the Prior of Tynemouth, 

 by the service of making, at the tower there, an annual 

 feast, called le conveyes, to the members of the monastery 

 and certain of its dependents, on Innocents' Day and the 

 day after. As horses and dogs were included in the number 

 of the guests, it is probable that hunting formed part of 

 the amusement.f 



St. Mary's Lighthouse, one of the latest and most important 

 lighthouses on the north-east coast, was first used on the 

 night of the 31st August 1898. The tower is circular, 120 

 feet high, the character of the light being two flashes in quick 

 succession every 20 seconds. The intensity of the light in 

 thick weather is 121,500 candle power, and in clear weather 

 81,000 candle power, the light being produced by a five-wick 

 concentric burner, surrounded by four lenses, each of which 

 has a vertical angle of 80 degrees, and a horizontal angle of 

 90 degrees. The light apparatus is of novel and original 

 construction. At the present time there is only one other 

 of a similar character in the English lighthouse service, at 

 Lundy Island, Bristol Channel. The weight of the revolving 

 apparatus is nearly four tons ; it floats in mercury, contained 

 in a circular trough, the quantity required for this purpose 

 being only about eight or nine cwt. The advantages gained 

 by this arrangement are the reduction of friction to a 

 minimum, less driving power required, and greater steadiness 

 of motion. Higher speed is also obtained, one revolution 

 being completed ia 40 seconds, dui-ing which period four 

 flashes are produced, the duration of the flash (which 

 is of great intensity) being only about two tliirds of a 

 second. 



* Mackenzie, Northumberland, Vol. ii., p. 460; bat c/. Grose, Antiquities 

 of England and Wales, Vol. iv., p. 127, where there is a plate after 

 Hooper (1785.) 



t Mackenzie, Northumberland, Vol. n., p. 458. 



