74 REPOBT OF THE MEETTXGS FOR 1899 



From that time down to the close of the last century, or 

 for a period of 2100 years, not one single improvement was 

 introduced. A lighthouse has a double duty to perform ; 

 not only does it warn the sailor of danger, but it enables 

 him to find his position ; the latter aspect being quite as 

 important as the former, each lighthouse having a distinctive 

 character. This consideration made coal and wood fires 

 useless, and often led to great disasters, through the con- 

 founding of one light with another. Many illustrations of 

 the inadequacy of such lights, and the dangers attending 

 them, could be given, but one will be sufficient for our 

 purpose, in the fate of His Majesty's ships Nympha and 

 Pallas, which were wrecked in the year 1810. Overtaken 

 in the North Sea by a heavy easterly gale, they were 

 making for the Firth of Forth for shelter, and unfortunately 

 mistook the light from a limekiln near Dunbar fur the 

 lighthouse on May Island. They did not find out their 

 error until they were embayed, and it was too late to avoid 

 being driven on shore. Happily, out of 600 men on board 

 the vessels, only nine were drowned ; but the king lost the 

 services of nine gallant seamen, and vessels to the value of 

 £100,000. It may be mentioned that the Scottish Lighthouse 

 Commissioners have now introduced at the ligfithouse on the 

 May an electric light of 6,000,000 candle power, as well as 

 a fog signal station. 



The writer has in his possession an engraving, printed 

 about 130 years ago, of the Tynemouth lighthouse, which 

 was taken down last year, after St. Mary's came into use. 

 The tower is shown as it existed till its history ended, 

 except that in the place of the modern lantern there is an 

 open grate with a coal fire. The coal fire which continued 

 as late as the year 1825 (if the writer's memory be correct) 

 at St. Bees, Cumberland, is supposed to be the last coal 

 fire exhibited in Great Britain. 



An illustration shall be given of the great improvements 

 made during the present century, and the benefits the light- 

 house service have conferred, not only in the interests of 

 navigation, but to humanity at large, by the facilities offered 

 for the extension of commerce, and the interchange of the 

 products of the world. 



