152 
for the exhibition of lights is erected— 
It was raifed with the benevolent inten- 
tion of fecuring the property of indivi- 
duals, and of ‘prefes ‘ving human life, from 
the calamities of {hipw reck. 
To the honour of the E!der Brethren 
of the Tre rity-houte, Deptiord Strond, 
London, it mult be obferved, that ne 
landable zeal _theyshave patronized the 
undertaking, and ‘completed the build- 
ing in a ftile {uperior to every other of 
the fame clafs im the United kingdom— 
an enunent-difplay of talte and judgment. 
The grandeur of its fituation on this ele- 
vated promontory is _unequalled—the 
fublimity of the profpect mutt excite the 
adiniration of every beholder—tne vait 
{weep of the northern ocean fills the eye 
with its immeafurable expanfe, and ex- 
hibits a fcene which infpires exalted 
ideas. Innumerable fleets laden with 
the produce of the coal-mines, and rich 
trading vefiels from Scotland, daily pals 
in view ; thips freighted with naval itores 
and valuable merchandize, from Arch- 
angel, from Norway, the ports of the 
Baltic, « and Holland, and others from 
the whale-fifheries, direét. their courfes 
to this diftinguithed promontory. Scenes 
of this kind are chavacterittic of national 
grandeur: the bold enterprife and mer- 
cantile fpirit°of Britain aftonrh the 
world ; the magnitude of her. commerce 
covers * the fea with her fleets; her flag 
waves triumphant in every quarter of the 
globe ; the unrivalled ‘kill, induliry, ho- 
nourable conduct, an nd opulence of thie 
country, are the folid bas of its ftabi- 
hty. Surely, fuch important interefts 
merit a fedulous attention to their fe- 
curity. 
While you view with complacency the 
multitude of {hips floating on the ex- 
tended ocean, fhould you at the fame 
moment take ito confideration the iun- 
menfe value of their cargoes, and the 
many thoufands .of feamen by which 
they are navigated, you would then be 
wble to form fome judgment of the ex- 
tenfive advantages wihich- muit refult 
from the éxecution of a plan fo highly 
ufeful and beneficent If, prompted by 
euriofity, you have ever furveyed the 
formidable rocks which line the adjacent 
fhore, and have obferved the. foaming 
waves of the ftormy ocean dafhing with 
nrelittible fury againft the perpendicular 
clids, the fight alone mutt have filled you 
with ationilhment and dread !—Figure 
tien to yourfelves the re piste i icene 
ot fome unfortunate veflel enveloped in 
midnight darkneis, driven by the teme 
peit, and fudd iculy jiranded on the tre- 
Mr. Milne’s Oration on Finite ough- head Light Howls, 
[March 1, 
alendious coat ; paint to your imagina- 
tions, the crew hob helplefs feamen finking 
among the overwhelming billows, and 
railing their fupplicating voices, in vain, 
for aid!—reflect on the inexpreffible 
agony of their tender connexions, de= 
prived in one dad moment of all that is 
elteemed dear in lite, and left perhaps 
deiolate and forlorn, in a ftate of help- 
lefs indigence, to mourn the lofs of a 
hufband, a father, ora fon! Thefe are 
not vilonary ideas: they are fcenes, 
alas! which have too frequently been 
realized. Witi fuch impreffions on your 
minds, you muit affuredly acknowledge 
the utility of a defign calculated, under 
Providence, to prevent confequences fo . 
wounding to the tender fenfibilities of 
human nature: Had this building been 
erected at a more early period, the late 
lois of his Majetiy’s fhip the "Naiutilns, 
Captam Gunter, from the Baltic, and 
feveral of the veffcls under. her convoy, 
with many valuable lives, might, in all 
human probability, have been prevent- 
ed. 
From the exhibition. of thele brilliant 
lights, innumerable will be the advan- 
tages to navigation. I -will detail the 
mott prominent: :-—The fight of them 
will difpel the gloom which frequently 
ieizes the boldett and moit  fkilful 
navigator, in a critical moment; and 
direct him, when furrounded by the 
obf{curity of a winter’s night, to avoid 
the cangers of this projecting coaft. 
They will “yee the tempeit-beaten ma- 
riner to the Humber, or to a fafe an- 
chorage in Bridlington- bay, famed for its 
convenience and fecurity. Diffufing their 
friendly lufire afar, they —will thine as 
leading ftars to enable {hips 3 in a large 
offing to afcertain their fituations with 
accuracy, and to take a new departure ; 
and aa warn others contending with 
eafiern gales, to keep at a proper dii- 
tance from the dangers of a lee-dhore. 
To the ffhermen, who are frequently ex- 
poted to great perils on the -unfiable 
element, they will be emimently ufeful 
in the nicht they will guide them to the 
proper fifhing crounds, and direét them, 
on their return to the “hore, to a. place 
of fafety. “Numerous have been the dif- 
afters of this mdufirious race of men at 
Flamboreugh. - I am perfuaded that 
many of you, who are now prefent, have 
witnefled the painful fcene of the whole 
village in mourning: the lamentations of 
the difconfolate. widéw! sulin heel anutt 
have pierced your feuls. 
With inexpretfible auguith, I have Seem 
the tears of the helplefs. orphan flow for 
