It was the work of years to construct and
build a lighthouse on a rock in the midst of the stormy seas, but a
third was built by Smeaton in 1759, this time made of granite and
Portland stone, and modelled after the shape of the trunk of an old oak
tree. The stones had been prepared on land, and were sent to the rock as
required for the various positions, and so the lighthouse was raised in
about four months.
This one was strongly built, and braved the storms for more than a
hundred years, and was still in position when we visited Plymouth; but
a portion of the rock on which it was built was causing some anxiety, as
it showed signs of giving way. A fourth lighthouse was therefore
prepared during the years 1879-82, being built wholly of granite, the
old lighthouse doing duty meanwhile. This was designed and carried out
by Sir James Douglas, at a cost of about L80,000. It was a substantial
structure, and built on a different foundation 133 feet high, being 50
feet taller than its predecessor, and containing a number of rooms. It
had two 2-ton bells at the top to sound in foggy weather, and the
flash-lights could be seen from a distance of many miles.
The greater portion of the old lighthouse built by Smeaton was carefully
taken down and removed to Plymouth, where it was re-erected on the Hoe
as a lasting memorial to the man whose wonderful genius had conferred
such a benefit on the sailors of all nations--for it was impossible to
calculate how many lives had been saved during the 120 years his
lighthouse had been protecting the ships of all nations from the
dangerous reef on which it stood.
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