Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 - 1953)(about) |
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Thursday 30 March 1882
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THE CAPE NELSON LIGHTHOUSE. An important stage in the history of this national work has at length been reached, in timhe calling for tenders for the construc tion of the necessary buildings, to be sent in by tMay 4tih, and the, depo-iting of the noces?ar plane and epecifications in the Custom-house at Portland. We therefore proceed to give some description of the plans, as devoid of troublesome techni calities as the nature of the task will permit. The tower will start from a point ll4ft. back, or inland, from the edge of tlhe per pendicular (but jagged) sea wall that forms the ultimate extremity of Cape Nel son, and rise to a height, first, of 78ft. 10tin., at the platform or gallery that sur rounds the lantern; then to 90ft. 10in. at tihe point from which the light will issue; then to 102ft. 10in. at the weather vane finial that crowns the domed roof of the lantern-room. The actual light will have a height of 250ft. from the sea level at high water mark, the edge of the cliff being iG6ft, or about 5ft. higher than the ground on which the tower will stand. The site of the tower is to be cleared of stumps, &c., and levelled to an area of about 45ft. in diameter, and a pit to be ex cavated to a depth of lift. to receive a concrete footing. Only fresh water and fresh water sand are to be used in the mtor tar, and the lime is to be the best procur able in the district; also the stone the best bluestone procurable. The foundations above the concrete footings are to be car ried up in 12in. courses with Gin. set off, of solid bluestone ashlar, each stone measur ing not less titan 6 cubic feet, beds and joints to be rough punched, and no joints to exceed tin, the joints to be well bedded and every course grouted with liquid nmor tar. The superstructure will be carried up in bluestone ashlar in regular courses and true to circle, the inside of the walls to be perfectly plumb, nod the outside tapering from 7ft. at the ground to 3ft. Gin. half way up, and then to 2ft. Gin. nearer the insummit, the gradation to be oven and uni form. The top course of the tower, form ing the gallery floor, will be of large stones the full width of the ring. A spiral iron stair will lead from the ground to tihe lamp chamber, having four landings 10ft. 4jin. apart, the hand-rail to be of iron and continued across the landings. A cast-iron column in tile centre of the tower will carry the stair, which will also be securely h tolted to the walls at the landings. The out sitlde diameter of the column will be Gin., 1 and it will be ftths of an inch thick at thebo a bottom, diminishing oneosixteenth at each landing. The tower will have eight win dows, two in each of its vertical sections, to be fitted with galvanised cast-iron esashes and frames, each in two parta, tihe upper part to be glazed with flattnoed sheet glass, and ite lower parts filled with ventilators of sheeoot brass. Two sets of speaking tubes, consisting of Jin. galvan ised iron gas-piping, will extend from 5ft. e above the top floor of the tower to the e ground, and carried a distance of 500 feet t to the principal and other lighthouse keep er's quarters, to be provided with mouthl pieces, &c. A lightning conductor wil d extend from the base of thi centre column of the tower to the sea lovel. All the wood and other internal work is to receive three coats of paint. The lantern, lantern base and gallery railing will be supplied by the Government, to whose mechanics tile con tractor is to afford every assistance when a fixing the same. g About a Ihundred feet to the rear of the t tower is to be a building containing store, - workshop, two-stalled stable, fodder-room, o and cart-shed. The store is 20ft. x 14ft., workshop, 14 x 10ft., the cart-shed'and a fodder-room 12 x 10ft. each. This block 1 of buildings is to be substantially built of stone, and tile various details are set forthl with great distinctness in the plans and specifications, but with such apparently needless verbosity that it is a matter of great difficulty to pick therm out. Suffice it to say that tile materials and workman ship, as well as the goneral appearance of the building, make it look more like the stable of a fanciful duke than a mere Go vernment store - shed in a demnocratic country. In the rear of the store-room, &c., will stand the lighthouse keepers' quartors--a detached cottage for the principal officer and semi detached cottages for his subordi nates. As those are depicted on the plans, in red, blue, and other coloured lines, with all the drautghting skill of the department of Public Works, they have a most im posing look, and even when examined by the aid of inscribed dimensions and speci fled details of construction, they still figure as commodious and handsome dwellings. With their surrounding verandahs, pan. nelled doors, well finished chimney tops, and neat railings anti gates, they are quite whit one would expect to see becomet abodes of domestic contentment and peace, particu larly when it is borne in mind that their occupants will enjoy quite stlmcient in comes in reoward for keeping their lamp brightly butrning. The self-contained resi. donce of the hIeadt light-lteepor is 89£t. by 28ft, outside maonsurJment, with a back building, or return, 34ft. Gin. by 17ft. It con tains in front a tlining room 15 by 13ft. and a sitting room 14 by 13ft.; behlind tlteso are bedtl roomt 15ft. by l1ft. and 14ft by lift. respectively; the lobby is 5ft. wide. In the return thlre is a kitcelon 15 foot by :12 feet, wash house 15 fooeet by 9 feet, and pan try 11 feet by 5 fooeet. Tht doutlo cot tage for the asnistants is f61 feet bIy 28 feet, antl each butihling hIas four goodl rooms and SItiltchen. All tihe cottages are uosrrounded by a verandah 6ft. Git. wido, anti are sup. plited with all necessary conveniences. An tundergrotntd tank 11 feet by 10 feet will store rain water for the use of the settle It now only renmains to bIe mentioned that tie whlolo lighthlouse buitlings will be entclosedtl by means of a rtbbtle twall 5 fooeet t incthees hIighI and 1 foot f inches lthick, whlioc will completely surrountl thleori on all tbut the sea sidtle, ut whlich point tile area to ioe encloted will It Inaccessible. Thiis wall'will be about 14o50 feet in length,