Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Tuesday 8 July 1884, page 6


THE LIGHTING UP OF THE NEW PHAROS ON CAPE NELSON.

(FltOJI OUll OWN COIlUKbrONUEST. )

PORTLAND. MONDAY EVIÍNIIÍO.

At sunset this evening the Cape Nel-son light was illuminated for the first time a few minutes before sunset. The effect will be that ships arriving from Europe, India, China, &c , after making Cape Leuwin, will be enabled to steer a straight course for Cape Otway or Wilsons Promon-tory, as their destination may require, and will be effectually protected against the dangers attending the navigation ot Bass s Straits, and will be warned off Kings Island,

which has proved fatal to so many fine ships.

It is so long since ns IRJ'5 that tho need of a beacon on Cape Nelson or Capo Bridge water was fully acknowledged and at an intercolonial ifenfcicuco to arrunge for the hghtiiie of the Australian const, it was agreed

that the A ictoriau (_ov eminent would esta bhsh tho pharos which bus just been in au"urnted J or m uij years it remained un ieciili d which of the two capis above named should be h0htcd up, and every sue cccding Uovi rnment dunng a quarter of a ci ntury wau importuned on the subject The Poitlund Borough Council m entitled to tho credit of bovine the work undertaken This

body has been stirring in the matter all tho time, and actively stirring during the past eight years wubin which timo it uenrccly had a meeting at which tho light-house question did ni t come up Its mern hers harassed Mi \\ rixon and tormented ever} public man who visited the town on the subject of the Capo Nelson light house and nil this partly on general and pnrtlj on local grounds "Wo mo a nautical pto| le here, sev eral of our leading men being d 1 shipniusteis, und vic nuturally take au mti rest in maritime affairs But tho beacon light on Cope Nelson is expected to havo a beneficial effect on the trade of tho town ma-iiiiiich as it will show vessels m want of protection against tempistuous weather or contrarj winds or in need of lepairs or supplies the wuj into loi Mund Buy, which is the onlj secure harbour outsido of Port 1 Inllip Heads on tho \.ictoriun const Hie largest v cssc Is in the world um rule safely in it with seven fathoms of water under them, and good blue clay fui then anchors to cling

to

Hie lantern is -.Oft above the highwater sea level, and is a fixed clear (or white) dioptric light, visible at a distance of lu nautical miles Hie clear light is visible fiom seaward over an mc of 190 leg , and red lights nie »bown from tho same tower over the J a« leuce Rocks to the eastward and ovci the s luthtrnmost point of Capo Bridge-

water to tho wtstw aid

Hie erection of tlio lower has been in pro

press during about l8 mouths the work

nilling been much dilujcd by the difficulty the contrnctois experienced in obtaining bluestone of the required dimensions Hie wink has been most efficiently dono by Messrs Homo and Slingo, mid barring earth, quakis orothci violcntconiulsionsoiimturo, will endure ns long as the crust of the earth holds together

As an afterthought tlio department ot Publie Works lins had the tower painted white, so that it mu) servo as a landmark m the tlay time as well as a guide at night, which addition to tho usefulness of tho tower arose out of n paragraph in the Poit land Guardian describing graphically tho consternation of a ship captain who lound himself at daybreak one morning within half a mile of a bold headlnutt with a tower on it 100ft high, of which Ins chinta and sailing directions furnished no explanation It was oui) on his dropping anchor in Poitland Hoy that ho renlly knew wheio he wns nnd obtained an explanation of what bud npj eared to lum a phantom tower on Cape Nels ni

Hie ma)or of Portland (Mr 1 W. Shcvill) lighted up tho cave nt Nelson Pharos, by lighting the two pi t phonic lumps which mc to send our tluir clcur rays 10 miles to sea. At thu samo time Mr W 1 Pile, un ex ma) i w ho bus taken a veiy active pail in the imitation which lins eventuated in the in ti >n of tho lighthouse, illuminated the two uti light« which aro v isible to the east anti wist of tho tower A\ hen this message is 1 cin" tie spatched the principal lcsulcuts t f tin town and district are assembled at Mu s Hotel to celebrate the lighting up Hie Despatch is now starting for the hell ti use and will return at about 12 o eloci