Construction began in 1855 with a crew that consisted of: 7 masons/stone cutters, 10 labourers, 1 blacksmith, 1 foreman and 3 horses. One of the workmen left his mark by scratching his initials and the date in wet mortar, halfway up the tower. While under construction, the crew kept a light burning on the island by placing a lantern at the top of the unfinished tower. The lamp itself underwent several transformations starting with an Argand lamp fuelled with sperm whale oil, then a flatwick coal oil lamp, replaced with an oil vapour light about 1900. Vapourized kerosene was burned to keep the beacon aglow. An on-site generator provided electricity during the 1950's and in 1971, an underwater power cable was laid from Tobermory to the island. Today's light is unromantically kindled by a 500-watt bulb magnified to 10X its power by its six revolving glass prisms (Fresnel Lens), manufactured in Paris, France around 1858 and invented by Augustin Fresnel (1788-1827), a French mathematician physicist. It can be seen up to 25 kms away. continue>>> |
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