THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: New lighthouse lamps installed on Belfast Lough

From the News Letter, January 13, 1872
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The question of lighting the channel from the Holywood station up to the river south of Twin Islands had been long the subject of discussions of the Harbour Commissioners, noted the News Letter on this day 1872.

But the paper was pleased to report that influence of Mr Salmond, the engineer of the Commissioners, had been brought to bear and that improvements to lighthouses along the coast had finally been undertaken by the Commissioners.

The paper reported that the new lights, one at the station at the East Twin Island, another at the Pool of Garmoyle, situated on the east side of the channel and one at the Seal Channel light had been installed and tested by Mr Salmond “when it was found that the illuminating power of the new lamp was more than double of the old one, and could be distinguished at a considerable greater distance seaward”.

Jim Canning (left) and Gerald McCurdy inspect the huge light in one of Rathlin Island's three lighthouses. The East Light, built in 1856, is the oldest. It became automated in 1995. The Rue Light, at the southern tip opposite fair head, is only 35 feet above sea level. At the western tip of the island is the West Light, built between 1912 and 1916 at the enormous cost in those days of £400,000. All three of the lighthouses stand as monument to its wild coast while over 40 recorded shipwrecks lie in the depths of underwater cliffs and caves. This photograph dates from 1994. Picture: News Letter archivesJim Canning (left) and Gerald McCurdy inspect the huge light in one of Rathlin Island's three lighthouses. The East Light, built in 1856, is the oldest. It became automated in 1995. The Rue Light, at the southern tip opposite fair head, is only 35 feet above sea level. At the western tip of the island is the West Light, built between 1912 and 1916 at the enormous cost in those days of £400,000. All three of the lighthouses stand as monument to its wild coast while over 40 recorded shipwrecks lie in the depths of underwater cliffs and caves. This photograph dates from 1994. Picture: News Letter archives
Jim Canning (left) and Gerald McCurdy inspect the huge light in one of Rathlin Island's three lighthouses. The East Light, built in 1856, is the oldest. It became automated in 1995. The Rue Light, at the southern tip opposite fair head, is only 35 feet above sea level. At the western tip of the island is the West Light, built between 1912 and 1916 at the enormous cost in those days of £400,000. All three of the lighthouses stand as monument to its wild coast while over 40 recorded shipwrecks lie in the depths of underwater cliffs and caves. This photograph dates from 1994. Picture: News Letter archives

Of the new lamps the News Letter reported: “The illuminating medium is a large lamp, which has been especially constructed by Messrs Hincks and Sons of Birmingham, and supplied through the firm of Messrs Riddel and Co of this town.”

On January 12 the paper reported that a further test had been carried out on the lamps and that the one at the Seal Channel lighthouse had shone “with a red oil light, the result being highly satisfactory, the power and brilliancy of the colour of the light being almost equal to that of the oxy-calcium”.