"Sunday, September the 16th, was remarkably fine ; so that by the evening the whole frame of the lantern was together, and its groundsill was rested upon a bed of lead ; Which was done in the fbIlow ing nnother : The frame being screwed together, was laised foun its bearing upon the stone about three eighths of' an inch, by a competent number uf iron wedges ; and ad:usted by them to all exact, perpendicular. Muth the stone the iron were taken care to be oiled before they were applied to each other ; and one of the eight sides, having its wedges withdrawn, was run with hot lead ; and making a place for it to overflow, as much could he used as would competently heat both the iron and stone, to bring them to a close beariug with the lead ; then on the lead's cooling, as the frame became supported 01. one side by the lead, the wedges of a second side were with drawn, and treated in the same manner, and so successively till the whole rested upon a solid basement of lead. It was not supposed that the succeeding mass could he sufficiently heated to re-melt the ends of the parts already leaded, as in the case of the chains : but being heated so as to bring them to a close contact, this I judged sufficient. as the lead so applied had no other intent hut to hear weight, and give the frame of the lantern one solid uniform bearing.
" Alonday, the 17th. This morning was also exceedingly fine ; and the \Veton being in sight, which was appointee] to bring out the cupola, we began to set up our shears and tackle for hoisting it. This perhaps may be accounted one of the most difficult and hazardous operations of the whole undertaking ; not so touch on account of its weight. being only about eleven hundred, as on account of the great height to which it was to be hoisted, clear of the building ; and so as, if possible, to avoid such blows as might bruise it. It was also required to be hoisted to a considerable height above the balcony flour ; which, though the largest base we haul for the shears to stand upon, was vet but fourteen feet within the rails ; and therefore narrow, in proportion to their height. The manner in which this was managed, will, in a great measure, appear by the representation thereof, in Plate VI. (see the uppermost stage); but is more minutely explained in the technical detail of that Plate. As the legs of the shears that had been used upon the rock would have been in the way of the cupola they were now removed. as being clone with there, and were used as a part of this machinery. About noon the whole of our tackle was in readiness ; and in the afternoon the Weston was brought into the gut ; and in less than half an hour her troublesome cargo was placed upon the top of the lantern, without the least damage.
"Tuesday, September the ISth, in the morning, the wind was at south-east, with intervals of thick fog ; however, between those I had the satisfitetion, with my telescope, to perceive the Eddystone boat, on board of which I expected the hall to he. The wind and tide were both unfavourable to the vessel's getting soon near us ; therefore being desirous to get the ball screwed on, before the shears and tackle were taken down. one of the awls was dispatched to bring it away. This being dune, and the ball fixed, the shears and tackle were taken down. By this time the joiners had set
up and coinpleted the three cabin bedsteads, (fo• their plan and position between the windows, see Plate IV. Figure 8.) On Friday. the 21st, all the copper sash-frames were got completely fixed in, and ready for receiving the glass.
Uu :Sunday Morning, the 23d, the yawl landed two glaziers and a coppersmith, with their utensils and inaterials; the fitriner began to glaze the lantern, and the latter to lit and put lip the funnels. This day, with my assistant, the inastel, I .egall to fix twellty-fi.tur iron cramps ; that is three to each rib of the roof, and which were obliged to be fixed after the root' was together ; and being fixed inside, and surrounding the ribs, served to key home the plates of the cupola to the ribs. For this purpose small wood wedges were used, as being more supple, elastic, and compliant, than wedges of metal, and therefore more suitable to this par ticular purpose. This day also the Eddystone boat brought out and landed a plumber, with his utensils and materials. The most considerable work for the plumber was the covering the whole balcony floor with thick plates of lead; and which extended from the top of' the plinth, or first course of the basement of the lantern, quite down to the drip of the corona. They were fitted on separately, in sixteen pieces, and soldered together, in place, with strong ribbed joints ; and, to prevent the sea from laying hold of them at the drip, and beating them up. they were turned under about one inch and a half; and being near half an inch thick, I judged them sufficiently stubborn to prevent being unrippetl.
-Thursday the 27th, the lead-work upon the balcony and corona being now entirely finished, and the cupola completely keyed home to the ribs ; the straps and bolts were applied at each angle of the lantern, for screwing it down to the Ilan of the balcony.
" Friday. September the `30th, the joiners finished their woi k, which consisted of the following articles. Three whin beds, to hold one man each, with three drawers and two lockers in each, to hold his separate property, which were fixed in the upper room, or chamber. (See plan thereof', Plate IV., Figure 8.) In the kitchen, besides the tire-place and sink, were two settles with lockers, a dresser with drawers, two cupboards, and one platter case. (Figure 7, of the same Plate, shows how these were disposed.) In the lantern a seat was fixed, to encompass it all round, the door way excepted, serving equally to sit upon, or stand to snuff the candles ; and to enable a person to look through the lowest tier of glass panes at distant objects, without having to goon the outside of the lantern into the balcony. Besides the above, the joiners had fixed the ten window frames, with their sashes ; all which were bedded in putty, a id into rebates cut for them in the original formation of the stone, they could beat any time removed, and replaced at pleasure. as they were fastened in only with wooden pins, driven into holes bored in the stone." On Michaelmas-day. the glazing of the lantern was com pleted ; on the 1st of October, the copper funnel was finished and tried by lighting a fire in the stove.