THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: New lighthouse lamps installed on Belfast Lough
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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.
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Hide AdThe 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”.
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”.
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