S32

HISTORY OF ENGINEERING.

Book I.

were discontinued, and a new brick building was erected, with lamps and reflectors. In theyear 1828 this was destroyed, and a wooden tower erected further inland, which wasremoved, three years afterwards, 50 yards further inland, to avoid the encroachment of thesea.

'Hie swape, including the walls on which it stood, exhibits at the height of 56 feet.

The fire basket of iron turning upon its axis places itself level, in every position of themast. This loaded with a weight counterbalances the iron work and fuel at the top; thewhole being steadied and dipped into an iron frame, that turns in equilibrio upon thehorizontal axis, supported by pillars and braces.

To renew the fire, the attendant, laying hold of one of the winches of the roll, turns itround, so as to wind the rope upon it, which, after going obliquely towards the ground, passesa pulley in a stud, fixed therein, at some yards’ distance, and thence rising obliquely upward,it lays hold of the mast by a small chain.

By the motion of the roll the fire basket is brought to the ground, where it is fed withcoals. While the rope is winding upon the roll, the rope, being coiled thereon thecontrary way, was unwinding; and this being attached to the extreme of the lower end ofthe mast, and at equal distanee, in rising carries the rope with it. The fuel being renewed,the winch is turned the contrary way round, by which that end of the mast is broughtdown, and the lire basket carried up into the position shown. 'Hie lower end of the mastis steadied against the cross piece, the roll being then fastened.

The projecting part is a small umbrella of sheet iron, to throw off the cinders.

Bridlington Quay opens directly upon the harbour, which is formed by two piers,extending a considerable distance into the sea; that to the north is a promenade, fromwhence a fine view of Flamborough Head and the spacious bay is obtained. South-westerly winds occasion a considerable deposit here, and the force of the waves is very muchbroken by the Smithick sand, which extends in a direction nearly north-east and south-westacross the bay, on which there is only from 12 to 20 feet of water at the recess of thetide.

Scarborough is the only port on this coast, between the Humber and Tynemouth haven,where ships can find refuge in violent gales; it is easy of access, and has a sufficient deptliof water at full tide for vessels of considerable burthen. As there is no natural stream toscour the harbour, it is subject to be warped up by the sand which is deposited in it, and isonly cleansed by the violent agitation of the sea, produced by the strong gales from the east.Quay Street once bounded the old harbour, and is now only reached by the water at highspring tides, which proves how much deposit has taken place.

Whitby , at a very early period, bad timber piers for the protection of its shipping, but itwas not till about 1702, when two acts of parliament were obtained for the improvement ofthe port, that the present east pier was built, 200 yards westerly to the channel of the Eske,which affords a great security against the violence of the sea, when the wind is at north-east, which flows over the rock with a strong current into the harbour. About the sametime, a staith was erected on the west side of the river, the Scotch head built, and thewestern pier formed, which extended 200 yards towards the sea, contiguous to the channelof t lie Eske.

The sand that daily warped into the harbour, around the west pier, and the bed of sandthat continually lay at the head of that pier, seemed to threaten its destruction, when it wasproposed to lengthen the pier on the west, and extend it sufficiently towards the north, thatits head might shelter the east pier from the run of the sea, setting along the coast. Anact of parliament was obtained to carryout this project, but it was only partly effected. Thewestern pier is regularly built of stone, brought from a quarry near Woodlands, four milessouth-west of Whitby, and extends 520 yards into the sea, where it is terminated by acircular head. One of the other piers, which extends from the east cliff, so contracts theentrance, that in hard blowing weather the harbour is difficult of access.

The town is built on two declivities, on the banks of the Eske, which empties itself intothe harbour ; a drawbridge is so constructed, that the inner harbour can be entered byvessels of 200 tons burthen. There are several dry docks, and ship-building is extensivelycarried on ; the depth of water in the harbour at neap tides is 12 feet, at common tides 18,and 21 in the great equinoctial springs.

IlartlepooU situated on a promontory, is nearly surrounded by the German Ocean, and infront is a capacious bay, favourable for the reception of vessels at all times. “ Few places,”says Mr. Hutchinson, “ give so perfect an idea of the fortifications of a former period ; along extended wall, strengthened by demi-bastions, are placed at intervals, some rounded,others square ; various gates and sally ports, secured by machicolations and the portcullis ;some of the gates defended by angular, others by square turrets, all the variety of style ap-pearing as they had successively grown into use.” As the wall runs along the edge of thecreek, behind the point of land which projects into the sea, and from thence turns to crossthe isthmus to the opposite cliff, the figure it forms is not regular, giving first a triangle,and then running with a sweep or bend north and eastward.