RETURN to an Order of the Honourable The House of Commons, RETURN" of the further CORRESPONDENCE, since the Date of the last Return (the 10th day of August 1880), which has taken place between the Commissioners of Irish Lights, the Proprietors of Mew Island, the Trinity House, Mr. John R. Wigham, the Board of Trade, and Professor Tyndal, respecting the Improvements of the LIGHT on, and the Establishment of a FOG SIGNAL at, Copeland or Mew Island, and the Adoption of GAS instead of OIL as a means of Illuminating that Station." Board of Trade, 1 (Baron Henry De Worms.) T. H. FARRER. Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be Printed, 6 Jan. 1881 10 Jan. Commissioners of Irish Lights to Board of Trade Commissioners of Irish Lights to Board of Trade Commissioners of Irish Lights to Trinity House Mr. Wigham to Board of Trude 10 17 17 9 9 10 11 11 12 · 12 13 13 20 20 20 21 21 RETURN of the further CORRESPONDENCE, since the Date of the last Return (the 10th day of August 1880), which has taken place between the Commissioners of Irish Lights, the Proprietors of Mew Island, the Trinity House, Mr. John R. Wigham, the Board of Trade, and Professor Tyndal, respecting the Improvements of the LIGHT on, and the Establishment of a FOG SIGNAL at, Copeland or Mew Island, and the Adoption of GAS instead of OIL as a means of Illuminating that Station. Sir, - No. 1. Irish Steamship Association to Board of Trade. (H. 4342.) Irish Steamship Association, North Wall, ON the part of the Irish Steamship Association, I have the honour to request you to submit to the Board of Trade the views of the Association on the importance of changing the position of the light at the entrance to Belfast Lough from its present position on Copeland Island to Mew Island, and of making the light as powerful and distinctive in character as possible. This Association is anxious to press the importance of these points on the attention of the Board of Trade, as the Association is informed that a large sum of money is about to be expended on the improvement of the present light; and they are anxious that the opportunity should be taken of removing the great danger which is now incurred by shipping from the position of Mew Island, lying as it does so far outside the present light, a danger which would be completely obviated were the light placed on it. I HAVE the honour to transmit to you herewith a Memorial, influentially signed by shipowners in this City, on the subject of the lighthouse on Copeland Island, in relation to the alterations shortly to be made there. The Right Honourable Joseph Chamberlain, M.P., President, Board of Trade, London. I am, &c. (signed) John Burns. Enclosure in No. 2. To the Right Honourable the President of the Board of Trade. The Memorial of the several Companies and Persons whose names are hereunto subscribed, Shipowners and Merchants, in Glasgow. YOUR Memoralists, who are extensively engaged in the shipping trade, and who own vessels trading through the North Channel, have learned with satisfaction that the Right honourable the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade have sanctioned the execution of certain improvements upon and in connection with the lighthouse upon Copeland Island, situate off the north-east of the County Down, in the North Channel. The insufficiency of the lighthouse and fog signals at Copeland has hitherto been a great source of danger to vessels navigating the North Channel, and numerous wrecks have occurred involving the loss of valuable lives, which your Memorialists believe would have been avoided had the said light and fog signals been more powerful and efficient. In view of the large number of vessels of all classes which are constantly navigating the North Channel, the situation of the Copeland Islands is such as to render it expedient that the light thereon should be,— (1.) Well placed. (2.) Of the most powerful and distinctive character; and that, (3) In consequence of the frequency of fogs in the locality it should be amply equipped with the most effective fog signals; and your Memorialists venture respectfully to submit that, to accomplish the object in view, the light itself should not only be of a powerful description, but that its position should be changed to the Mew Island, so as to have it at a lower level, and at the extreme point of danger. While appreciating the action of the Right Honourable Board of which you are the President, in authorising a grant towards improving the Copeland Light, your Memorialists regret to learn that such grant will fall considerably short of carrying out the work upon a scale commensurate with the necessities of the case, and having regard to the importance of making the Copeland Light one of the highest class in every respect, your Memorialists beg respectfully to submit that, in view of the large amount of property sacrificed in recent years by reason of the insufficiency and unsuitability of the present Copeland Light, the question of cost required to remedy its defects is one of little importance compared with the large interests involved. The Copeland Islands are so situated as to make the light thereon one of great importance, not only to vessels trading from and to the Port of Belfast, but to shipping of all descriptions navigating the North Channel, so that the advantages of the light extend to a large and numerous class of vessels engaged in the foreign as well as the home trade. On these grounds your Memorialists beg respectfully to suggest to your Right Honourable Board the desirability and expediency of reconstructing the lighthouse itself, as well as furnishing it with the most effective light and fog signals; and the question being one of Imperial interest, they think that the grant should in fairness be of such amount as to cover the entire expense necessary to execute the work in a manner equal to the exigencies of the occasion. 3 July 1880. (signed) G. & J. Burns. Henderson Brothers. Per Clyde Shipping Co. Henry Lamont. Board of Trade (Harbour Department), WITH reference to previous correspondence, I am directed by the Board of Trade to transmit herewith copies of Meu.orials received from the Irish Steamship Association, and from shipowners of Glasgow, on the subject of the marking of Copeland Island and the vicinity, and I am to request that the Board may be favoured with the observations of the Corporation of Trinity House thereupon. The Board have, however, been advised that (in the interests of the general trade) the question is not what is the better site for a lighthouse, Copeland Island or Mew Island, but what is the better site for a lighthouse in conjunction with a powerful fog signal, not only to render safe the outer coast of Mew Island, but also to guard against the neighbouring dangers to the westward and southward. When the proposed alteration is effected, vessels navigated with ordinary care should not be endangered while passing or approaching the neighbourhood, and the local Belfast trade will (the Board are advised), with the help of the Donaghadee Light, be enabled to round Mew Island at a safe and convenient distance in all weathers. I am, &c. Nos. 1 and 2. Board of Trade (Harbour Department), WITH reference to previous correspondence, I am directed by the Board of Trade to transmit herewith Memorials received from the Irish Steamship Association, and from shipowners of Glasgow, on the subject of the marking of Copeland Island and the vicinity, and I am to request that the Board may be favoured with the observations of the Commissioners of Irish Lights thereupon. Referring to the third paragraph of the Memorial, I am to suggest whether it would not be preferable to exhibit the Copeland Island Light on its present site at a lower altitude, with the object of avoiding obscuration by fog. The Board have, however, been advised that (in the interests of the general trade) the question is not what is the better site for a lighthouse, Copeland Island or Mew Island, but what is the better site for a lighthouse in conjunction with a powerful fog signal, not only to render safe the outer coast of Mew Island, but also to guard against the neighbouring dangers to the westward and southward. When the proposed alteration is effected, vessels navigated with ordinary care should not be endangered while passing or approaching the neighbourhood, and the local Belfast trade will (the Board are advised), with the help of the Donaghadee Light, be enabled to round Mew Island at a safe and convenient distance in all weathers. The Secretary, Commissioners of Irish Lights. I am, &c. (signed) Henry G. Calcraft. Nos. 1 and 2. |