Cape du Couedic Lighthouse

— Light Station. —

Cape de Couedic— many modern charts erroneously spell the name with a final e instead of c— is associated with the discoveries of the French explorer, Capt. Baudin. It marks a section of the coast of Kangaroo Island which has been responsible for the loss of scores of lives and of hundreds of thousands of pounds' worth of valuable property. The construction of a lighthouse on the spot was long advocated by the Marine Board, but shelved from time to time. A great deal of the credit for its installation is due to the late Premier (Mr. Price), and his Government. Mr. Price took a deep interest in the matter, and when convinced of the need for the light, set aside £5,000 as the first instalment for its erection. The plans were prepared by Mr. J. B. Labatt (Assistant Engineer of Harbours), and the whole station has been erected under his direction, with the assistance of Mr. R. de N. Lucas.

The inaccessibility of the place was a great drawback to the work. All the original material had to be landed in boats upon the beach just below the cliffs and carried up a zigzag pathway that was hewn out of the face, until a temporary flying fox was erected. In this, as well as in the subsequent operations, Capt. P. Weir, of the Governor Musgrave, rendered very valuable aid.

The first landing was effected on October 4, 1907, and the work since carried out to a successful issue included the erection of a small iron pile jetty, the building of a permanent flying fox, operated by an oil engine, the construction of an engine house and masonry stone and water tank at the summit of the cliff, a road three-quarters of a mile long, three keepers' cottages, and the erection of the lighthouse tower and the lantern. The construction work was first in charge of Inspector G. Wisdom, but subsequently, when his services were required elsewhere, Mr. T. Reynolds' was placed in control, and be has brought the plans of Mr. Labatt to a very satisfactory conclusion. The station has been placed in telephonic communication with Cape Borda. The cost of construction has been £16.000, including £5,000 for the lights.

— Description of the Lights.—

The primary light installed is what is technically known as a holophotal group It shows a white light all round, giving a flash of .33 sec, an eclipse of 1.35 sec, then a flash of .33 sec, followed by an eclipse of 5.49 sec, with an interval be tween the double flashes of 7.5 sec. The light is visible for a distance of 27 miles. ????? each, mounted on a cast-iron base, which floats in a circular reservoir of mercury. The lenses are timed to make one complete revolution in 22½ sec The light adopted is known as the incandescent kerosene system, now in use in many of the lighthouses on the coast, in which the mantle is 85 millimetres. This gives a light equal to about 1,000 candlepower. The power of the flash is difficult to estimate, but it is probably about 500,000 candle power. In addition to the primary light there is a subsidiary light fixed 60 ft. below the main lantern, showing a red sector over Lipson Reef and a white sector over the Casuarinas. Both lights were constructed by the well-known Birmingham firm of lantern manufacturers, Messrs. Chance Brothers, on the most approved modern principle. In the main light a system of mercury flotation has been adopted in place of the old-fashioned friction roller, thus enabling the light to be driven with very much smaller power. The lights are placed in a tower constructed of rock-face coursed rubble masonry. The stone, which was quarried locally, and prepared on the spot, is of very high quality. The height of the tower is 55 ft., and the lantern stands 339 ft. above sea level. A feature in its construction is that reinforced concrete has been used for the staircase and floors. Cape de Couedic light is considered to be probably only second in point of efficiency in the southern hemisphere to that of the Macquarie. Lighthouse at South Head, Sydney.

—The Lightkeepers.—

The position of head keeper of the light house has been given to Mr. G. G. Duthie, late head keeper at Troubridge Island. He is a very old servant of the Marine Board, and his appointment is a just recognition of his ability for the post. Mr. G. E. Luckett, the second keeper, has also been several years in the board's employ, and his previous appointment was as second keeper at Cape Northumberland. He was shipwrecked in the steamer You Yangs near Cape Willoughby, the eastern extremity of Kangaroo Island, in 1890, and on that occasion heroically swam out to the vessel and rescued the master (Capt. Veitch) from a perilous position. Mr. Luckett also served with one of the contingents in the South African war. The third keeper is Mr. G. Mannant, a former second mate of the Governor Musgrave, and for a long period employed at the Outer Harbour. All three keepers are highly experienced and able men, and in their hands the Cape de Couedic station may be expected to give a good account of itself. That its welcome rays may stave off shipwreck is the earnest wish of all South Australians.