Faraday to Jacob Herbert   27 March 1848

Royal Institution | 27 March 1848.

Sir

I have received & considered Mr. Wilkins letter of the 20th instant relative to the Upper light at the South Foreland¹ and beg to make the following remarks & suggestions in relation to the subject.

If a new perforated platform is to be cast the patterns would (as I understand from Mr. Wilkins personally) have to be made for it & in that case I would rather it should not be open work over the whole extent of its surface but only over that half of it which is nearest the windows[.]

I think the falling brass band would be deep enough if only 6 inches in depth: it should go round the platform at the ends as well as at the edge.

The horizontal part of the chimney should be about one inch below the platform & two inches in from the sides of the lanthorn[.]

There should be close shutting doors with springs or weights between the tower & watch chamber & also between that & the lanthorn.

There are I think at present no ventilators or passages for air from the outside into the lanthorn: these will be required[.] They should not open directly against the horizontal part of the chimney flue but be placed from two to three feet below it[.]

The lower entrances at the foot of the tower into the old warm air chamber should be entirely & well closed - and also the ventilators between the upper end of the same warm air chamber & the lanthorn.

I may here repeat a phrase from my report of the 1 Feby 1847² & say that without being so bold as to assert that the arrangement now under consideration is the best I have very high expectations from it and I go so far as to hope that when the tower & present warm air chamber are thoroughly cut off from the lanthorn we shall find, for our instruction in the case of other lanthorns, that (except upon few occasions) the windows may be kept bright inside even without the use of the lanthorn stove³[.]

I have the honor to be | Sir | Your Very humble Servant | M. Faraday

Jacob Herbert Esq | &c &c &c