Faraday report to Trinity House   20 February 1860

Royal Institution, 20th February 1860.

I went to Dover last Monday (the 13th instant); was caught in a snow storm between Ashford and Dover and nearly blocked up in the train; could not go to the lighthouse that night; and finding, next day, that the roads on the downs were snowed up, returned to London. On Friday I again went to Dover and proceeded by a fly that night, hoping to find the roads clear of snow; they were still blocked up towards the lighthouse, but by climbing over hedges, walls, and fields, I succeeded in getting there and making the necessary inquiries and observations.

The light was of the same fine character as when I last saw it; shining over the country and the sea. It was generally very steady, but with slight interruptions now and then from iron in the carbons. I found a new keeper in the lantern (Griffiths¹); he had learned how to attend the lamp readily and effectually. The light has a tendency to sudden and spontaneous extinction. This arises from the breaking off of the end of the carbon, or from circumstances interfering with the delicacy of the fine mechanical work of the lamp. It happens two, three, or four times every night; and being once extinguished, the lamp does not re-light itself. The slightest touch of the keeper’s hand is enough to restore the light; but the liability causes an anxious watchfulness on the part of the attendant, who dares not descend to the guard-room, but is constrained to stop in the lantern continually. The light has never been stopped, as yet, by any deficiency of action in the machine room.

I found the two engines in the machine-room, and also both the steam-engines, and the magneto-electric machines, properly at work; the latter had not become deranged or given way at any point, and the magnets appeared by the results to be as powerful as ever. One of the steam-engines had met with an accident; the guide of the piston-rod broke, and the engine ceased to work; but fortunately this took place in the morning, and the engineer was able during the day to establish a temporary guide, which enabled the engine to go on working at nights until the repair was fully made. The water condensers and other parts acted properly, and as they were required.

Though I was not at the lighthouse on the Monday night, yet I could see from Dover that the light was at that time in its proper and regular condition².

(signed) M. Faraday