Faraday report to Trinity House   19 January 1861

Royal Institution, 19th January 1861.

In reply to your inquiry respecting my opinion of the propriety of placing the Magneto-electric Light at the Start Point, rather than at Dungeness, I have to say that I think it will be much better at the former place than at the latter. Though the first is a revolving light and the other a fixed light, Professor Holmes does not doubt that, with the Fresnel apparatus, now at the Start Point, he will have the same advantage over the ordinary lamp that he has practically obtained at the South Foreland. He does not see any reason to believe that, in respect of horizontal refraction at the former, there will be any difference or departure from the efficacy and action actually obtained in the vertical refractor belonging to the fixed light at the latter place; nor do I. Because, therefore, great preparatory expense will be saved by going to the Start Point; because much time will be saved; because the light will be much higher, and therefore better fitted to show at a distance the powers of the Magneto-electric Light; and because a success equal to that obtained at the South Foreland may be justly expected, whilst no liability of failure or other difficulty will be introduced that has not been tested at the South Foreland, I recommend strongly that the apparatus be placed at the Start Point.

I think, however, that Professor Holmes should look at the lighthouse lantern and apparatus, and approve of the change, that no objection should hereafter be started tending to throw off the responsibility and the approval; also, that he be responsible, as at the South Foreland, for providing the means of restoring the Fresnel lamp at any moment, if his own apparatus should fail; and that, as the change is from a fixed to a revolving light, he should be required to have a superintending care over it from the first, for such time as the Trinity House may deem necessary¹.

(signed) M. Faraday