relics of which may even now be seen. It was built by the Romans, of
very strong material, tufa, concrete, and red-tile brick. It was
probably used as a lighthouse about the time of the Norman conquest,
and is now devoted to purposes of government storage. The Colossus of
Rhodes is said to have been used as a beacon, but there is no proof
that it was so.

Englishmen are notorious for the facility they have of making money,
and some enterprising men among our forefathers lighted beacons along
the coast, and levied tolls upon those who benefited by their light;
and James I. used to sell this privilege to his subjects. In the diary
of Lord Grenville, is found this entry--"Mem. To watch the moment when
the king is in a good temper to ask of him a lighthouse." This plan,
however, was not very effective, and the public grew increasingly
dissatisfied with it until, in the reign of William IV., the
Corporation of Trinity House was empowered to buy up all lighthouses,
take possession of all privileges, and have the entire control of the
lighthouse system. There are between three and four hundred members of
the Corporation, amongst whom are the Prince of Wales, the Duke of
Edinburgh, who has the title of Master, and Mr. W. E. Gladstone. The
active committees are composed of retired captains. They have to give
certificates to properly-qualified pilots, attend to sea-marks, to the
ballast of the Thames ships, and many other things. There are two
other Corporations besides that of Trinity House--namely, the
Commission of Northern Lights, and the Board of Ballast of Dublin; and
all these are under the control of the Board of Trade.

The total number of lights in England is 286, in Scotland 134, and in
Ireland 93. So well is our coast lighted that it is said to be
impossible to arrive near a dangerous point without seeing a warning
lighthouse in some direction. They are of many different kinds and
colours, some being placed on towers, some on sand-banks, some in ships
out at sea, some on pier-heads, and in harbours. There are five
principal lights, the "fixed," the "flashing," the "revolving," the
"intermittent," and the "double lights," in one tower.

Two methods of lighting have been employed--the Catoptric and the
Dioptric systems. The Catoptric lights are divided into nine
classes--the fixed, revolving white, revolving red and white, revolving
red with two whites, revolving white with two reds, flashing,
intermitte