The Commissioners of the Northern Lighthouses hereby give notice, that a Lighthouse has been erected upon the Skerryvore Rock, which lies off the Island of Tyree, in the county of Argyll, the Light of which will be exhibited on the Night of the 1st February 1844, and every Night thereafter, from sunset to sunrise.

A specification of the bearings of the Lighthouse and character of the Light will be found on the next page.

And the Commissioners hereby further give notice, that by virtue of a Warrant from the Queen in Council, of date the 13th December 1843, the following Tolls will be levied for voyages in respect of which benefit will be derived from this Light, viz., from every British Vessel (the same not belonging to Her Majesty, or being navigated wholly in ballast), and for every Foreign Vessel which, by any Act of Parliament, Order in Council, Convention, or Treaty, shall be privileged to enter the Ports of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, upon paying the same duties of tonnage as are paid by British Vessels (the same not being navigated wholly in ballast), the Toll of One Penny per Ton of the Burden of every such Vessel; and for every Foreign Vessel not so privileged, the Toll of Two Pence per Ton.

By Order of the Commissioners,

Edinburgh, 23d December 1843.

The following is a Specification of the Position of the Lighthouse, and the Appearance of the Light, by Mr Alan Stevenson, Engineer to the Commissioners.

The Skerryvore Rock lies off the Island of Tyree, in Lat. 56° 19′ 22″ N.; Long. 7° 6′ 32″ W.

By Compass, the Lighthouse bears from Barrahead Lighthouse S. ¹⁄₄ E., distant 33 nautic miles; from Hynish Point, in Tyree, WSW. ¹⁄₂ W., distant 10¹⁄₃ miles; from Iona Island, WNW. ³⁄₄ N., distant 20 miles; from Rhinns of Islay Lighthouse, N. ¹⁄₄ E., distant 44 miles; and from Innistrahull Lighthouse in Ireland, NE. by N., distant 53¹⁄₂ miles.

Owing to the distance to which the foul ground extends on every side of the rock on which the Lighthouse is placed, and the weight of sea which breaks on the shallow ground all round it, it is necessary to give the Light a wide berth. The better to enable seamen to judge of this, their attention is called to the prefixed Chart,[87] which exhibits the relative position of the Skerryvore Rock, and the various dangers around it. In particular, it is necessary to notice the position of those rocks which lie seaward of the Lighthouse, viz. Mackenzie’s Rock, about 3 miles W. by S. ¹⁄₄ S. from the Lighthouse; Stevenson’s, 2¹⁄₄ miles W. ¹⁄₂ N.; and Fresnel’s, which lies between these two Rocks. To the left of the prefixed Chart is a small diagram, which exhibits the position of the Skerryvore Rock in reference to the principal landmarks above noticed.

The Skerryvore Light will be known to mariners as a Revolving Light, producing a Bright Flash once every minute. The Lantern, which is open all round, is elevated 150 feet above the level of the sea. In clear weather the flashes of the Light will be seen at the distance of six leagues, and at lesser distances according to the state of the atmosphere; and to a near observer, in favourable circumstances, the Light will not wholly disappear between the flashes.