CO129-406 - Public Offices - 1913 — Page 152

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1221/13).

CAPE SPARTEL LIGHTHOUSE.

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In April 1852 Her Majesty's Minister ut Tangier

reported that the British barque "Calle" had been

wrecked on the beach of the western coast of Morocco,

7 miles to the south of Cape Spartel and that since

the year 1841 seven vessels had been wrecked in those

Although the cause of these disasters might

in part be attributed to the strong current setting

on that coast, Mr. Drumond Hay apprehenued that they

were due more especially to the Musters of vessels,

in dark nights, mistuking the low land between Spartel

and Isahardats for the Straits of Gibraltar.

parts.

He therefore submitted for the consideration of

Her Majesty's Government a proposal for erecting a

lighthouse on Cape Spartel which would, as he had been

frequently assured by persons versed in nauticul affairs

and accustomed to navigate in the Straits, be highly

conducive to the safety and interests of the shipping

and commerce of all nations passing through the

Straits of Gibraltar and would certainly help in pre-

venting such a frequent occurrence of such disasters.

The