The Roles of Seamarks on Coasts

Seamarks assist mariners in navigation by helping them identify their location and continue their voyage safely^[1]. When approaching land, mariners calculate their position, but their reckoning may be inaccurate due to winds, tides, or currents^[1]. In such cases, seamarks confirm calculations or help identify the locality if the mariner is lost^[1]. By recognizing seamarks, mariners can determine their position and chart a safe course^[1].

With the growth in sea traffic and the rise of gigantic steamers that navigate day and night, the necessity for effective seamarks on all coasts has become increasingly urgent^[1]. As maritime nations, it is important to provide facilities for vessels to travel to and return from shores safely^[1]. Additionally, seamarks encourage foreigners to visit, fostering friendly relations, developing commerce, and promoting international communication^[1]. By offering guidance and assistance, seamarks make shores more hospitable and encourage frequent visits^[1].

Seamarks can be classified into four main categories^[1]:

1. Lighthouses

2. Light vessels

3. Buoys and unlighted beacons

4. Fog-signals

Each of these types serves a distinct purpose in ensuring the safety and guidance of mariners^[1].

Brief references to beacon-fires and landmarks can be found in the works of old writers, though detailed information about their purpose is not available^[1]. As navigation in their time was in a crude condition, the necessity for guiding and warning signals had not made itself manifest^[1]. References to seamarks in connection with pillars and other structures setup near the sea can also be found^[1].

During the reigns of King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth, British commerce and shipping grew which necessitated assisting mariners in approaching and leaving the shores^[1]. In 1536, Henry VIII granted a charter to the Trinity House of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, including provisions for building and maintaining two towers with perpetual lights to assist with safe passage to the town and port^[1]. Later, in 1566, it was noted that the destruction of steeples and woods used as beacons led to ships being 'miscarried, perished, and lost in the sea', necessitating the preservation of such marks^[1]. These references mark the earliest official recognition of seamarks on British coasts, though their use was still developing^[1].

Initially, mariners relied on natural landmarks or prominent objects like churches and castles for navigation^[1]. While small sea-lights existed, they served merely local purposes like guiding fishing craft into harbors^[1]. The systematic exhibition of lights at night became a national concern later, with the construction of fire-towers on salient points of the coasts^[1]. These massive towers used wood or coal fires as beacons, though their effectiveness was limited due to weather conditions and fuel consumption^[1]. Despite improvements like glazed lanterns, these early systems remained uncertain, highlighting the need for more reliable seamarks^[1].