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Nanpang Island (Lamocks Island)
China
The optic appears in Chance Brothers order books under the name of Lamock's Island and this is what the islands were known by to foreigners. The Nanpeng islands consist of 6 islands and the lighthouse was built on Nanpang island. According to T.R.Banister published 1932 'it was originally a 1st order fixed dioptric light of 4,600 candles, with a pressure lamp of 4 wicks, burning tea oil. In 1899, 6 wick burners designed for mineral oil were substituted for the old vegetable burners, resulting in a 68% increase of candle-power to 7,750. At the same time a distinguishing characteristic was given to the light by the installation of occulting gear. In 1913 petroleum-vapour burners fitted for 85mm incandescent mantles were supplied, raising the candle-power to 25,000. In 1918 a violent earthquake wrecked the station and seriouly damaged the light'. If the first lense was dated 1871 then Bannister also reports that in 1924 the second lense was installed. A Chance lense originally lit by a triple burner, having 3x55mm incandescent mantles of the colludion type, producing together a lightening flash of 400,000 candle-power, which is repeated 4 times in quick succession every 20 sec. this was further improved in 1929 by the substitution of a single 110mm autoform mantle with burner, increasing the power to 700,000 candles.
There was also a Low Light first exhibited on the same date as the High Light, but no defintive details as to whether Chance supplied this, it could be assumed so and that information is entered below.
The light is off the coast of Shantou in the South China Sea. The islands have no residents living on them apart from a garrison of the Peoples Liberation Army.
I haven't been able to find any further information about this lighthouse even after extensive research.
| Manufacture Date | 1871 |
|---|---|
| Lighthouse Construction | 1874 |
| Country | China |
| Commissioning Body | Chinese Customs Lighthouse |
| Lens Order | 1st order |
| Lens Type | Fixed |
| Status | publish |
| Light Character | The main light is 241ft above high water, on a cast iron tower, 25ft high, painted black. |
| Lighthouse Markings | 22.8 metre lighthouse. |
| Lighthouse Parts | None known |
| Management Body Ports Authority | Unconfirmed. |
| Preserver | Unconfirmed. |
| Coastal Erosion Vulnerability | |
| Condition Observations | Unknown. |
| Open Status (Site) | Closed |
| Open Status (Tower) | Closed |
| Coordinates | 23.2589742524,117.2840004183 |
| Other | Nánpēngdǎo (Nánpēng Lièdǎo, Nánpēng Islands): ARLHS PRC-046; CN-4002; Admiralty P3587.7; NGA 19206. Images from T.Roger Bannister published book - online. Low Light report: The Low Light is exhibited through the window of a hut standing 55 feet above high water, about 400 yards in a south-westerly direction from the tower of the Main Light. It is a fixed dioptric condensing light of the 4th order, coloured red, fully visible on a sector of 16 degrees only and gradually waning for a further 41/4 degrees on either edge. The red light is produced by a ruby shade between the lenses and the external pane of ordinary lantern glass, here doubly necessary as a protection against the abrading effects of salt spray and blown sand, because of the exceptional nearness of the light both to the sea and to the ground. The illumination was originally provided by a fountain lamp with a two-wick burner, using mineral oil, of nearly 5,000 candle-power. lt seems curious that the old-fashioned vegetable oil should have been decided on for the main, or high light, When mineral oil was chosen for the low light, thus necessitating supplies of two different kinds at the same station. In 1913 a petroleum-vapour burner for use with a 35-mm. incandescent mantle was fitted to the Low Light, raising the candle-power to 24,000, and in 1926 a further improvement was effected by the supply of autoform mantles in the place of the old collodion type, giving a power calculated to be of 50,000 candles exceptionally high for a red light. |
| Data Source | Online research. Roger T Bannister 'The coastwise light os Chinw: an illustrated account of the Chinese maritime customs lights service. Pub: Statistical Dept. of the Inspectorate General of Customs, 1932. https://iiif.lib.harvard.edu/manifests/view/drs:44366557$34i |