Seesaw searchlights were an early electric powered searchlight first developed in the 1870s used in conjunction with coast artillery.
The searchlight consisted of an electric carbon lamp, capable of a strong beam for target illumination, because the bulb was vulnerable to enemy fire, it was protected in a recessed emplacement whilst a large mirror, attached to the end of a 'see-saw' pivoting iron beam reflected the beam across the water to the target. The light was powered by steam engines usually housed in the nearby forts.[1]
Only a few of these were built anywhere in the British Empire, and were difficult to operate and were never successful and New Zealand's example had been abandoned by 1899.[2][3]
Surviving examples[]
No complete examples have survived but concrete emplacements can still be found at:
- Fort Ballance, Wellington, New Zealand[4]
- Fort Victoria, Isle of Wight
- Warden Point Battery on the Isle of Wight[5]
See also[]
- Military applications of searchlight
References[]
- ↑ "Military Heap Type Report Final Draft". Isle of Wight County Archaeology and Historic Environment Service Apr 2010. http://www.iwhistory.org.uk/resourceassessment/MilitaryHeapTypeReport.pdf.
- ↑ Glackin, Russell (2009). In Defence of our land. Penguin. p. 51. ISBN 9780143011866.
- ↑ Cooke, Peter (2000). Defending New Zealand : ramparts on the sea 1840-1950s. p. 51. ISBN 0473068338.
- ↑ "HISTORICAL ASPECT OF WELLINGTON'S MILITARY STRUCTURES". http://capitaldefence.freewebhost.co.nz/remgon/hstprv1.htm.
- ↑ "Fortifications Of The Isle of Wight - West Wight: Warden Point Battery". http://h2g2.com/entry/A86685781.
The original article can be found at Seesaw searchlight and the edit history here.