Corregidor Island Lighthouse
Encyclopedia
The first Corregidor Island Lighthouse was a historic lighthouse
located on the island of Corregidor, in the province
of Cavite
, Philippines
. The light station was one of the most important lights in the archipelago. It was established in 1853 to guide ships to the entrance of Manila Bay
on their way to the port of Manila
, the most important trading center in the country. This light occupies the converging point of two lines of approach for vessels from the China Sea which steer for the entrance of the Manila Bay. Vessels from Hong Kong
and the ports of China to the northwest first sight the Capones Island
light off the southwest coast of Zambales. Vessels from ports of Indo-China first sight the Corregidor lights in the center. Vessels from Singapore
, Indonesia
, India
, and all the ports of the Philippine Islands, to the south, first sight the Cabra Island light
. All lines converge on Corregidor light at the bay entrance.
, divide the entrance of the bay into the North Channel and South Channel, also known as Boca Chica and Boca Grande, respectively in the Spanish era. The passage between the two islands is only 1/4 mile and is dangerous for large vessels.
The lighthouse was located on the highest point of the island (later known as the Topside) with an effective height of 639 feet (194.8 m) above sea level or 42-ft high from the base of the light tower. The total height of the tower measured 60 feet (18.3 m) from the base to the top of the wind vane. The light was obscured when well into the steep north side of the island.
The cylindrical tower was originally colored gray with octagonal keeper’s dwelling surrounding the base. The roof of the base also doubles as rain collector for the cisterns next to the lighthouse, which provide water not for only the station but supplements the need of the island.
at the mouth of Pasig River
.
The establishment of a lighthouse station on the island of Corregidor was recommended in the year 1835 during the administration of Governor Pascual Enrile y Alcedo. Its construction was not authorized, however, until 1846 with the passing of Royal Order of April 14 by the Spanish Government. The lighthouse was not completed until 1853 - eighteen years after the recommendation of its construction had been made.
On January 18, 1853, notice to mariners were released announcing the start of service on February 1, 1853 for the second-order light on Corregidor, together with the fourth-order light on Caballo Island. Both lighthouses were equipped with lighting apparatus from Henry Lepaute of Paris. The white light on the summit of Corregidor revolved once every ten or twenty seconds, and visible in clear weather from a distance of 20 miles. Later, a fixed white light was also shown from the white tower on the West Mole Head, at the entrance to the bay on the north side of the island.
In 1897, the aging lighting apparatus was replaced by a provisional light of the same character, but of less power, before the installation of a new permanent light that was exhibited on August 1, 1897. The new apparatus flashed white and red light, showing white and red flashes alternately every ten seconds, separated by total eclipses, and is visible 36 miles in clear weather.
The main construction works in 1903 were renovating the old buildings, and the construction of new quarters for the light station. A school of apprentices was established in Manila the previous year to train competent lighthouse keepers, using Corregidor lighthouse as a training station. Three frame buildings for quarters and kitchens were erected.
The year after, a small party was sent to this station to make more minor repairs to doors, windows, and drains, part of the appropriation from Acts 807 and 1049.
In 1905, the bamboo fence at Corregidor light station being found in bad condition and was replaced with posts and boards. The system of gutters was changed to increase the water supply. A latrine was built, new floors were put in the keepers' dwellings as they were damaged by termites.
With funds from the approval of Act No. 1225 for lighthouse maintenance, some were applied to the purchase of the necessary parts from Paris to convert the polygonal lantern at Corregidor into a cylindrical lantern to diminish the interval between flashes from ten to five seconds and to replace the wick burner with the incandescent system.
In 1908, the Corregidor Island became a U.S. military installation and was designated as Fort Mills
as part of the harbor defense of Manila Bay. The Americans started fortifying the island as main naval defense fort for the bay in case of war.
From December 16, Corregidor lighthouse was used by the Navy to facilitate the entrance of submarines carrying supplies and ammunition for the troops on the island as authorized by General Douglas MacArthur. The light was shown the first ten minutes of each one-half hour on a secret schedule furnished by the Navy for each entry. Only white light was shown and on a fixed specified azimuth. As the submarine passes through the controlled mine fields, the Inshore Patrol coordinating with the Harbor Defense put the mines on "safe" and the marking buoys were illuminated by searchlights.
The first damage to the lighthouse happened on January 14 around noon when two flights of bombers, nine each, bombed mostly the Topside. The lighthouse and surrounding buildings were damaged but the light was still operable using a kerosene
lamp.
During the fight for liberation from the Japanese, the island was heavily bombed leaving every building in the island in ruins. The lighthouse did not survive the bombardment.
The base now houses a souvenir shop for tourists of the historical island.
The lantern was replaced in the 1990s with a solar powered light as part of the Maritime Safety Improvement Project by the Philippine Coast Guard
.
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
located on the island of Corregidor, in the province
Provinces of the Philippines
The Provinces of the Philippines are the primary political and administrative divisions of the Philippines. There are 80 provinces at present, further subdivided into component cities and municipalities. The National Capital Region, as well as independent cities, are autonomous from any provincial...
of Cavite
Cavite
Cavite is a province of the Philippines located on the southern shores of Manila Bay in the CALABARZON region in Luzon, just 30 kilometers south of Manila. Cavite is surrounded by Laguna to the east, Metro Manila to the northeast, and Batangas to the south...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. The light station was one of the most important lights in the archipelago. It was established in 1853 to guide ships to the entrance of Manila Bay
Manila Bay
Manila Bay is a natural harbor which serves the Port of Manila , in the Philippines.The bay is considered to be one of the best natural harbors in Southeast Asia and one of the finest in the world...
on their way to the port of Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, the most important trading center in the country. This light occupies the converging point of two lines of approach for vessels from the China Sea which steer for the entrance of the Manila Bay. Vessels from Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and the ports of China to the northwest first sight the Capones Island
Capones Island Lighthouse
Capones Island Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse located in Capones Grande Island off the coast of Brgy. Pundaquit, San Antonio, in the province of Zambales, in the Philippines. The light guide international vessels coming from the north to northwest towards Subic Bay or to Corregidor Island...
light off the southwest coast of Zambales. Vessels from ports of Indo-China first sight the Corregidor lights in the center. Vessels from Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and all the ports of the Philippine Islands, to the south, first sight the Cabra Island light
Cabra Island Lighthouse
The Cabra Island Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse built on Cabra Island, the westernmost of the Lubang group of islands in Occidental Mindoro, Philippines...
. All lines converge on Corregidor light at the bay entrance.
Description
Corregidor, together with Caballo IslandCaballo Island
Caballo Island is a bluff, rocky island located at the entrance to Manila Bay in the Philippines. It is about 3/4 mile long with the highest elevation at 381 feet high...
, divide the entrance of the bay into the North Channel and South Channel, also known as Boca Chica and Boca Grande, respectively in the Spanish era. The passage between the two islands is only 1/4 mile and is dangerous for large vessels.
The lighthouse was located on the highest point of the island (later known as the Topside) with an effective height of 639 feet (194.8 m) above sea level or 42-ft high from the base of the light tower. The total height of the tower measured 60 feet (18.3 m) from the base to the top of the wind vane. The light was obscured when well into the steep north side of the island.
The cylindrical tower was originally colored gray with octagonal keeper’s dwelling surrounding the base. The roof of the base also doubles as rain collector for the cisterns next to the lighthouse, which provide water not for only the station but supplements the need of the island.
Spanish Colonial Era
The two light stations, Corregidor and Caballo, were the second oldest lighthouses established in the country after the lighthousePasig River Light
The Pasig River Light was the first lighthouse erected in the Philippines. It was then located on the north jetty at the mouth of Pasig River, marking the entrance to the river for vessels around Manila Bay, looking to dock on the ports along the banks of the river in Manila.-History:A light...
at the mouth of Pasig River
Pasig River
The Pasig River is a river in the Philippines that connects Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay. Stretching for , it is lined by Metro Manila on each side...
.
The establishment of a lighthouse station on the island of Corregidor was recommended in the year 1835 during the administration of Governor Pascual Enrile y Alcedo. Its construction was not authorized, however, until 1846 with the passing of Royal Order of April 14 by the Spanish Government. The lighthouse was not completed until 1853 - eighteen years after the recommendation of its construction had been made.
On January 18, 1853, notice to mariners were released announcing the start of service on February 1, 1853 for the second-order light on Corregidor, together with the fourth-order light on Caballo Island. Both lighthouses were equipped with lighting apparatus from Henry Lepaute of Paris. The white light on the summit of Corregidor revolved once every ten or twenty seconds, and visible in clear weather from a distance of 20 miles. Later, a fixed white light was also shown from the white tower on the West Mole Head, at the entrance to the bay on the north side of the island.
In 1897, the aging lighting apparatus was replaced by a provisional light of the same character, but of less power, before the installation of a new permanent light that was exhibited on August 1, 1897. The new apparatus flashed white and red light, showing white and red flashes alternately every ten seconds, separated by total eclipses, and is visible 36 miles in clear weather.
American Colonial Period
When the Americans took control of the country, the newly-established Bureau of Coast Guard and Coast Guard made a complete tour of the country, inspecting all lighthouses and stations in the archipelago in 1902. All the lighthouses were found urgently needing repairs to preserve their good condition, to make the stations efficient and habitable. In Corregidor, repairs were done to rehabilitate the dwellings and tower, and a bamboo fence was erected.The main construction works in 1903 were renovating the old buildings, and the construction of new quarters for the light station. A school of apprentices was established in Manila the previous year to train competent lighthouse keepers, using Corregidor lighthouse as a training station. Three frame buildings for quarters and kitchens were erected.
The year after, a small party was sent to this station to make more minor repairs to doors, windows, and drains, part of the appropriation from Acts 807 and 1049.
In 1905, the bamboo fence at Corregidor light station being found in bad condition and was replaced with posts and boards. The system of gutters was changed to increase the water supply. A latrine was built, new floors were put in the keepers' dwellings as they were damaged by termites.
With funds from the approval of Act No. 1225 for lighthouse maintenance, some were applied to the purchase of the necessary parts from Paris to convert the polygonal lantern at Corregidor into a cylindrical lantern to diminish the interval between flashes from ten to five seconds and to replace the wick burner with the incandescent system.
In 1908, the Corregidor Island became a U.S. military installation and was designated as Fort Mills
Fort Mills
Fort Mills was the location of US Major General George F. Moore's headquarters for the Philippine Department's Harbor Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays. This was one of the locations at which, under the National Defense Act of 1935, coastal artillery training was conducted.-References:*McGovern,...
as part of the harbor defense of Manila Bay. The Americans started fortifying the island as main naval defense fort for the bay in case of war.
World War II
On December 8, 1941, the day the Japanese invaded the Philippines, the lighthouses on Corregidor, Caballo, and Monja Island were extinguished as agreed by the Navy and the Harbor Defense Commander.From December 16, Corregidor lighthouse was used by the Navy to facilitate the entrance of submarines carrying supplies and ammunition for the troops on the island as authorized by General Douglas MacArthur. The light was shown the first ten minutes of each one-half hour on a secret schedule furnished by the Navy for each entry. Only white light was shown and on a fixed specified azimuth. As the submarine passes through the controlled mine fields, the Inshore Patrol coordinating with the Harbor Defense put the mines on "safe" and the marking buoys were illuminated by searchlights.
The first damage to the lighthouse happened on January 14 around noon when two flights of bombers, nine each, bombed mostly the Topside. The lighthouse and surrounding buildings were damaged but the light was still operable using a kerosene
Kerosene
Kerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage, also known as paraffin or paraffin oil in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Ireland and South Africa, is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid. The name is derived from Greek keros...
lamp.
During the fight for liberation from the Japanese, the island was heavily bombed leaving every building in the island in ruins. The lighthouse did not survive the bombardment.
The lighthouse today
Around 1950s, the lighthouse was rebuilt using some of the original stones from the ruins but using a different design.The base now houses a souvenir shop for tourists of the historical island.
The lantern was replaced in the 1990s with a solar powered light as part of the Maritime Safety Improvement Project by the Philippine Coast Guard
Philippine Coast Guard
The Philippine Coast Guard is a maritime law enforcement agency operating under the Department of Transportation and Communications of the Philippines....
.
External links
- Light Stations of the National Capital Region and Central Luzon at the Philippine Coast Guard Website.