John Smeaton He pioneered the use of 'hydraulic lime' (a form of mortar that will set under water) and developed a technique involving dovetailed blocks of granite in the building of the lighthouse. His lighthouse remained in use until 1877 when the rock underlying the structure's foundations had begun to erode; it was dismantled and partially rebuilt at Plymouth Hoe where it is known as Smeaton's Tower. Deciding that he wanted to focus on the lucrative field of civil engineering, he commenced an extensive series of commissions, including: Smeaton is considered to be the first expert witness to appear in an English
William Henry Oliphant Smeaton William Henry Oliphant Smeaton William Henry Oliphant Smeaton (24 October 1856 – 31 March 1914), sometimes using the pen name Oliphant Smeaton, was a Scottish writer, journalist, editor, historian and educator. He was popularly known for his writing on Australian life and literature for various British publications as well as for his adventure and children's fiction novels during the 1890s. Later in his career, Smeaton also published books on Scottish antiquities and edited English literary text, ballads and collections of verse and prose. His best known work, "The Life and Works of William Shakespeare" (1911), was especially successful and enjoyed