Beacon of light: Cape D'Aguilar Lighthouse, the first of its kind built in Hong Kong, will be declared an historical building under the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance from March 3.

Cape D'Aguilar Lighthouse, the first of its kind built in Hong Kong, will be declared an historical building under the Antiquities & Monuments Ordinance from March 3.

Situated at the southeast of Hong Kong Island, it was put into service on April 16, 1875.

For centuries Hong Kong has owed its prosperity to trade. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 gave a further impetus to the growth of trade in Hong Kong. During the pre-war years, at least seven lighthouses were constructed in Hong Kong waters.

In 1867, Commander Reed, a naval surveyor, was instructed to investigate suitable locations for lighthouses to cover the port approaches. He proposed Waglan Island and Gap Rock, a small island to the south of Hong Kong Island on route to Singapore.

However, as neither site was within the then Hong Kong waters, the proposal was dropped.

Covering eastern and western entrances to HK

As reported by the Harbour Master, HG Thomsett, in March 1873, the second-best sites, all within the jurisdiction of Hong Kong, were considered to be Cape D'Aguilar, Green Island and Cape Collinson, as lighthouses in these places would cover the eastern and western entrances to Hong Kong. Construction work started immediately on Cape D'Aguilar Lighthouse.

Cape D'Aguilar Lighthouse had a refractive light beam 200 feet above mean sea level. In clear weather it could be seen from a distance of 23 nautical miles.

The existing structure is a round stone tower, 9.7 metres high and white in colour. The tower base, the arched doorway and the spiral staircase are of fine masonry. The door is made of iron with geometric decoration on top.

When Waglan Island Lighthouse came into operation in 1893, Cape D'Aguilar Lighthouse became superfluous, and was discontinued in 1896.

Lighthouse re-lit, automated

According to the Sessional Papers of 1901, 1905 and 1906, Green Island had a lesser light. It was then decided to replace it with the disused light from Cape D'Aguilar.

The lantern at the top was removed and, together with the light apparatus, transferred to Green Island in 1905. It was not until 1975 that the lantern of Cape D'Aguilar Lighthouse was re-lit and automated.

Cape D'Aguilar Lighthouse played an important role in local maritime history. There are now only five surviving pre-war lighthouses.