John Smeaton (1724-1792), English civil engineer. Smeaton made his name with his design for the Eddystone lighthouse near Plymouth, England, whose construction was completed in 1759. He also planned the construction of many canals, including that of the Forth and Clyde canal in Scotland, begun in 1768. Smeaton's investigations into the efficiency of windmills and watermills had a great influence on their design during the early Industrial Revolution. Smeaton was the first to distinguish between the disciplines of civil and military engineering. The Eddystone lighthouse is included in the coat of arms of the Institution of Civil Engineers.