The Light-Duties in 1846 have been contributed by 163,166 vessels in the Coasting Trade, giving an aggregate tonnage of 15,926,634, and by 50,324 vessels in the Oversea Trade, giving an aggregate tonnage of 9,577,478.

A contrast of these statements shews an increase in the Coasting Trade of 1846 in tonnage of 360,173, with eight fewer vessels; and in the Oversea Trade an increase of 4712 vessels, with a tonnage of 276,495.

These results (somewhat singular in their relative amounts) establish the important fact, that, though there is a deficiency in the revenue of the Board, it truly arises from the reductions in the Duties, and not from any reduction in the Shipping.

For the information of the Board, there will be found appended (p. 433) a statement shewing the progressive increase of tonnage during the last four years.

The amount of Duties received in the year 1846, as above, is£46,001112⁶⁄₈
While the Ordinary Expenditure of the Board has been32,06363
Giving a Surplus Receipt for the year to meet Extraordinary Expenditure of (see[State, No. II.], [p. 432])£13,938411⁶⁄₈
But the total Expenditure of the Board in the Year has been£60,374159²⁄₈
From which if there be deducted the Gross Receipts, per [page 425],47,89588⁶⁄₈
It gives a Balance superexpended beyond the surplus of the year of£12,47970⁴⁄₈
The Balance on hand at 31st March 1846 was£42,069610
While that on hand at 31st March 1847 is29,589199⁴⁄₈
Difference equal to superexpenditure,£12,47970⁴⁄₈

There has been expended on the various Works in progress, prior to the year 1846 and in that year, as follows:—

Prior
to 1846.		In 1846.Total.
Skerryvore Lighthouse Works£93,576100 £22782 £93,803182
Add Bo-Pheg Beacon416107 25101 44208
£93,99307 £252183 £94,2451810
Covesea Lighthouse Works9,523176 1,10954 10,633210
Cromarty Ditto2,895188 34293 3,238711
Chanonry Ditto2,832161 40578 3,23839
Ardnamurchan Ditto29622 2,343176 2,639198
Laggan Spur Beacon......748106 748106
Island Glass New Buildings and Inclosures3,064153 1,79735¹⁄₂4,861188¹⁄₂
Nosshead Lighthouse Works......1,46761 1,46761
Loch Ryan Ditto......829129¹⁄₂829129¹⁄₂
Pentland Skerries New Works......3,135175¹⁄₂3,135175¹⁄₂
Ditto Dioptric Light......2,037114 2,037114
Renewal of Fixed Lights......3,035144 3,035144
Buoys, &c.......1,5491411¹⁄₂1,5491411¹⁄₂
Campbeltown Beacons......17410 17410
Lappock Beacon......8125 8125
Startpoint New Works......5194 5194
Elie or Vows Beacon......20558 20558
Whiteness Beacon......15258 15258
Longman’s Point Ditto......164156 164156
Loch Ryan Ditto......15259 15259
Brist Beacon73429 8125 742152
Mull of Kintyre Dykes and Road586144 647179 1,234121

There has been expended on the new Steamer “Pharos,” £18,977 : 6 : 7.

The Commissioners have purchased a House at Crail for £105 : 19 : 4 for the use of the Boatmen attending at the Isle of May.

The attention of the Commissioners is called to the circumstance that a complete change has been made this year in the mode of stating the Accounts. The Accounts are now, for the first time, concentrated in the Secretary’s department, and for every item entered in the subjoined [abstract], reference is now, and will hereafter, be made to a page of the Ledger containing a detailed account vouching the charge. Following out this arrangement, the account has been branched into three heads or divisions. The first head comprises the ordinary expenses of the Lighthouses. In this branch it has been thought right to state separately, under the head of the Isle of May, the interest on the debt to Government, being the balance of the price of the Island. The second head comprises the ordinary expenses of the Board, not in the first instance chargeable against any particular Lighthouse, but falling to be afterwards allocated in the final view of the Receipt and Expenditure of each Lighthouse. This branch is again subdivided so as to shew—