He is remunerated for loss.
Mr Skene having sustained considerable pecuniary loss, in opening additional quarries for the Light-house, he had certain claims upon the Board, which were remitted to Mr Kennedy, advocate, of Aberdeen, upon whose opinion and report remuneration was made to the extent of about L. 370.
The Sir Joseph Banks takes the station of the Light-house Yacht.
The Light-house Yacht being employed in the general service of the Northern Light-houses, she left the Bell Rock on the 16th of April, to load stores at Leith. But the Sir Joseph Banks Tender being now completely equipped, she sailed to supply her station, for the first time, on the 20th of May, having on board several sets of moorings for the use of the vessels in attendance at the Rock. The mushroom-anchors of these moorings weighed about one ton each, and had about thirty-two fathoms of chain attached to them, which was made from iron, measuring seven-eighths of an inch in thickness. These moorings were laid down in fourteen fathoms water, at about 200 fathoms apart, on a rocky bottom, and at the distance of about a quarter of a mile on the north-western side of the Rock, as will be seen from [Plate V.] After completing this operation, and supplying the Floating-light with necessaries, the Tender returned to Arbroath previously to the commencement of the operations at the Rock for the season.
1808, May.
Wednesday 25th.
The writer begins the operations of the season.
In the month of May, the number of artificers in the work-yard, consisting of masons, smiths, mill-wrights, joiners and labourers, amounted to sixty. On the 25th, the writer embarked at Arbroath, on board of the Sir Joseph Banks, for the Bell Rock, accompanied by Mr Logan senior, foreman-builder, with twelve masons, and two smiths, together with thirteen seamen, including the master, mate and steward. The vessel sailed at 3 o’clock P. M., under a salute of three hearty cheers from a great assemblage of people on the quays; but before getting to the Rock, it was too late for making fast to the moorings that night; and she kept cruising about, with the Floating-light in view, which proved a great comfort to the seamen, in directing them to tack the ship, before she got too near the Rock.
On this occasion, the prospects of the writer were very different from the state of things upon his sailing to commence the last year’s operations, when much doubt and uncertainty attended every step. The experience of last season, together with the facility and confidence afforded by the erection of the Beacon, which had withstood the storms of a winter, together with the use of a new Tender, which could now be moored so near to the Rock as to be perfectly convenient for the boats, and was at the same time capable of being cast loose from her moorings, to take the people on board on any emergency;—these circumstances gave a degree of security and promptitude to the work, which relieved all concerned of much anxiety.
Thursday 26th.