trenails of the carpenter, and which were also considered better for the purposes of the work. [Sidenote: Purchase of the Sloop Patriot.] In order that the building operations at the Rock might suffer as little delay as possible, from the difficulty attending the regular transportation of the stones from Arbroath, and also to provide against the numerous accidents to which the vessels in this service were incident, it was judged proper to have another vessel besides the Smeaton for this department of the service. The writer consequently corresponded with various ports, with a view to procure a vessel of about 40 tons burden, or nearly the size of the Smeaton. Two vessels of this description were offered for sale, at the same price of L. 470; but one of them, the sloop Patriot of Kirkaldy, was stated to be a new vessel, which had hardly been at sea, while the other was several years old; the Kirkaldy vessel was therefore preferred. [Sidenote: 1809, April.] On the 5th and 6th April, the boats of the Floating-light landed the artificers on the Bell Rock at 11 o’clock A. M., and they remained till 1, having had two hours’ work each tide in refitting the railways, and setting up the bracing-chains of the Beacon, which were still found in a loose state. Notwithstanding all the precautions used, one of them had unscrewed its nut to the extent of 3 inches, by the friction arising from the agitation of the sea, but every thing else was found to be in good order. [Sidenote: Floating-light encounters some heavy seas.] From the 6th to the 20th, the weather was particularly boisterous, the winds being chiefly from the eastward, with occasional showers of snow. On the 16th it was found necessary to veer out the cable of the Floating-light from the 30th to the 90th fathom service; and, on the 17th, at 2 o’clock A. M., she had shipped so heavy a sea, that it filled both of the boats amid-ships, and ran down the companion and hatches in such quantities as to give great alarm to all on board, who, for a time, concluded that the vessel was sinking. [Sidenote: Twelfth course completed by the Stone-cutters.] About the beginning of this month, the stone-cutters in the workyard had just completed the hewing of the sandstone or hearting of the Fourteenth course of the building: but those employed at the granite blocks of the course were at a stand, both with that and the Thirteenth course, for want of materials: a supply, however, having timeously arrived from Aberdeen and Peterhead, these courses were proceeded with, though, as yet, none higher than the Twelfth was in a finished state. As the sandstone masons were considerably ahead of those who wrought the granite, the former were chiefly employed in laying the courses on the platform, and boring the trenail holes. The necessary implements were also prepared, and in readiness for shipping for the Rock, with 62 barrels of lime, 78 barrels of pozzolano, and 60 barrels of sand.