[Sidenote: Employment of Shipping.] The Light-house Yacht was now fitted out for her voyage with stores for the Northern Light-houses, and the other general business connected with her department. The Sir Joseph Banks Tender was ready for sea by the 17th of April; and the Smeaton and Alexander were still making trips to the quarries, and occasionally supplying the Floating-light with provisions. [Sidenote: Sloop Patriot condemned.] [Sidenote: Opinion of Mr Solicitor-General Boyle.] The sloop Patriot, of 45 register tons, formerly mentioned as having been purchased for the work, had her hatches enlarged, for the conveniency of loading and delivering stones; and was otherwise fitted up for the service at the Rock. On the 20th, she took on board five cast-iron mushroom anchors, with chains and floating-buoys, together with a quantity of cast-iron work for extending the Railways. With this cargo she sailed from Leith on the 21st of April, reached the Bell Rock on the morning of the 22d, and was discharged with the assistance of the boats of the Tender and Floating-light. In the course of this trip, the Patriot was observed to make a considerable quantity of water; and instead, therefore, of proceeding for the quarries for a cargo of stone, it was found necessary to send her to Arbroath for examination, when James Macdonald, the master, reported that he could not proceed to sea until the vessel underwent repair. A warrant was accordingly obtained from the Judge-Admiral for a survey of carpenters, who declared her “not sea-worthy.” On farther opening the bottom planks, it appeared, that, upon the starboard-bow, both planks and trenails were in a state of decay, and the expence of the necessary repairs was estimated at L. 80. Upon this report of the carpenters being produced, a correspondence was entered into with the late owner of the vessel, who resisted the charge; and the matter being submitted by the Light-house Board to Mr Solicitor-General Boyle, then _ex officio_ one of the Commissioners, (now Lord Justice-Clerk,) he was of opinion, from the circumstance of the Patriot’s having been sold as an almost new vessel, that the late owner was liable for the estimated repairs. Upon this opinion being made known, the sum of L. 80 was immediately paid, and the vessel was put under repair. [Sidenote: Two Praams launched.] Two of the praam-boats built at Arbroath had been launched, by the names of “Fernie,” and “Dickie,” after the respective builders, and were fitted out with complete sets of warps and grapplings for landing the stones at the Bell Rock. Every thing being in readiness for commencing the operations, it was fully expected that the solid part would be completed in the course of the ensuing season, and the Light-house thus carried to the height of 30 feet. [Sidenote: Thursday, 20th.] [Sidenote: Tender sails. Floating light put under charge of Mr Reid.]