Notwithstanding the benefit derived from the erection of Kinnaird Head light-house, shipwrecks were still occurring on a dangerous reef of rocks called Rattray Brigs, situate about 12 miles southward of Kinnaird Head, and 6 miles north of Peterhead. In the year 1798, petitions were presented to the Commissioners from certain merchants and traders, setting forth, that the light-house upon Kinnaird Head would be much more beneficial to shipping, were it removed to Rattray Head. This matter was remitted to the author to report upon, who accordingly made a survey of this part of the coast. After maturely considering the subject, it was deemed advisable to decline the removal of the light-house from Kinnaird Head, which was found to be extremely useful for directing ships into the Moray and Cromarty Friths, and also to vessels making the land from the northward. Although it might not, perhaps, be so useful to coasters bound from the south, yet the Commissioners found, that it would be better, under all circumstances, to preserve Kinnaird Head as a light-house station, and, at some future period, to erect an additional light upon this important part of the coast, at or near Peterhead, in a position calculated to be useful as a guide for the sunken reef of Rattray Brigs, and also for the south-eastern shores of Aberdeenshire. _Start Point Beacon._ [Sidenote: ~1801.~] [Sidenote: Numerous Wrecks on the Island of Sanday.] Among the several applications brought before the Board for additional light-houses, something still appeared to be necessary for averting the misfortunes which were annually happening on the low shores of the Northern Isles of Orkney. It had now been found, by the experience of about twelve years, that the light-house of North Ronaldsay was not calculated to prevent the numerous wrecks on the islands of Sanday and Stronsay. In the year 1796, when the author was on his annual visit to the Northern Light-houses, he was struck at seeing the wreck of three homeward-bound ships upon the island of Sanday, though situate only about eight miles southward of the light-house of North Ronaldsay. Again, in 1797, he found one wrecked ship on Sanday; but in 1798 he saw the remains of no fewer than five vessels upon that fatal island; and, in the month of December 1799, two of the numerous vessels which were driven from Yarmouth Roads in a dreadful gale of wind at south-east, were also wrecked there. The author having laid this continued and alarming state of things before the Light-house Board, in his annual report of 1801, it was resolved, that a beacon or tower of masonry should be erected upon the Start Point or eastern extremity of the low shores of the island of Sanday; the building to be constructed in such a manner that it might, if found necessary, be converted into a light-house. [Sidenote: ~1802.~] [Sidenote: Proofs of a severe winter in Orkney.]