afterwards, another notice arrived announcing to the Admiral the loss of the Nymphen Frigate in the same manner, and from the same mistake. It is not a little surprising, that although these ships had sailed in company, and were wrecked within a few miles of each other, their similar fate was perfectly unknown by the respective crews, till late in the day on which the accidents happened. It was, however, so far fortunate, that although the ships became total wrecks, only nine men were lost of their joint crews, amounting to about 600 men; all of whom might probably have perished, from the rocky and exposed shore on which they were stranded, had not the weather been very moderate. [Sidenote: Lord Melville applies to the Light-house Board about the Isle of May Light.] [Sidenote: Duke of Portland proposes to alter the Light;] [Sidenote: And proposes that the Commissioners should become Lessees, which is rejected.] [Sidenote: The Duke demands L. 63,000 for the Light duties and Island.] Immediately after the loss of these two fine frigates, valued at not less than L. 100,000, Lord Viscount Melville, first Lord of the Admiralty, applied to the Commissioners of the Northern Light-houses, proposing that the light of May should be assumed as one of the northern lights, and forthwith put under proper regulations. It may here be proper to notice, that, prior to this accident, the Duke of Portland entertained serious intentions of altering this light; and the author had been employed to report to his Grace on its alteration, from the use of pit-coal to oil, with reflectors, the expence of which he had estimated at the annual sum of L. 600. The communication from the Admiralty gave rise to a correspondence between the Light-house Commissioners and the Duke of Portland, who proposed to give the Light-house Board an allowance of L. 600 _per annum_, for taking burden of the light of May, while his Grace was to continue to levy the duties. This proposal was rejected on the part of the Commissioners, who declined becoming lessees, under the existing acts or constitution of their Board; and it was ultimately concluded, that they could only take up this measure as purchasers for the public, in order to abolish the charge on English and Irish vessels paying as foreigners, and to lessen the duty for that light to the trade in general. In the present state of the light-house funds, this purchase could only be made by a special act of Parliament, and with pecuniary aid from Government: as the sum demanded by the Duke for the island, and the right to the light-duties, was unavoidably great, amounting to no less than Sixty Thousand Guineas. [Sidenote: Memorial presented to the Admiralty.] [Sidenote: Isle of May and Duties purchased at L. 60,000.]