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tionwiththemonthematter,andIalsoexaminedtheReturnBook.FromtheDecember
Return, I saw that the tower itself was not seen, even with the assistance of a power-
ful telescope, between the 7th and the 29th of December. The light was, however, seen
on the 7th December but was not seen on the 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th. It was seen on
the 12th, but was not seen again until the 26th, the night on which it was lit by Moore.
Mackenzie stated (and I have since verified this), that the light sometimes cannot be
seen for four or five consecutive nights, but he was beginning to be anxious at not see-
ing it for such a long period, and had, for two nights prior to its reappearance, been
getting the assistance of the natives to see if it could be discerned.
Hadthelookoutbeenkeptbyanordinarylightkeeper,asatEarraidforDhuheartach,
I believe it would have struck the man ashore at an earlier period that something was
amiss, and, while this would not have prevented the lamentable occurrence taking
place,itwouldhaveenabledstepstohavebetakentohavehadthelightrelitatanearli-
er stage.
I would recommend that the Signalman should be instructed that, in future, should
he fail to observe the light when, in his opinion, looking to the state of the atmosphere,
itshouldbeseen,heshouldbeinstructedtointimatethistothesecretary,whenthepro-
priety of taking steps could be considered.
I may explain that signals are shown from Flannan Islands by displaying balls or
discs from each side of the Tower, on poles projecting out from the lighthouse balcony,
thesignalsbeingdifferentiated byoneormorediscsbeingshownonthedifferentsides
of the Tower.
When at Flannan Islands so lately as the 7th December last, I had a conversation with
thelateMrDucatregardingthesignals,andhestatedthathewisheditwouldbeneces-
sary to hoist one of the signals, just to ascertain how long it would be seen ashore and
how soon it would be acted upon.
At that time, I took a note to consider the propriety of having a signal to say that all
was well - signals under the present system being only exhibited when assistance of
somekindisrequired.Aftercarefully consideringthematter,anddiscussingitwiththe
officials competent to offer an opinion on the subject, I arrived at the conclusion that
it would not be advisable to have such a signal, as, owing to the distance between the
island and the shore, and to the frequency of haze on top of the island, it would often
be unseen for such a duration of time as to cause alarm, especially on the part of the
keepers' wives and families and I would point out that no day signals could have been
seen between the 7th and 29th December, and an 'All Well' signal would have been of
no use on this occasion.
