‘But Ellan Bride was a private light! It belonged to the Duke and it was his to sell!’ Archie did his best not to sound exasperated.
‘Are you aware, sir, of the distinction between the manorial lands, which included the island of Ellan Bride, and the lighthouse itself, which is a public service in the same category as ports and harbours?’
‘Yes – I mean – I know – Mr Stevenson told me – that there was a lot of trouble over ports and harbours. But that’s nothing to do with the Ellan Bride lighthouse! It was a private light, always, and the people here – your government, I mean – never had any interest in it.’
‘Interest, sir! If you knew of the “interest” which the late Duke appropriated from the people of this island! But as his countryman you would no doubt wish to defend him.’
‘Not at all, sir.’ He was not going to lose his temper. He owed Mr Stevenson that much, at least. ‘I keep saying: the Duke sold the lighthouse to the Crown. The Act makes it all quite clear: the Crown then handed it over to the Commissioners of Northern Lights, because they look after all the lighthouses on this Island. What I mean to say, sir, with all due respect, is that the lighthouse on Ellan Bride does not, and never has, belonged to your government.’
‘But the revenue from it, if revenue is being collected, should come to the Island. After all, it is the Island which provides the light, so it should get the revenue from the ports who pay the harbour dues.’
Archie knew that if the Manx Parliament had owned it, the Ellan Bride light would have brought them a fortune. But surely he could cut this interview short? He’d been told to make this so-called courtesy visit, but he was, after all, only the surveyor. He wasn’t even employed by the Commissioners, or the government. If he’d wanted to be a politician he’d have gone into politics.
‘Well, sir, I’m just the surveyor. I work for the lighthouse engineers. We have a contract to rebuild the Ellan Bride light. I’ve just come to do my job, sir.’ He could hardly be more tactful that that; even Mr Stevenson would have admitted that his manner was conciliatory.
‘Very well.’ Mr Quirk suddenly seemed to abandon the question, as if he could no longer be bothered to argue about it. He wasn’t smiling any more. Archie watched him shuffle through his papers again. ‘There is a secondary question, of course. It’s debatable whether it is in fact necessary to rebuild the Ellan Bride light.’
‘That’s why I’m here, sir,’ said Archie. At least this was a matter he did know something about. ‘The particulars we hold in Edinburgh suggest that the Ellan Bride light – which was built, as I say, fifty years ago – is no longer up to modern requirements. The beam isn’t powerful enough, and also there’s been confusion because in poor visibility Ellan Bride is ay mistaken for one of the Calf lights. The merchants of Liverpool have petitioned us to give Ellan Bride a revolving light too, showing a red sector as well as a white – just like at Cape Wrath – so as to differentiate the signal.’
‘You say all this, sir, but I don’t think you’re familiar with any of our lights on the Island. You’ve never been here before? You’ve not looked at the present light on Ellan Bride?’
‘No,’ said Archie. ‘That’s why I’m going over there as soon as I can.’ He thought of taking his watch from his waistcoat pocket and pointedly looking at it, but decided against it. ‘The range of the present light is no more than four leagues, even in optimum conditions. In view of the vastly increased traffic to and from the ports of Liverpool, Whitehaven, Glasgow, Dublin and Belfast – to say nothing of all the minor ports – and the way the herring fishing is expanding – a more adequate light on Ellan Bride must be a priority.’ Absorbed in the technical question, Archie forgot for a moment that he was dealing with an adversary. ‘We’ll have tae build a higher tower and design a better lighting system.’
‘But the light has already been improved! The range is far greater than it was fifty years ago. In fact I’ve seen it from here! Over at St Bees they only replaced the coal-burning light a few years ago! Ellan Bride has always been kept up-to-date with oil lamps.’
‘I must beg to differ, sir. The lamps on Ellan Bride were installed in 1790. I agree the Duke was ahead of his time when he bought them – they were the latest invention back then – but that’s more than forty years since. St Bees was an anomaly. I can’t comment on that. I don’t work for Trinity House.’
‘But I understand the Ellan Bride light to have modern glass reflectors!’
‘Have you seen them?’ asked Archie.
‘No, in fact I have not.’
‘Have you ever been on Ellan Bride yourself, sir?’
‘No, sir, I have not. But I am reliably informed that the reflectors are of the latest modern design.’
‘No sir,’ said Archie firmly. He was on his own ground now. ‘The reflectors were modern when they were built, but the science of lens design has developed greatly since then. The lights on the Calf can be seen six or seven leagues away in clear weather. The Ellan Bride light is only visible for just over half that distance. And, as I explained, we need tae devise a signal that will differentiate Ellan Bride more clearly from the Calf. We’ll probably use the latest French lenses on the new light. At the verra least we’ll use modern Argand burners.’
‘So, if everything is already decided by your employers,’ said Mr Quirk testily, ‘I fail to see the object of this consultation.’
‘I came here because your Governor requested it,’ said Archie. ‘His letter said that you wanted to discuss technical questions with the surveyor before he went to the site. I’ve come to survey the island. That’s my job, sir. I survey the site in detail, and take my plans back to Mr Stevenson.’ Archie glanced at the bright sky outside the window and made to rise from his chair.
‘I take it, then, that you’ll report to me on your findings before you leave the Island.’
That meant he must be free to go. With any luck there’d be no further official obstruction. Let them argue about the bloody harbour dues for the next twenty years if they liked. It was nothing to do with him. ‘Certainly sir,’ said Archie. He stood up and held out his hand. ‘Good day to you, sir.’
Mr Quirk pursed his lips and looked at his papers again. ‘There is just one other matter.’
‘Sir?’
‘The keeper of the new light. There is at present, as I mentioned earlier, a Scotch connection. The Duke was inclined to favour his own countrymen in all spheres, and that has been a cause of considerable dissatisfaction. But times, as you will note, have changed.’
‘Sir?’
‘Presumably you’ll be making a new appointment. I can suggest a reliable, deserving man who would make a satisfactory employee.’
‘You want the Commissioners of Northern Lights to evict the present keepers because they’re Scots? All our employees are Scots, of course!’ Archie couldn’t quite keep the anger out of his voice.
‘Indeed no, sir. You quite misunderstand me. In any case, the Ellan Bride light has been kept by the same family since it was built. It was one of the late Duke’s appointments from his Scotch estates. Perhaps the present keepers no longer regard themselves as foreigners. I wouldn’t know. But that is not to the purpose. My point is, it is unlikely, is it not, that the Commissioners of Northern Lights would employ women?’
Archie frowned. He didn’t want to give way, but the ground had shifted. Besides, it was no business of his. ‘That is correct, sir. The Commissioners don’t generally employ women.’
‘Then