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Lt. John {word?}
Oct 22 nd/ [?]

John Woodward Esq

My dear Sir

In reply to your communication of yesterday the signal acquired for Sable Island would be of gigantic proportions and of corresponding difficulty to work and expense in putting up but it can be done, without any difficulty as far as the required [illegible] for [illegible] & rig a signal to be heard for 20 miles in ordinary weather and 15 miles in any direction in extraordinary weather, to be kept going constantly during fogs and snowstorms and to be independent of climate, weather, storm, fog or any other weather typical state of the atmosphere, the year round
It would require to be of the largest size of the most complete description capable of working and distilling sea water as I [illegible]