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so that a Vessel going moderately fast might be on the bar in a few minutes after trying in vain for soundings. This bar moreover, is very steep all along its North side, and is on these accounts exceedingly dangerous. The reduction of this bar from its reported length of 28 miles to its real length of 14 miles, will greatly lessen one of the objections to a Light on the East end of the island, which can be plainly seen from the end of the bar. It is true that almost all the Vessels wrecked upon the Island have come on shore in fogs, where a light could not have been seen, but on the other hand, I was informed of two or three instances in which Vessels have run on shore in clear weather, under circumstances which render it almost certain that a light would have
saved