prize8-6, Exercise 3: The rule of three keepers

Model answer (check the details):

Why it made sense after the Smalls: with only two keepers, if one died or fell ill the other was left alone with the body or the sick man and had to run the light single-handed. If the survivor was later accused of causing the death, there was no independent witness. With three keepers, there would always be two to testify, one man could be ill or away and the light still be tended, and the work could be shared more easily across the night.

What it did not solve:
1. Isolation: three men on a rock are still cut off, and weather can delay relief for weeks.
2. Conflict: more men can mean more quarrels, and in a small space people cannot avoid each other.
3. Accidents: a wave or a fall could still kill more than one man at the same time, as the loss at the Flannan Isles showed (Chapter 6).
4. Cost: a bigger crew means more pay, more food and larger accommodation.

Care: the link between the Smalls and the later rule is often stated as fact. Check it against the boards' own records and a scholarly history, since a general rule may have developed from several causes.