To the Editor —
The Herringbone dispute has been treated as if it were a quarrel between empires, when in truth it is a question of a light on a rock and the man who tends it. Mr. Elias Rudge keeps a lantern burning through winter gales; he asks neither flags nor footmen, only a modest assurance that his work will be recognized and his supply runs maintained.
Historic charts and old ledgers are useful for argument, but they do not mend nets or fuel lamps. I urge the Ministries involved to sign a simple, practical convenant: joint stewardship of the isles, a shared maintenance fund, and a small honorarium to the keeper. Such an agreement need not settle every antique claim; it will, however, keep the light burning and the fishermen safe.
Diplomacy need not flourish in grand statements alone; sometimes it succeeds best in the humble work of tending a lamp. Let the statesmen remember the keeper and craft a compact that honours history without abandoning common sense.
— Agnes Lowther, Fisherwoman, West Quay