Why warships carried more lights than the main searchlights suggest

How many searchlights did a warship usually carry?

Large ships often had four to six major searchlights plus numerous smaller signalling and auxiliary lamps.

There was no single standard number because a ship's size and duties determined the installation. A large warship might have four to six powerful searchlights. Signalling lamps, boat-position lights, backups, and other smaller fittings could also be pressed into limited searchlight service. A smaller vessel would carry fewer major units but might still have several auxiliary lights. Counting only the conspicuous large projectors therefore understates how many light sources supported night operations.