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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 27TH OCTOBER, 1877.
INLAND MARKS.-From Point de Galle Road, the Haycock bears about N. by E. distant nearly 20 miles. It is a high conical mountain, in lat. 6° 20′ N., and is very conspicuous from the offing, in sailing round the south-west part of the island from Colombo to Dondra Head. About nine miles eastward of the Haycock there is a table-hill, with a knob of hummock on it, which is also visible from the road. The land to the westward is generally low, with cocoanut trees fronting the sea, but to the eastward of Point de Galle it is formed of several ridges of hills of various aspects.
Adam's Peak, which bears about N. by E. & E. 50 miles from Galle fort, is a magnificent landmark 7,379 feet high, and
sometimes visible 70 or 80 miles off.
THE BANK OF SOUNDINGS extends 8 or 10 miles to the southward of Point de Galle, on which ships may anchor with a stream or kedge, should the wind fail and the current be unfavourable. Gallehogalle bank, bearing S. W. by W. nearly three miles from Point de Galle, is a bank of 16 to 22 fathoms, with a depth seaward of 35 fathoms, and towards the land from 24 to 26 fathoms. Not to lose ground, sailing ships may anchor in from 20 to 40 fathoms on any part of the bank of soundings between Point de Galle and Colombo; the bottom is often sand and gravel, but in some places rocky.
In coasting along from Galle to the westward, a ship ought not to come under 26 or 28 fathoms during the night, until she approach Caltura, for these depths are sometimes found within three or four miles of the shore. Between Caltura and Colombo the coast is safer, and may be approached to 15 or 16 fathoms in the day; but these depths are too close to stand into during the night.
OUTER ANCHORAGE.-During the N. E. monsoon, the best anchorage in the roadstead of Point de Galle is in 16 fathoms, with the Pilot's tree and Fort light-house in line, and the rocks off Oonawatty Point on with Ereminia Galle. In the S. W. monsoon vessels seldom anchor in the road, but should they do so, the best temporary anchorage will be in the same depth of water, with the Fort light-house bearing N. E. and distant about 1 miles off the fort.
TIDES. The tidal stream does not exercise any perceptible influence in this bay. It is high water at full and change of the moon at 2h., and the rise is about 2 feet.
DIRECTIONS.--As the approaches to Point de Galle Bay are rendered dangerous by numerous sunken reefs, it is essentially necessary that vessels should obtain the services of a pilot. In most cases the pilot-canoe, with flag displayed (white, red, white, horizontal) awaits a ship beyond the limits of the off-lying dangers. But as a vessel may have to seek a place of refuge when the heavy sea prevents a boat leaving the bay, the following directions, if closely attended to, will lead into safety. During the N. E. monsoon, from December to March (inclusive), the bay is at all times accessible, and an anchorage can be obtained with facility; for a sea-breeze varying from S. S. E. to West generally prevails during some part of each day. Early in the morning, the wind is generally off the land from the northward, and enables sailing vessels to leave the bay. During the S. W. monsoon, from April to November (inclusive), though the wind frequently veers round even to the northward of west, there is generally a heavy swell setting directly into the mouth of the bay from the S. W.; this sometimes occasions much difficulty in bringing a vessel up in an anchorage already so overcrowded as to compel vessels to be moored by means of stern hawsers, which, if required, are supplied by the local authorities.
Approaching the bay from the westward, by bringing Point de Galle fort light-house to bear E. by N., a vessel will pass clear to the southward of the Gindurah and the Whale and Little Whale Rocks. Both the Whales are nearly in the same line of bearing, about W. N. from the Fort light-house; the former being distant 23, and the latter about 14 miles. Gindurah Rock lies a little more than one mile and a half on a N. W. by W. W. bearing from the Whale. The rocky islets off the light-house may be approached in safety so long as the church in the fort or the Pilot's tree is kept to westward of the light-house; here the pilot's boat will generally be found.
mile.
Vessels requiring a pilot should heave to with the Fort light-house bearing from N. E. to N. N. E. distant about one
WEST ENTRANCE.-To pass to the northward of the Cadda Rocks, keep on about an East course, with Edward's Pillar in line with the white tower on Watering Point; this will lead between the Meemattia Rock and the Inner Cadda Rock. Proceed with these marks on, until the Roman Catholic Church comes in line with the Fort light-house; then steer about N. E. by E., or half-way between Glosenburg and Gravet Point (the termination of the high land in the northeast corner of the bay), until the flag-staff on Neptune Bastion is in line with the light-house. Then haul up N. by E. E. through mid-channel between the Black buoy of Polcatté and the Bed buoy of Mata-Mada. These buoys with the Bellicatua and Kapera will then be the guides. When the light-house is shut in with Utrecht Bastion, anchor in about 6 fathoms, at half a cable's length south-east of Kapera buoy,
THE EAST ENTRANCE.-To pass to the southward of the Cadda Rocks, keep the Pilot's tree to the westward of the Fort light-house, until the white mark is well shut in with Watering Point; the rocks off Oonawatty Point will then be open of the point. Then steer E. by S. until the Pilot's tree (the large mushroom-shaped tree on the summit of Moodliar Hill) is on with the Cadda buoy, or just open eastward of all the fortifications. Run on then about two cables to N. E., hauling up for the Pilot's tree when it comes on with Polcatté Black buoy. Stand on that line (about N. by W.) until the Flag-staff and Fort light-house are in line, then proceed as above directed, between the Polcatté and Mata-Mada buoys.
Sailing-vessels approaching Galle should be careful to keep a weatherly position to enable them to sail in, and it should be borne in mind that the current sets along the line of coast with great velocity-to the East during the S. W. monsoon, and to the West during the N. E. monsoon. Vessels during the S. W. monsoon, by getting to leeward of the port, have taken weeks to regain their position, and in some instances have been compelled to bear up for Trincomalee.
Steamers, or ships with a fair wind, can come in or go out with the Fort flag-staff and Fort light-house in line, passing about one cable to the eastward of Para Rock.
Marine Survey Department, Calcutta, 18th September. 1877.
No. 215.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.
Tenders for the supply of Provisions and other Articles required for the use of Victoria Gaol, Hongkong, from 21st November, 1877, to the 20th November, 1878, inclusive, will be received at this Office, until Noon of Saturday, the 10th November, 1877.
No Tender will be received, unless the Person tendering shall produce a receipt to the effect that he has deposited in the Colonial Treasury the sum of $200, as a pledge of the bona fides of his offer, which sum shall be forfeited to the Crown, if such Person shall refuse to carry out his Tender.
Form of Tender and any inforination can be obtained on application at the Office of the Gaol Superintendent.
No Tender will be received unless sent in the Form required.
The Government does not bind itself to accept the lowest or any Tender.
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 11th October, 1877.
CECIL C. SMITH, Acting Colonial Secretary.