ROIT
THE HONGKONG
Government Gazette.
Published by Authority.
VICTORIA SATURDAY, 25TH OCTOBER, 1862.
VOL. VIII.
No. 44.
No. 108.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.
The following Notice received officially from the Officer in charge of the China Sea Survey is directed to be published for general information.
By Order,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 24th October, 1862.
W. H. ALEXANDER, Acting Colonial Secretary.
We made the highest peak of the great Tambelan to be in Lat. 1° 1' 24" N., which agrees, as nearly as possible, with the Lat. given in Ross's Chart. Horsburgli places it in Lat. 1° 0′ N. which cannot be correct, as it is impossible for us to be that much in error, our Latitude being determined by the mean of three sets of circummeridianal altitudes by artificial Horizon, al agreeing withing a few seconds, of each other. In all probability, Ross's Lat. was found in a similar manner.
The Longitu de, we made to be 107° 32′ 49′′ E. In Ross's chart it is 107° 35', and the same in Horsburgh.
From the position of Tambelan Peak all the Latitudes and Longitudes given below have been calculated.
I should remark here, that it is required of Surveyors under the Hydrographic Office of the Admiralty that all Meridian distances be determined from observations by equal altitudes. Unfavorable weather prevented us obtaining such, and it is possible that the Longitude of Tameblan Peak, and consequently all the Longitudes given below-may be affected by subse- quent observations. But they can only be affected to a very small extent-certainly not more than half a mile; and, of course, the same error will apply to all the positions.
The Rifleman anchored in five fathoms on the Europe Shoal, which was found to extend about a mile in a N. by E., and S. by W. direction, the shoalest, patch being in about the middle of the line, and having three fathoms on it at low water spring tides. Horsburgh gives two fathoms, but we could not find less than three, and all our boats were sounding over it several hours. Southward of the three fathom patch, the Shoal entends to the westward nearly three quarters of a mile, having from six to ten fathoms over this part of it. All round the Shoal there is from eighteen to twenty-five fathoms water.
We made the position of the three fathoms patch to be as follows :--
Latitude 1° 11′ 18′′ N. Longitude 107° 25′ 49′′.
Compass Bearings.
Rocky Islets.
Gap Rock,
Right extreme of the Tambelans.
Left extreme of the Tambelans
Apex Paulo Iray
S. 85° 13′ W. 11.75 miles. .N. 79° 25′ E. 8.50 "" .S. 17° 31′ W. 5.25 " .S. 19° 00′ W. 5.80 "" ..S. 44 17 E. 14.20
""
The "Rodger" rock is of very small extent and as described by Mr. Alexander Rodger (vide Horsburgh page 305) is about 100 yards square, but at low water spring tides, there is but three feet water on it.
This is an exceedingly dangerous rock, for there are regular soundings of from 19 to 22 fathoms, for miles round it. The Rifleman was four days before she found this danger steaming slowly about with looks out on all the yard arms, &c. As her tracks were plotted on the chart as she run them, it was seen beyond all question afterwards, when the rock was found, that she had passed very close to it several times, as had the boats also. It was ultimately found by the tide making against the wind and causing a slight ripple.
We made its position to be as follows: *
Latitude 0° 43′ 6" N. Longitude 107° 31′ 0′′ E.
Compass Bearings.
Tambelan Peak seen on the Right Apex of Large Jarrang..N. 1° 30′ E. 11.05 miles. Green Island Right extreme of Tambelans Left
Do.
N. 81° 24′ W. 12.10 .N. 11° 0 E. 17.09 .N. 30° 20′ W.20.07
32
There is no doubt but this is the rock seen by Mr. Robert Loney, R.N., when in command of the Rose Ellis (Vide Horsburgh page 305) and marked in the Admiralty charts as Rose Ellis. The rock is so far from the islands that the least error of bearing, either in the compass or in the observation, would cause the discrepancy in its position as given by Captejas Rodger and Loney.
In the latest Admiralty charts there is a danger marked "Constance"? and laid down about one mile and three quarters South of large Jarrang. The Rifleman, was steaming a whole day about its position without its being discovered. Beyond being marked in the Chart, we are not furnished with any particulars, and, niorcover, the shoals being marked as doubtful in itself, and not as of doub:ful position merely, induces us not to believe in its existence,