680266-1882-Hydrographic-Notices-Singapore-Straits-Wreck-Aus-tralia-Beaver-Reef-Sharks-bay-Gascoyne-River- — Page 1

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 23RD DECEMBER, 1882.

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.-No. 501.

HYDROGRAPHIC NOTICES.

The following Hydrographic Notices are published for general information.

By Command,

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 22nd December, 1882.

1007

FREDERICK STEWART,

Acting Colonial Secretary.

66

'Encounter," at Hongkong,

13th December, 1882.

HYDROGRAPHICAL MEMO. No. 24.

The following information has been received from H.M.S. Pegasus. Eastern Entrance to Singapore Straits.-The wreck of the "Hansa" has been totally destroyed and is now no longer a danger to navigation.

Lat. 1° 20′ N. Long. 104° 36′ E.

Admiralty Charts Nos. 2660a, 941a, 2041, 2757 and 2403 and China Sea Directory Vol. I, page 125 are affected hereby.

(Signed) GEORGE O. WILLES,

Vice-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief.

To the Commodore and Respective Captains and Officers Commanding

H. M. Ships on the China Station.

No. 1292-C.S.O.

Government of Western Australia.

Colonial Secretary's Office,

Perth, 24th October, 1882.

His Excellency the Governor directs the publication of the following information furnished by Staff Commander J. E. Coghlan, R.N., Admiralty Surveyor, relating to the reported "Beaver Reef."

By His Excellency's Command,

GIFFORD, Colonial Secretary.

NOTICE TO MARINERS.

Hydrographic Notice.

AUSTRALIA DIRECTORY, VOL. III.

NOTICE' No. 2.

THE following information relating to "Beaver Reef," West Coast of Australia, is by Staff Commander J. E. Coghlan, R.N., H.M. surveying vessel "Meda," in charge of Joint Admiralty and Colonial Marine Survey of Western Australia, 1882. All bearings are Magnetic.- Variation 5o Westerly in 1882.

BEAVER REEF*reported by the schooner "Beaver," in 1864, to lie in latitude 32 6' S., longitude 114° 37′ E., about 60 miles westward of the port of Fremantle, and 30 miles outside the 100 fathoms edge of the coast bank of soundings, has again been closely searched for during eleven days in the "Meda."

A discrepancy of 10 miles having been detected in the "Beaver's" original report to the Colonial Government between the recorded astronomical position of the reported reef and that by bearing and distance from Rottnest island, both positions were examined. The breakers reported by the schooner “Gift," in 1869, about 11 miles west of the astronomical position of "Beaver reef," were also searched for.

The parallel of latitude on which both dangers were supposed to lie, and also the parallels three and five miles on either side of it, were sounded along and traversed (a distance of 712 miles), within a space including 20 miles of latitude and 60 miles of longitude.

NON-INDICATIONS.-Lead and Look-out. The deep-sea lead was kept going at short intervals by night and by day, and during the day-time a vigilant look-out was kept from aloft. Neither the eye nor the deep-sea lead afford- any indications of shoal water, there being depths of no bottom at 360 fathoms, and no bottom at 300 fathoms on the positions of the "Beaver" and "Gift" respectively, and no bottom at 850 fathoms about midway between them.

ed

Temperatures-The self-registering thermometers used while sounding showed 58° and 59° at the depth of 100 fathoms, and 64° and 65" (Fahrenheit) at the surface, within the distance of 20 miles north and south, 15 miles east, and 60 miles west of the "Beaver's" position. The reported bank would prove an obstruction to the Polar current which sets over its supposed position; no indictions, however, of shoaler soundings by lower temperatures were obtained.

Sea-birds, etc.-With the exception of one albatross and three Cape pigeons, which staid by the vessel, no flocks of sea-birds nor shoals of fish (usually met with upon banks at sea) were observed. Several whales were seen.

Breakers, etc.-Moderate to strong southwesterly winds mostly prevailed, with a high swell, and judging from local experience the latter should have broken in 6 and 7 fathoms; the state of the sea also at times was such as to suspend sound ng operations.

*See Admiralty Charts --Champion Bay to Cape Naturaliste, No. 1033; Indian Ocean, Southern portion, No. 748a; Australia, Southern portion, No. 27596; also Australia Directory, Vol. III., 2nd edition, 1881, p. 213.