THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 2ND MARCH, 1878.
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Pollock Reef.-The British India Steam Navigation Company's steamer Madras, Captain Pollock, in 1875, ran in towards Pakchan river by passing between the Loughborough and Swinton islands. Here, in mid-channel, she discovered a rock above water, and a reef below water, and only narrowly escaped striking. This reef is in latitude 10° 30′ N. and longitude 98° 0′ E. The Loughborough passage should therefore be avoided.
On an old chart there is a rock marked doubtful about midway between Christie and Chance islands. Richelieu Rock lies about half-way from Chance island towards Kopah inlet, and, being in mid-channel, is very dangerous. Kurrachee Rock, lying in Forrest strait, about 3 miles to east-south-east of the Gregory south-east island, is very dangerous, having 16 fathoms water close to.
Fly rock. This sunken reef, said to break at times, lies about midway between Domel island and the north island of the 5 Sisters. From it Fly island bears S. E. by E. E., and the north-west point of Bushby S. E.
All other known outlying dangers are inserted on the Admiralty Charts and fairly described in Taylor's Sailing Directory, volume 1, pages 506-12.
Tavoy River. The entrance to this river is pretty well described in the "Sailing Directory," and with the connected chart a vessel may easily enter without a pilot. The edge of the shoal flat, which lies to the south of Crab island, and forms the eastern boundary of the fair western channel up Tavoy river, is marked by some fishing stakes, or traps. The British India steamers generally run up along the west side of Crab island and anchor off the Goodrich plains, and from this anchorage they communicate with Tavoy town by boat, but it is a long and tedious journey without steam. Some small coasting steamers take the passage to eastward of Crab island, and anchor near a godown and temporary jetty lately erected abreast of the new little island, which has formed during the last quarter of a century just above, and to the north-east of Crab island.
Caution.The old sailing directions are vague; they describe the best anchorage for large ships as being "close to the uppermost bluff or rocky point," by which it is presumed they indicate the place marked by an anchor on the present and latest edition of Admiralty chart No. 835, corrected to 1867. But it has been now proved in a practical manner that no good anchorage exists there; in fact, it is dangerous ground, as the following remarks will show.
Dangerous rock-Whilst proceeding up river on 20th December 1875, the British India Steam Navigation Company's steamer Mahratta, being near the position formerly indicated as the best anchorage for large ships, suddenly struck on a sunken rock, on which there is only 11 or 12 feet at low water spring tides. The vessel was considerably damaged, several plates having been ripped off, and she had to undergo an expensive docking at Calcutta.
From the rock Round hill point bears N. W. by N. & N.; the point next southward of Round hill S. S. W.; and the south-east extreme of Crab island trees N. N. E.
To clear this rock, when proceeding up the river, keep the Button and Reef islands just open or visible to the left of the Middle island and Grindstone, till Round hill bears N. W.; then haul up towards the west shore, passing not more than two cables off Round hill, and keeping that distance off shore, till the vessel reaches abreast of Goodrich plains.
Another rock, which has likewise been discovered by Captain Pollock, lies about 2 miles southward of the Goodrich plains. This river should therefore be navigated cautiously and towards high water, certainly not before half flood, as it has not yet been thoroughly examined.
The Inner Passage or Beaten Track.-The route from Tavoy to Mergui and onwards towards Kopah for steam vessels, com- ing from the northern ports of Burma, is to pass inside of Tavoy island, keeping about 2, or not more than 3 miles from it, to avoid the shoal water, which extends 6 miles off the mainland of Burma. The Bank Canister and Long island, on the eastern side of the fair channel, are excellent marks by day or night, and so are Iron island, the Great and Little Canisters to the westward, and King's and Plantain islands to the southward, by the bearings of which a vessel's position can be easily found. Keep on a southerly course, steering for Plantain island, till Barn island (or Jockey-cap) bears E. S. E., then steer for Madramakan peak about S. S. E. E., but when Iron island nearly touches Plantain island keep more to the south-east and stand on till the beacons at Mergui entrance are made out.
Mergui Harbour.-When steering for Mergui harbour,* keep the Little Canister in sight between Iron island and Plantain island; or, if the Canister be obscured by haze or rain, do not allow Plantain and Iron islands to close upon each other till the beacons are sighted. To enter the harbour-which may be done after the first-quarter flood, with a small vessel, but at half-flood with a large vessel steer for the eastern beacon (these beacons are only baskets on poles) till the west beacon is in line with Madramakan hill, then head up about S. E. for the fish trap, which stands next south of the east beacon. This course will lead between the beacons, but nearer the east than the west one, in about 13 feet at low water. The shoalest water is on the inner har (10 or 11 feet), which is further in, or about 3 or 4 cables S. E. by S. of the outer black buoy.
Anchorage.-When the whole of Mergui town is seen to the east of the outer black buoy, haul up for Mergui pagoda, and passing about one cable to the eastward of both buoys, anchor about 13 cables off the main pier in 33 fathoms (low water). Some rocks lie about 1 cables W. by S. from this anchorage, with only 5 feet over them at low-water springs; therefore good swinging room should be allowed for a long vessel.
Tides. It is high water F and C at 10 hours 30 minutes. Rise and fall at high springs 19 feet; ordinary springs 17 feet; at neaps 11 or 12 feet. The tidal stream runs about 3 miles an hour off the pier at spring tides, flood to southward, ebb to northward.
Fell Passage. The inner navigation between Mergui and Pakchan river is the southern and intricate portion of the beaten track. The inner route along the east side of King island has been named Fell passage after an island which stands at the south entrance of this narrow channel. Padau-or is a round islet which marks the northern entrance. Leaving Mergui harbour in a steamer at the first-quarter flood, steer ont to the north-west, keeping Plantain island and Iron island open, or just touching each other, till Fell passage is seen well open; then gradually haul round by the westward till Padau-or island is points on the port bow; keep it in that position till you see right through the Fell passage or till the east extreme of Padau-or bears S. S. W.; then starboard the helm and pass round the east side of that island about 2 cables off, altering course so as, when past the island, to head up about S. by W. and steer on that course away from Padan-or. This is to avoid the north-west extreme of the rocky shoal on which stands the islet that marks the east side of this Fell passage entrance, leaving only a narrow gut of deep water near Padau-or island. Then keep in mid-channel for a distance of 4 miles, when haul up to the south-west to pass between the first small low-level tree island and the lofty King island. The next course is more southerly to take the vessel between the first and second tree islands, as near mid-channel as possible; then, passing within a cable's length of the south-east point of the second wooded island, steer across towards the small pagoda of Pee-ay-kyoor (about a S. by W. course). Should the vessel get out of the proper track, the water will shoal to 3 fathoms, but after half Hood, there will be 9 feet more than the chart shews. As the pagoda is approached, haul to the south-west to pass between Pagod island and a little islet with a few trees on it. When abreast of the latter, one cable off, steer to pass, in mid-channel, betwe Pagoda island and the good-sized tree island which lies to the west of it. Afterwards haul in towards King island age keeping along it at the distance of 2 cables, till you emerge from the passage mid-way between Fell island (which is hi and the great and much loftier King island, where, in mid-channel, there are depths of 10 or 12 fathoms and upwards.
Fell island.-This is a round island, about 200 feet high, covered with trees; the channel between it and King is only about a quarter of a mile broad, but the water is very deep. There is another high, round island, standing abe mile to southwest of Fell's; it has been named Passage island, because it (rather than Fell's) stands at the very ent: the passage. There are 4 or 5 small islets called Lah-chee, all much alike, lying to southward of Fell's island.
See Admiralty chart, Tavoy river, No. 835. See also Sketch of Tavoy river, published by the Marine Survey Department, Calcutta. * See Flans of Mergui harbour on Admiralty charts Nos. 218 and 706.
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