THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 6TH OCTOBER, 1877.
Government of Queensland.
NOTICE TO MARINERS.
SHOAL, HALIFAX BAY.
447
A Shoal, the least water on which does not exceed 3 feet at low-water springs, is reported by Captain Phillips, of the "Florence Irving," as lying in the following position, viz. :—
West end of Acheron Island Cordelia Rock
N.E. N. E. by S.
The shoal lies East and West, and is about half-a-mile in length; the water deepening gradually on its eastern side, while to the north-westward the depth increases suddenly from 3 feet to 4 fathoms, dead coral and sand bottom.
G. P. HEATH, Commander, R.N.,
Department of Ports and Harbours, Brisbane, 27th June, 1877.
Portmaster.
Government of Queensland.
NOTICE TO MARINERS.
CORAL SEA AND WESTERN PACIFIC,
From information obtained from Mr. Eury, master of the whaling barque "Adventurer," who has been cruising in the Western Pacific for many years, and also from the circumstances attending the recent loss of the barque "Banda," it would appear that the eastern edge of the Bampton Reef extends considerably further to the castward than it is shown on the chart, probably nearly to Long. 159° E., and also that in the neighbourhood of that reef the current, though slack in the summer, runs W.N.W. during the winter at a rate of from 1 to 1 knots.
Captain Eury also reports a 5-fathom rocky patch in Lat. 20° 20′ S. and Long. 159° E.
That New Shoal, the position of which is stated as doubtful, but is placed on the charts in 20° 55′ S., 160° 28′ E., does not exist.
That a shoal (probably part of Kelso Bank), with 11 fathoms, exists in Lat. 24° 6′ S., Long. 159° 45′ E.
That Tamar Reef, supposed to be in Lat. 21° 21′ S., and Long. 161° 36′ E., and which Captain Denham, in H.M.S. "Herald," could not find, does not exist.
That N.N.E. from Walpole Island-the land just dipping from the masthead-there is a coral shoal 1 mile in diameter, with 7 fathoms of water over it.
That Onaseouse or Hunter Island does not exist in the doubtful position assigned to it on the chart. As this island is reported to be volcanic, and well-peopled and cultivated, it is probably the same as Ninafu or Good Hope Island, which corresponds with this description, and has in error been placed on the chart in East instead of West Longitude.
Also, that on the equator, in Long, 146 E., there are two small islands not marked down on the charts. Captain Bury reports them as being each half-a-mile in extent, and connected by a reef. They are uninhabited and covered with low trees. Mr. Powell, of the ketch "Star of the East," reports that the position of Greenwhich Island, as shown on the chart, is 1o too far to the westward.
It is, he says, composed of a number of Islands enclosed in a coral reef of a somewhat triangular form, with its base to the northward, The group is about 14 miles in extent from north to south, and 8 or 9 miles from east to west. The islands are on the west side, and at the southern elbow of the reef. Only two are inhabited, both at the south-westernmost portion of the group. On one of these is a mound, about 80 feet high, formed of dead coral, At the eastern extremity of the reef is a sandbank. The native name of the group is Kapinga Malang.
INNER ROUTE TO TORRES STRAITS.
REEF, CLAREMONT ISLANDS.
Mr. F. Blanchard, master of the Claremont Island Light-ship, reports the existence of a reef lying between No. VI. and VII. Claremont Islands. He states that it is nearly a mile wide, trending to the North-East, and is dry at low-water springs. Off its western extreme is a detached coral patch, on which there is a depth of 4 feet at low water. It lies in the following position, viz.:-
Beacon, No. VII. Island
Heath Rocks.. No. VI..
N.N.W. .S.W. 1 S. S. by E.
There are also some mushroom coral patches between this rock and the shoal water to the southward. These dangers are out of the fairway of the channel, but vessels working through, should be careful not to stand inside a line drawn between the western edge of No. VI. and VII, reefs.
Mr. Hunter, of the cutter "Pearl Hunter," reports the existence of a reef about 3 of a mile in length, north an with its north point in the following position, viz.:-
False Orford Ness North Boydong Cays
N. W. .E. IN.
He found 8 fathoms of water close to its outer side, and 6, 5, and 44 fathoms extending from it towards the sh out of the track of steamers and vessels running, it is a danger to vessels beating through that portion of the pa
Department of Ports and Harbours, Brisbane, 30th August, 1877.
G. P. HEATH, Comman
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