699509-1872-Hydrographic-Notice- — Page 2

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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 2ND MARCH, 1872.

The information contained in this notice is to be carefully considered, to be noted in the Sailing Directions, and compared with the chart when the ship is navigating the parts to which it refers.

HYDROGRAPHIC NOTICE. [No. 24.]

CHINA PILOT. NOTICE No. 22.

WEST COAST OF KOREA.

*

The following information relating to the Sir James Hall group of islands, off the west coast of Korea, was obtained during a brief visit in H.M.S. Ringdove in 1871, by Navigating Lieutenant James Cole, R.N.*

[All Bearings are Magnetic. Variation 3° 20′ W. in 1871.]

The Sir James Hall group consists of three principal islands, lying nearly north and south, and were sighted by the Ringdove at a distance of 30 miles.

The native names of the group were ascertained to be, Southern island, Soo-cheng-tao; Middle island, Ta-cheng-tao; and Northern, Peh-leng-tao.

Soo-cheng-tao or Ringdove Island has off its south-west point a dangerous reef, (with some of the rocks always uncovered,) extending in a south-west direction for about a mile; 19 fathoms, sand and mud, was obtained at a distance of nearly 2 miles off the south-west point of the island.

The south-east point of the island is remarkable from its being fronted with white cliffs. A sharp conical rock lies about a quarter of a mile to the east-south-east of the point.

Detached rocks as also the appearance of shoal water extend for half a mile from the east side of the island: soundings in from 10 to 13 fathoms were obtained at a distance of about 14 miles from the shore.

The Ringdove anchored in a bay, in which are two villages, on the south side of the island, in 9 fathoms, sand. This bay affords shelter from W.S.W. round by north, to E. by N., but is entirely open to the southward. Vessels on entering this bay from the west- ward, should not approach the south-west point of the island nearer than 2 miles until the centre of the bay bears N.N.W., when they may steer in, and anchor in 8 fathoms.

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Ta-cheng-tao or Hertha Island is the middle island of the group, it has a conspicuous hill or peak about 900 feet high, with a conical form when seen from the westward. A small islet, 170 feet high, lies about one mile off the west side.

With the conical rock off the south-east point of the island bearing E. by N., and the centre of the western village N.W. { N., is a depth of 7 fathoms.

On the south-east side of the island is a bay with a shingle beach, in which the Ringdove anchored in 8 fathoms, sand, off a small village, with the east point of the bay bearing N. by E. 4 E., and centre of village S.W. by W. W. The anchorage is protected from S.S.W. round by west to N. by E.; Ringdove island affords further shelter from heavy seas from the southward; it is therefore preferable to the anchorage in the south bay of that island.

Peh-leng-tao or Ocean Island is the northern and largest of the group. The north-west point of the island is fronted by bold per- pendicular cliffs about 300 feet high. Off the extreme point is a needle or finger-shaped rock about 150 feet high.

Along the north-west side of the island, a few detatched rocks extend a cable off shore.

Off the south point of the island, there is a remarkable rocky islet, with a large wedge-shaped hole through its north side. About 14 miles to the southward of this perforated islet is a sharp rock 50 feet in height, with a ledge of rocks extending one third of a mile from its north side; two of these rocks are always uncovered. At a quarter of a mile south of the 50 feet rock is broken water, having the appearance of a rock nearly awash at low water.

About three quarters of a mile to the east-south-east of the perforated islet are some detatched rocks, the outermost of which is 20 feet high. Between these rocks and the ledge of rocks to the north of the 50 feet rock is a channel carrying from 7 to 8 fathoms in it.

The Ringdove anchored off a small village in a bay near the south-west point of the island, about three quarters of a mile from the shore, in 12 fathoms hard mud. From the anchorage, the perforated islet, which is off the east point of the bay (south point of Ocean island), bore E. by S. S.; the 50 feet rock S.S.E. E.; and a clump of trees in the valley behind the village N. E.

The hills at the back are smooth-topped and covered with grass, and can easily be distinguished when standing in from the south- eastward.

By observation the Ringdove's anchorage is in lat. 37° 55′ N., long. 124° 45′ E.†

No rocks were observed above water in the channel between Ringdove and Hertha islands.

In the channel between Hertha and Ocean islands, broken water was seen in several places, particularly off the north side of Hertha island; in many cases this appearance was probably occasioned by the tide, but from soundings having been struck in 7 fathoms suddenly after a depth of 13 fathoms shows there is an irregular bottom, and that caution is necessary in using the channel.

Tides. Between the islands, the flood-stream sets to the west, and the ebb-stream to the east.

Off the west side of Ocean (the north) island, the flood-stream sets north, and the ebb-stream south, from 1 to 2 knots an hour. Off the north-west point of Ocean island the time of High water at full and change was approximately considered to be 4h. 30m.

Hydrographic Office, Admiralty, London, 28th October 1871.

* See Admiralty Charts :-Gulfs of Pechili and Liautung, No. 1256; Japan and part of Korea, No. 2347; China General, No. 1262; also China Pilot, 4th Edition, page 357.

+ This position would place the Finger rock off the N.W. point of Ocean island in 37° 58′ N., 124° 42′ 30′′ E.

The position of this rock on the charts, 37° 57′ 30′′ N., 124° 34′ 30′′ E., is given on the authority of a survey of the entrance of Ta-Tong river, by Commander Shufeldt, of the United States Navy, 1867.

The information contained in this notice is to be carefully considered, to be noted in the Sailing Directions, and compared with the chart when the ship is navigating the parts to which it refers.

HYDROGRAPHIC NOTICE. [No. 25.]

CHINA SEA DIRECTORY, VOL. II. NOTICE No. 9.

SARAWAK RIVER, COAST OF BORNEO.

The following information relative to a sunken rock in the Mortabas entrance of the Sarawak river has been received from Commander W. Chimmo, R.N., of H.M. Surveying Vessel Nassau, 1871.*

[All Bearings are Magnetic. Variation 1° 20′ Easterly in 1871.]

The barque Otter, on her way down from Quop anchorage, struck and remained some hours on a pinnacle rock, with only 3 feet on it at low water springs, and deep water all round.

The rock lies nearly in the middle of the river, 13 miles within the entrance points, and E.N.E. about 9 cables from the Belcher rock. The Pilots and small steamers navigating the river always pass to the southward of the rock. Commander Chimmo further gives notice of the following beacons near the town of Sarawak : The Rocks-bug this shore" beacon, abreast of Samarang rocks, has been blown down.

A beacon, "keep mid river," is placed in the water nearly opposite the Sago factory, and W. S. about 43 cables from the wertern Samarang rock. This direction beacon is to clear a ledge of rocks running off the southern shore, having only 9 feet at low water.

SULU SEA, WESTERN PART.

The following has also been received from Commander Chimmo:

Viola Rock. A coral patch, having only 4 feet on it at low water, on which the Spanish vessel Viola struck and remained twenty- three hours, lies about 40 miles East of Balabac island.

There is no doubt as to the existence of this danger, and from information received, its probable position is in lat. 7° 50' N., and long. 117° 40′ 50′′ E.

Hydrographic Office, Admiralty, London, 10th November 1871.

* See Admiralty Charts:-Sarawak river, No. 1822; Borneo, north-west coast, sheet 2, No. 1746; Palawan island, No. 967; and China Sea, No. 2660b: Also, Chiua Sea Directory, Vol. II., pages 103 to 107.