713246-1866-GOVERNMENT-NOTIFICATION-NO-85 — Page 2

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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 2ND JUNE, 1866.

HYDROGRAPHIC NOTICE. [No. 1.]

CHINA AND JAPAN STATION. SCARBOROUGH SHOAL; CHINA SEA.

Bearings are Magnetic. Variation 1o E. in 1866.

It having been reported that the Scarborough Shoal was placed 14 miles in error on the Admiralty Charts, Edward Wilds, Esq., commanding H.M. Surveying Vessel Swallow was ordered to determine its position, and the following notice is the result of that officer's survey.

The Scarborough Shoal is a dangerous coral reef rising out of deep water, and it affords, and that only in the calmest weather, a single precarious anchorage off the entrance to its lagoon at the south-eastern extremity of the reef.

On the

It consists of a narrow belt of coral, nearly level with the water's edge, enclosing a lagoon of clear blue water. belt are scattered several rocks 3 to 10 feet above water, visible about 5 miles. In shape the reef is a right angled triangle with the corners rounded off, the three sides lying S. E. 74 miles, S.E. by E. 10 miles and E. N. 8 miles.

The opening to the lagoon about two cables in width has a depth of 4 fathoms over coral bottom, but just within, it shallows.

The current was found (March) running strong to the westward. In April 1853, it was found very doubtful in direction in the proximity of the shoal. It is II. W. full and change about 8 P.M. with a rise of 5 feet.

The positions of the reef are as follow: The South side and North point are in lat. 15° 5′ and 15° 12′ N. respectively, and the West side and East point are in 117° 44′ and 117° 52′ E. longitude.

BY ORDER OF VICE-ADMIRAL G. ST. VINCENT KING, C.B., COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF,

Hongkong, April 16th, 1866.

Chas. Bullock, Commander of II.M.S. "Serpent,"

No. 86.

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.

His Excellency Governor SIR RICHARD GRAVES MACDONNELL, C.B., has appointed the Honorable W. H. RENNIE to act as Colonial Secretary, during the temporary absence on leave of the Honorable W. T. MERCER.

By Order,

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 31st May, 1866.

No. 64.

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.

W. H. RENNIE, Acting Colonial Secretary.

By direction of His Exceliency SIR RICHARD GRAVES MACDONNELL, C.B., Governor, by and with the Advice of the Executive Council, and in continuation of Government Notification No. 59 of 20th Ultimo, the following Rules for the receipt of Silver Bullion into the Mint of Hongkong are published for general information.

1. Tenders of Silver Bullion will be received at the Mint between the hours of eleven and three daily, Sundays and Holidays excepted, provided they are made in duplicate on a printed form, copies of which will be supplied on application at the Mint.

2. Tenders of parcels of Silver Bullion weighing less than 5,000 oz. will be declined.

3. All Bullion found on Assay to be unfit for coinage will be returned to the importer, who must

pay an Assay fee of $1 for each Assay.

be

4. Parcels of dollars, or other small pieces of silver intended to be tendered for coinage may

pre-melted in the Mint before being received or assayed. Should the Bullion prove unadapted for coinage, it will be returned to the importer, who must pay, in standard silver, the pre- melting fee which will be calculated on the gross weight, unless the parties tendering it prefer defraying the cost necessary to raise it to Standard. Such cost to be estimated by the Master of the Mint.

5. When the Bullion shall have been assayed by the Mint Assayer, the amount of the standard value will be communicated to the importer. On receipt of the importer's acceptance of the Mint Assay Report, notice will be given to him of the date on which the new dollars due to him will be ready for delivery.

6. The seignorage on Silver Bullion coined into dollars will be (when charged) two per cent. 7. The pre-melting charge will be per cent.

8. Bullion brought to the Mint to be pre-melted will be considered to be in the custody and at the risk of the importer, to whom every facility will be given for securing and storing it, until it shall have been melted and afterwards weighed at the Mint scale.

of

9. Consignments of New Coin will be issued to importers in the order in which their parcels

Bullion entered the Mint preceded or accompanied by the tender prescribed in the first rule.

By Order,

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 2nd May, 1866.

W. T. MERCER, Colonial Secretary.