Brett's New Zealand and South Pacific Pilot.

Auckland Star, Volume XI, Issue 3241, 9 December 1880, Page 2

Brett's New Zealand and South Pacific Pilot.

(FfiOM FKIDAY'S " HERALD.")

As mentioned the other day, this book has been issued under tho editorship of Captain Tilly, of this city, Few are better qualified to undertake a work of this kind than Captain Tilly. He has not only a thorough knowledge of the subject upon which he has attempted to give instruction, but bis long sailing around various groups of islands in tho Pacific, peculiarly fit him for revising and preparing sailing directions for those groups of islands with which Auckland merchants have a constantly increasing trade. It is therefore very desirable that a carefully got up pilot guide should be in the hands of the masters of the sailing craft that cruise along the coast of cur own colony, and extend their voyages to distant groups in the North and South Pacific. The last edition of the New Zealand Pilot w»s issued in 1875. Even then its iufoimation waa not brought down to so late a period as it was desirable, but since it waa published a great many changes have been made in the harbours along the coast, and many dangers hitherto unknown have been discovered, so that a revised edition was most urgently required. This has been supplied by Captain Tilly, and the book is issued at a price which wtll place it within the reach of all who require it, without making any special sacrifice to secure a copy. Indeed, the publisher deserves praise for the patriotism he has shown is issuing it at a price which will require an extenaive sale to repay the cost which has been incurred. The editor acknowledges hia indebtedness to Captain I. J. Burgess, Chief Harbourmaster, for the help which he has rendered, and the willing aid he has received from all to whom be has applied. The first twenty-seven pages are devoted to giving extended tables of the position of various places along the coast of New Zealand, and in the North and South Pacific, with the rise of tides, time of high water, &c.; a descriptive table of the lights along the coasts of New Zealand and Australia, together with the bearings and distances of places on the coast of New Zealand, and the bearings and distances of places from New Zealand. These tables will bo useful, and frequently perused by many. An interesting descrip. tion, though brief, of the several places in the colony is given, in which the leading characteristics of each is clearly brought out. Tho Pilot guide along the coast is a thorough revision of the New Zealand Pilot. Where harbourmasters have been stationed, they have been drawn upon for local information. For instance, tho description of the port of Kaipara is better and fuller than any one that has hitherto been published. It is furnished to the editor by Captain J. McKenzie, formerly harbourmaster there. The same may be said of the Manukau harbour, the description of which is furnished by Captain Wing. The same may be repeated about many of the other principal harbours in the colony, the description and sailing directions being furnished by those beat qualified to give them. On this account, no doubt, the fullest confidence will be relied upon the directions given. When the shores of New Zealand are left, each group ot islands is specially dealt with, so that in consulting the book, there is no great difficulty in finding what is required. The Fiji group appear to be very fully described, 22 pages being devoted to them. A biief i description of the Australian coast ia also j given, together with accounts of the winds, hurricanes, cutrents, &c, found in the Pacific. By way of an appendix is added a nautical almanac for 1881, 1882, and 1883, in which the declinations are given, so that the possessor of this work will not require a nautical almanac for his island voyages. A table of fixed stats for finding the latituh is also added, and altogether the work can hardly fail to be useful to those who use it. The publisher, by the arrangement of type used, has managed to get a great mass of information into the book, more indeed than is usually found in a book of this size. Upon the whole, the work reflects credit upon both editor and publisher.