H.M.S. DART.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11122, 14 January 1899, Page 6

H.M.S. DART.

SHOAL DISCOVERIES OFF THE QUEENSLAND COAST. FOUR HUNDEED SQUARE MILEB SUEVETBD. H.M.S. Dart retarned reoently to Sydney after sis or seven months employed surveying the inside track of the Barrier Reef between Cape Sldmouth and Cape Clermont. It seems that after the wreok of the Queensland mail steamer Quetta, some years ego, the Admiralty decided to survey the Queensland coast specially for new dangers. The ' Quetta Rook ' was only found by the striking of the vessel, and wbb not marked on the charts wbioh are issued by the Admiralty. Consequently since then a great deal of work has been done in close survey of the ' Inner route,' and the Dart has a- good record for discoveries. Upon the present voyaee she haa come upon sov6ral miniature 'Quettas,' coral crests, as high up as five fathoms, over which many a big steamer has passed successfully only because Bhe did not draw another foot or so of water. 'How some of the steamers have eaoaped is strange enough,' said an officer to tbe Sydney Hwald representative when asked as to previous surveys. ' Nothing had been done since 1840 until the present work was instituted' by tbe Admiralty, and it in an extensive one, extending as far as Cape York. We covered, say 40 miles in coastline, and an average of 10 miles i in width or to seaward, roughly 400 i oquare miles. In this work, which is but a part and a minor part of the work to be done, we found right in tbe traok (half mile traok wide) pinnacles of rock within a few fathoms of the surface. This safe track Is so far good that vessels of ordinary draught are safe in adopting it, and, as all the strangers are navigated by experienced pilots, there is not muoh risk. Our discoveries are first sent to the Commander-in-chief, and sent through him to the port officials of eaoh port. Tbay finally find expression on the Admiralty charts, and of obarting work we have a fair quantity on hand. During our work we have had two boats' crews out every day taking soundings and cross workings, and the Dart has been going along aß< steadily the whole time. We have 61 of a orew all told, so that when the boats' crews were out there were not too many men, allowing for watches, to be spared.' ' Speared,' suggested the reporter. ' Ob, we had no experienco with blaoks. It is a most desolate plaoe to be ia for six months. Whitsunday Passage, of wbioh you occasionally hear as being so beautiful iB certainly fine in its way ; but there is muoh finer scenery in, the world — at leaet, to my thinking, indeed, the inner route has been exaggerated as to Its beauties.' ' Well, it is Baid to be like sailing on a mirror P' Here the offioer laughed, and went on : 'As to that, we didn't find it so. It might be in c, large mail steamer ; but if you are taking soundings from sunrise till sunset in a Bhip'a boat I don't think you would find It enchanting. In any case, our little vessel had it pretty rough at times, blowing from 5 to 6 force, and though we didn't get ashore we had to slip from an anchorage on one occasion.' ' But the Dart haß a good name for pulling through in bad weather 1 ' ' She WBB a yaoht, you know, or tailing vessel, and is a good seaboat. I think it was a Eothschild or somebody of that kind who built her, and report says there have been ' crowned heads' on this little craft bafore the Admiralty bought her and put engines in her.' ' She might do better than the Royal Arthur in a battle with the elements when blowing " big guns ?" ' was auggestcd. ' She's a grand little sea-boat, and we don't aspire to guns, but when coming down to Sydney we had a burst or two, and never shipped as muoh water as I hoar is to be found in the drought country. When just to the southward of Caps Moreton we ran into one of tbe flaeat thunderstorm bursts I ever remember seeing. Tbe sky presented one j continuous electrical display, and the j thunder peals were deafening. It was j very fine. Only the rain set in in torrentsr-a thorough tropical downpour — and, indeed, we have had it thunder- j Ing and showery pretty well all down the coast.'