NAVIGATION OF THE PACIFIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1977, 20 May 1870, Page 4

NAVIGATION OF THE PACIFIC.

To the Editor of the Heiuld. Sir, —Finding that Hie new postal route via Kan Francisco to Europe is an established fact, and the route taken by the mail steamers goes through the centre of the Pacific Ocean, skirting the Navigator's Group, or, as the natives call it, Samoa, I beg to offer a few remarks relative to these parts that'may be of use to the captains of the mail steamers. I may preface my remarks by Enying, that I was bora, and grew up to manhood in the Pacific, and ha\e filled official situations as 11. B. M. Consul for Samoa for a while, and I have navignted the same parts time after time.' The fiHt I will mention is the Tonga Group, consisting of the Tonga Islands, the Haapai's, and Vavou. Tonga and the. Haapai Islands are low islands; Yavau. is high. The mail steamers no doubt pass to the east ward of this croup, for the seas to the S.W., W., and N.W. are dotted with innumerable shoals and reefs ju.-t awash, with a strong set of the current to Yv'.N. W. Between Ono and Tonga it is especially dangerous. There are no dangers to the eastward of them —a clear open sea and plenty of room, except to tho S. E. of Vavou, where there is u large sunken reef, with the i.-l:iud just visible. The S.E., E., and N. 15 being to the weather-side of this group, they act as a barrier to the force of the sea, caused by the prevailing winds, thereby producing a quiet sea to the leeward or westward, which lias alloncd the coral builders to build up re.fs that are dangerous to navigators. Also in 1853 and 1856, earthquakes sent up shoals and island- , , and flame and smoke broke out afresh iu some of the hilly peaks that rise perpendicularly from the deep sea to a 1000 and some 1700 feet high above the sea. Tonga has a large reef harbour, entered by a deep passage at the west end of the island, near to a email island outside the reef; the entrance is a long way from the anchorage. Vavou has a large landlocked harbour, entered from the southards between two small high and round islands, with soundings inside the harbour of 60 and 40 fathoms. Should the mail boats ever be damaged in their machinery or hull near to the Tongan Group, the harbours are of «aey access, and safe except in a hurricane. The tra.le is principally in the hands of the Sydney me'rehants. Between Tonga and Samoa there is only ono island, called by Captain Cook Savage Island ; it has a bold and weather-bound shore with no dangers. The_ Sampan Group is high and mountainous. l have seen Savaii peak (a crater of a volcano, without shrub or tree, a mass of lava) 80 miles off, on a clear morning before 9 a.ni. No reefs away outside of this group; c!car open sea and channels. There is a fishing hiiuk to the north of Upolu, the land visible in a canoe, where the natives used to go to fish in former times, for baracouta and bonito, but the soundings are over 100 fathoms. The Sainoan Group being so near, in fact, in the line of route, would make n good coaling station, giviir- !'•■• .'-i-ner more room for freight. The poii ui Apia, on tho north side of Upolu, is the principal harbour, and cob-

tarns a large white population, and a eoorf size town It v. of easy access and egres, . good holding (%■,„ ' pangoin the >>v'Zealand dialectf is a kT locked harbour, with deep water in mil places to the vry edge of the land, E0 tlat I vessel can lay alongside. It has a sunken pinnacle rock just inside of the entrance which narrows the passage, and oc ß ma « t v' well acquainted with its situation to ventur in at night in a large vessel, more so in a eal o of wind. There is also a shoal ratch with limestone boulders, on which the sea breaks i n a gale of wind. It is in the fair way in running in from the S.E. In coaling at Apia a hulk would be required, as a large vessel cannot o e t near to the wharf, for the harbour gradually shoals towards the beach. A good coalini station could be built on the inner shore of the weather reef of flip linrbcmr, that would be strong enough to resist the waves of a hurricane, and deep water to float any vessel, and can easily run out in a hurricane, wherea3 in Pagopago you cannot. I hare been in the latter port in a hurricane, with the furious puffs coming down on the vessel from all directions, causing her while at anchor to heel over till the water came in at the scuppers, first one side and then the other side, and was tins playing shuttle-cock with her. The only advantage Pagopago has i? that a coaling station can be built cheap, whereas at Apia, it would cost money. H would be cheaper to lose a few coals than .1 strriTn<>r. I hope for no such misfortune, but to the company. Saluafata is another port in TTpolu, a few miles to the eastward of Apia, with deep water close to the land, as easy in going in and out, but smaller though still plenty of room for twenty vessels' to lay to their anchors. To the N.E. of Samoa, is Danger Island, and it is a dangerous island. It is low, ami surrounded for some miles out to sea with detached reef*, with no sign but the surf breaking over them. There is here a strong current eettiag to the westward. In a calm I have been taken fifty miles to the westward in twenty-four hours. A sailing vessel ig doomed in calm weather if she should pet inside the outer ring of the detached reefs. It was here the Missionary ship John Williams, the first, was lost—becalmed. If a steamer should be caught in a hurricane 100 miles to the N.E. or £. of it, and obliged to heave-to for several days, it would be a wonder if she escaped shipwreck. The same can be said of Chrif tmas Island. To the north of the Line a strong current also sets to the westward. Many a vessel has been wrecked here on the passage from California to the Australian ports in the time of the diggings. The prevailing winds are the trades from S.S.E. to E., and sometimes E.N.E. At the fall of the moon, or at new moon, in the winter months, I have known a westerly wind for three or four days. Except in a hurricane, the days and the weather are as fine as could he desired, and the voyage as pleasant as yachting. The hurricane months are from December to middle of April. The terrific hurricanes are few and far between. The hurricanes take their rise in the Southern Pacific, Irom the south-east, and make a circular course in the Pacific. Say that a hurricane was passing over Borotonga and its neighbourhood, it would sweep round and over to Samoa ; then veering gradually to the westward, pass on through the New Hebrides, here turning to the south again. If it should set in to the east of Eorotonga, it would sweep up through Manikiki, on to Danger Island, and perhaps the Line, and round by Bank's Island. If ene from Tonga, it will pass round and over the Fiji Group, on to Norfolk Island and Sydney coast (vide r-port of Southern Cross, Novelty, and otl:- ' ■ '! ■he same wind.) If rising to eastward > t' Tuiiga it may just clear the west of Samoa, touch Rotomah, south of the New Hebrides Group, New Caledonia, and on to Sydney coast. Some of these hurricanes'are of a great breadth, some are very narrow, but make a wide circle. Once I had one in Tonga ; in a week I was off Suwarrow's Reef in another one, and it veering round to Danger Island. With plenty of sea room, and a good vessel, you will generally outride the storm. Some hurricanes give plenty of warning, others do not. Should the hurricanes break out in December or January, they are not so severe as those that come abeut March and April. If ar; . hurricanes pa?s over in December, the latter ' ones in March are nothing to speak of. Should there be no heavy gales in December or January, look out for them in llarcb ; watch the barometer ; hot sultry weather; heavy rolling sea from south or east, as it may be coming down on you ; a few hot, sultry nights, with no dew, is a sure indication. The trade of the Samoan Group is in the hands of English and German merchants in England. Three or four large vessels every year come out with goods, and go home with return freights in cotton, oil, &c.—l am, &c, Geobse Phitchabd. Waikato, May 14, 1870.