NOTICES TO MARINERS.

West Coast Times, Issue 209, 21 May 1866, Page 2

NOTICES TO MARINERS.

man watebt Monday ... 2.45 a.m... 3.10 p.m.

{From tho Government Gazette, of March 6.) Nobth -East Coast ov Australia.—Cobai, Patoh in Blaokwood Ciiannei.. Information has been received at tho Admiralty that H.M.S. Salamander, January 20, 1865, whilst steering to tho south-west through the Blackwood channel, on tho routo recommended, from Raine Island towards tho Middle Bank, etruok on an unknown coral patch, with only seven foot on' its slioulcst part at low water. '

Tho patch lies about a milo E.S.E. of tho eastern ptirt of tho Middle Banks, or in lat. lldeg. 47inin. lOscc. S. ; lon. 143d0g. 41rain. 358 CC. E. It is about 230 yards long, cast nnd west, 110 yards wido, has ten to seventeen fathoms all round it, and fifteen to soventcon futhoms in tho channel, a milo wido, botwecu it and tho reef in connection with tho eastern sand bank on tho Middle Banks. From its shoalest spot of seven feet, tho centro of tho eastern Baud bank on tho Middlo Banks bears W. £ N., distant two and a half miles, and tho south oxtremo of Sir Charles Hardy Islands S.W. fourteen and a half miles , Vessels entering tho Great Barrior Reof by tho Eamo Island ontranco, should, as soon as possible after passing north or south of Eaine Island, bring its boacon to bear N. E. £ E., steering S.W. f W. (allowing for tido and a northorly set) for Sir Charles Hardy Islands. A.S soon as tlio boacon is lost sight of, tho vessel will bo clear of tho shoal patches westward of tho 100 fathoms lino of soundings, and on tho bank. Look out now for Sir Charles Hnrdy Islands, and when thoy aro plainly seen, steer for thoir south oxtromo on a S.W. $W. bearing, and when tho oastern\lost sandbank on tho middlo banks bear N. W. by W., and tho west Ashmoro bank (if seen S.S.W. 4 W., tho vessel will bo well to tho south-west of tho Snlamandcr patch, and a coui'so may then bo shaped for either tho north or Pollard channels. (All bearings nro magnetic. Variation 6dog. E. in 1865.) By command of their lordships,' dm Henry Richards, Uydrographor. Hydrographio Oflko, Admiralty, London, July 1, 1865. This notice affects tho following Admiralty charts : — Australia, north and oast coasts, sheet 21, N. 2,354: Coral Sea, No. 2,764 : and Australia, northern portion, No. 2,759 a ; also, Australia Directory, vol. 2, pugo 228. Leading Ltoiit3 and Beacons ron Newcastle, New South Wales. In order to increase tho facilities for navigating Nowcasllo Harbor, loading lights for entering, nnd also leading lights for taking tho north channel, will be oxhibitcd on and after Tuesday, the Ist May, 1866. The two fairway lights for ontcring' (red and bright), will bo shown- from beacons 228 feet apart, in a S.W. half S. and NE. half N. direction, erected on a clear Bpaco of ground on tho hill at tho back tho town, between tho Wosloyan and Catholio ohurchos. Thoso for taking tho north channol, also red bright, will bo shown from beacons erected o ho breakwater in tho 'vicinity of tho old Bun Beacons, at a distance of 100 feet apart, in W. by N. and E. by S. direction. In both cases, when tho lights aro in lino, tho bright will bo the uppermost and tho red tho lowermost v of tho two. In tho daytimo, however, tho order of colors will bo rovorsod, as it is intondod to paint tho upper beacons red and tho lowov ones white. The lower or north-eastern of tho two obelisks at present used for tho leading mark in, situated on Shepbord's Hill, will bo rcmovod, as likewise will bo tho remnant of tho Bull beacons on tho breakwater. Tho exhibition of thoso leading lights will not necessitate different sailing directions to thoao already published, any moro thun tho lights and now beacons being substituted for tho ebelisks and beacons which avo at prosont in übo; In ontering tho port of Nowcastlo at night great caution will bo necessary, in couscquonco of the strength of tho tido, and duo allowanco will havo to bo made for ebb or flow, on sighting tho north channol lights, and about to alter course from S.W. J S., with tho fairway lights in ono, to W. byN., tho direction which a vessel will have to steer to keep tho north channel lights in lino to gain an anchorago in tho north harbor. Fbancis Hixson, Superintendent.