39

Colonial Secretary's Office, Auckland,
5th April, 1854.

HIS Excellency the Officer administering
the Government has been pleased to
direct that the following Notice to Mariners
should be published for general informa-
tion,

By His Excellency's command,
ANDREW SINCLAIR,
Colonial Secretary.

NOTICE TO MARINERS.

VICTORIA, PORT PHILLIP.

AUSTRALIA. BASS' STRAITS.—REVOLVING
LIGHT ON CAPE OTWAY.

Trinity House, London,
20th July, 1853.

The following particulars respecting the Revolving
Light at Cape Otway (the first exhibition of which, in
August, 1848, was notified from this house on the 11th
April, 1849), having been communicated to this Cor-
poration by direction of Her Majesty's Secretary of
State for the Colonies, are hereby made public for the
general information of Mariners, viz.—

The Lighthouse on Cape Otway in Bass's Strait is
situate in latitude 38d. 51m. south, and in longi-
tude 143d. 29m. east. It revolves showing
a bright flash once in every minute, and burns at
the height of 300 feet above the level of high
water, and may be seen by estimation at the
distance of eight leagues.

Mariners are requested to observe that the Reef off
Cape Otway lies about one-half or three-quarters of a
mile therefrom, in a S.E. to S.S.W. direction, and ex-
tends one and a quarter miles to the westward.

By order,
J. HERBERT,
Secretary.

ADDITIONAL LIGHTHOUSE AT THE EN-
TRANCE TO PORT PHILLIP.

The second Lighthouse at Shortland's Bluff being
now nearly completed, Mariners are requested to take
notice that on and after the first day of January next,
a fixed Red Light will be exhibited thereon from sun-
set to sunrise.

The leading Lighthouse Tower is built of wood,
painted white, and stands at an elevation of eighty (80)
feet above the level of the water, bearing from the
centre of the Upper Lighthouse on Shorland's Bluff
south 33 degrees west, distant six hundred and seventy
(670) feet.

The leading light will be seen in ordinary weather
ten (10) miles to seaward, within the bearings of south
one-quarter west round (westerly) to south-west one
quarter west.

The two Lighthouses by day, and lights by night,
kept in one line of bearing, lead in mid-channel be-
tween Points Lonsdale and Nepean; but strangers are
cautioned not to attempt the entrance by night, nor
against the strength of the ebb tide by day.

BEACON ON SWAN POINT.

Mariners are requested to take notice that a cone-
shaped Iron Beacon, painted white, elevated fifty (50)
feet above the level of the water, has been erected on
Swan Point, bearing from the low lighthouse on Short-
land's Bluff north forty-one (41) degrees east. This
beacon, kept open to the eastward of the low lighthouse,
leads in clear of Point Lonsdale Reef, and the flagstaff
on Shortland's Bluff, kept half a cable's length open to
the westward of the low lighthouse leads in clear of the
of Corsair Rock, and the other sunken dangers lying off
Point Nepean; but in all practicable cases, Mariners
waiting the turn of tide, entering or leaving the harbour
aboard, as the tide runs there fairer, and in bad weather
small vessels incur less risk on the Point Lonsdale shore
shore from the tide ripples than towards Point Ne-
pean.

No alteration has taken place in the Upper Light-
house on Shortland's Bluff, which is as heretofore a
bright stationary light, one hundred and nine (109)
feet above the level of the water, seen in ordinary wea-
ther twenty (20) miles to seaward, within the bearings
of south round by west to south-west by west.

The bearings are by compass, and heights at mean
high water.

FLOATING LIGHTSHIP, HOBSON'S BAY.

A Floating Light is established at the north end of
the West Channel leading into Port Phillip Bay, in
the same position as that hitherto occupied by the North
Fairway Buoy, which is now removed.

The Lightship is painted Red, and exhibits, between
sunset and sunrise, two (2) bright lights, twenty-four
(24) feet apart, and fifty (50) feet above the level of
the water.

These Lights may be seen from all parts of the
horizon within the distance of nine (9) miles in clear
weather.

Vessels approaching the Lightship by night or by
day, are warned to be cautious in avoiding col-
lision.

The Lightship is moored in four (4) fathoms at
low water, with the following magnetic bearings:—
Extreme point of Indented Head N.W. 3/4 N.
Summit of Arthur's Seat, S.E. 1/2 E.
Extremity of Point Nepean S.S.W. 3/4 W.

ANONYMA ROCK, IN PORT PHILLIP BAY.

Commanders of vessels working up the east side of
Port Phillip Bay are requested to take notice that a
Chequered Buoy has been placed upon the Eight Foot
Rock off the Red Bluff, which has been ascertained to
lie nearly two (2) miles closer in shore than the position
assigned to it in the charts. Commanders are recom-
mended to notice the following bearings, and lay the
rock's position down on their charts.

Magnetic Position of the Anonyma Rock.
Lighthouse, Gellibrand's Point, N.W. 3/4 N.
Centre of the Red Bluff, E. by S.
A small white cliff, some distance north of the Red
Bluff, N.E. 1/2 E.

The Anonyma Rock lies a mile off shore, the least
water on it being eight (8) feet at low tide, with five
(5) fathoms just outside, and a clear passage half a
mile on the inside of it with three (3) and four (4)
fathoms, sandy bottom.

CORSAIR ROCK.

A dangerous Rock, with only eleven (11) feet of
water over it at low tide, has recently been discovered
nearly three-quarters of a mile west of Point Nepean.
It is not laid down in any of the charts of this Port.
Commanders of vessels navigating between the Heads
are requested to observe the following marks in order
to avoid the said Rock (which will hereafter be known
as the "Corsair Rock") and are recommended to lay
down its position on their charts as given under-
neath.

Magnetic Position of the centre of the Corsair
Rock.
Upper Lighthouse on Shortland's Bluff, N. 21 E.
Middle of the Rocky Islet off Point Nepean, N. 87 E.
Tidal Flagstaff on Point Lonsdale, N. 76. W.

The above rock is about twenty (20) feet in diameter,
the least water found over it at low tide is eleven
(11) feet, with three (3), four (4), and five (5) fathoms
water all round.

There is a clear passage between the Corsair Rock
and the extreme end of Nepean Reef, of about a cable's
length, with three (3), four (4), and five (5) fathoms
of water; but no vessel should ever attempt it, as the
ebb and flood, sets with great force on Nepean
Reef.

Marks to clear the Corsair Rock.

In working out between the Heads, keep the flag-
staff on Observatory Point open half a cable's length