55
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

which may be liable to be mistaken for a white
flag, as that flag at the mast-head is the signal
that a Pilot is not required, the vessel being
exempt by law from the compulsory necessity
of taking a Pilot.—Vide Appendix.
Vessels having approached sufficiently near
the Port, to decipher the signals exhibited from
the Signal Station situated on the Hill bearing
S. W. by S. magnetic, distant half a mile
from the Lighthouse on Nobby's Head, formerly
an Island, must pay strict attention to the in-
structions communicated by them, as serious
consequences are likely to ensue to the ship
entering the Port in disobedience to the requests
made from the Signal Station. The following
is the table of Signals in use at the Signal
Station, but Marryatt's Code is also kept for
special service.

SIGNALS, &C.

1. The Signals included in the Table an-
   nexed, will be exhibited at the Signal Station
   to indicate the state of tide, and whether pru-
   dent or otherwise to approach the Harbour.
   No. 1. A flag at South Yard arm.—You may ap-
   proach with safety.
   " 2. A flag at the North Yard arm.—Stand in.
   " 3. Two flags at the South Yard arm.—Stand in,
   the Pilot has left to board you.
   " 4. Two flags, one at each Yard arm.—If the Pilot
   cannot board you, the Boat will be inside
   the Bar; steer for her.
   " 5. A flag over a ball at the South Yard arm.—
   A Boat will be sent off immediately.
   " 6. A ball over a flag at the North Yard arm.—A
   Boat will be sent off when practicable.
   " 7. A ball over two flags at the South Yard arm.
   —The Flood Tide has commenced.
   " 8. Two balls over a flag at the North Yard arm.
   —The Ebb Tide has commenced.
   " 9. A ball at the South Yard arm.—There is too
   much sea on the Bar to send the Boat.
   " 10. A ball at the North Yard arm.—Stand off.
   " 11. Two balls at the South Yard arm.—It blows
   too hard to send a Boat.
   " 12. Two balls one at each Yard arm.—The Pilot
   cannot board you; stand off and on until
   the morning.

NOTE.—To be a Red Flag in each case.
Strict attention to the above Signals is re-
quired, as it is impossible to get into the Har-
bour with strong south or south-westerly
winds.

2. Masters of Vessels are particularly cau-
   tioned not to approach too close, without hav-
   ing been first boarded by a Pilot, and to cause
   the usual Signal to be made of hoisting a
   Union Jack at the fore, if in the day time, and
   by burning a blue light or firing a gun or
   rocket, if at night, as soon as the Signal can be
   well seen.

In the event of it being absolutely necessary,
from the disabled state of the vessel, or other
causes, that the Master or person in charge,
should attempt to enter the harbour at all risks,
he is exhorted to endeavour to do so on
flood tide, as the velocity of the ebb (influenced
by freshes and other causes) is at times so
great as effectually to stop a vessel's progress
up the channels, added to which is the danger
of being thrown on shore by the eddies and
breakers which in heavy gales blowing along or
on shore, extend right across the channel.

Times of High Water, Full and Change are
9h 45.
Range of tide, 5 to 6 feet.
The entrance to the Port of Newcastle lays
somewhat embayed between the point known
as "Morna Point," bearing N. 57° E. distant
18 miles, and Norah Head, bearing S.
18° 22' W. distant 24 miles, and consequently
should be approached with extreme caution in
southerly or south-easterly gales, or when the
weather indicates the approach of gales from
those quarters; for if a vessel be unable to
enter the Port from night coming on, or on ac-
count of the ebb tide or other causes, the coast
northward of Newcastle, as far as Port Stephens,
distant 23 miles, is a dangerous lee shore, on
which the sea rolls heavily home, and to the
distance of two miles from the beach, which is
low and sandy.

Vessels of any size disabled and not able to
keep off the land, can find shelter in Port
Stephens, situated in latitude 32° 42' 30" S.,
152° 11' 45" E.

Nobby's Head, (formerly an island), but now
connected by a breakwater of more than half a
mile extent, with the mainland, is the southern
Head and rounding point of Newcastle Har-
bour, and lays in latitude 32° 55' 20" S. and
longitude 151° 50' 20" E. and is a bold pro-
jection of about 90 yards in diameter at top,
and 92 feet above high water level, and is sur-
mounted by a white Lighthouse, from which is
exhibited a bright white fixed light at a height
of 23 feet from the base, and giving a total
elevation of 115 feet above high water level,
and should be visible from the sea on an arc of
166° from Wabung Head S. 18° 22' W.
round the eastern horizon to Morna Point N.
57° E., and from the eye of an observer
elevated 15 feet above the sea on an ordinary
clear night at a distance of seventeen or
eighteen miles. The land falling in, as it does,
from Morna Point to Nobby's Island would
admit of the Light being seen to the northward
of the bearing N. 57° E., but when so seen
from a vessel she would, if not actually on
shore, be in very shallow water, on a dangerous
coast.

Vessels making this Lighthouse either night
or day, should endeavour to do so on the bear-
ing of N. W. W., on which bearing and at
the distance of 10 miles soundings will be
found at 45 fathoms, shoaling gradually to
22 fathoms 5 miles off. With the wind having
any southing in it, or in unsettled weather
vessels should not stand so far to the northward
as to bring the Lighthouse to the southward of
west, by which they will avoid too close
proximity to the low sandy shore to the north-
ward of the Port, a shore at all times to be
avoided on account of heavy southerly gales
coming on frequently without notice.

Vessels making for the Port from the south-
ward or eastward can pass at two cables' dis-
tance from the outlying rocks to the southward
and eastward of the Lighthouse, which extend
about half a mile off shore, and on which the
sea breaks at all times. When off these rocks,