THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 213

Colonial Secretary's Office,
Auckland, 11th Dec., 1860.

HIS Excellency the Governor has been
pleased to make the following appoint-
ment in the "Dunedin" Regiment of New
Zealand Militia :—
WILLIAM JAMES BALFOUR JUNOR to be
Adjutant. Date of Commission—8th
December, 1860.
E. W. STAFFORD.

Colonial Secretary's Office,
Auckland, 11th Dec., 1860.

ENQUIRIES having been made respecting
the person named below, anyone who
can give any information concerning such a
person is requested to communicate the same
to this Office.
E. W. STAFFORD.

Christian and Surname—Gommaire Van
Weutswinkel, known in the Colony by the
name of the "Belgian," or "Belgian Peter."
Age—Between 39 and 40.
Residence before going to the Colony—
Anvers, Belgium.
Married; wife and four children in
Belgium.
Left Europe in September, 1854, as an
officer of the Belgian Vessel "Petronille,"
Van Hornborstel, Master. Date of arrival in
the Colony unknown.

Colonial Secretary's Office,
Auckland, 11th December, 1860.

THE following Notice to Mariners being
a Report of Dangers discovered on the
coast of Ceylon, in the vicinity of the Basses,
between the line of those Reefs and the
Mainland, is published for general infor-
mation.
E. W. STAFFORD.

NOTICE TO MARINERS.

Galle, September 12th, 1860.

Little Basses tail, is half a mile in length,
with only 3 fathoms on it. It lies N. by W.
14 miles from the Little Basses reef. This
patch is supposed to be the one on which the
ship "Atlas" struck the first time in 1813
(vide Horsburgh, page 563).

Atlas reef with only 3 fathoms, is about a
cable's length in extent, N.E. by N. 1 miles
from the Little Basses reef, and is supposed
to be the danger on which the "Atlas"
struck the second time, in 1813. Between it
and the Little Basses tail, anchorage for a
light vessel may be obtained in 6 fathoms,
sand and stones, with the centre of the Little
Basses reef bearing S.W. a mile. The
reef breaks heavily.

Dædalus reef.-This dangerous patch was
discovered by H.M.S. "Cyclops" striking on
it, on the 30th July last; it is probably the
one on which H.M. Ship "Dædalus" was
lost in 1813, (Horsburgh 562). The
"Cyclops," drawing 15 feet, went from 6
fathoms on to the rock, and for several

minutes struck heavily, lifting her rudder
twice.

The least water obtained all round the
Ship was 3\frac{1}{2} fathoms. The rock is evidently
a pinnacle, with about 14 feet on it, and hav-
ing 5, 6, and 7 fathoms close to—(no sign of
a break was observed at the time the Ship
struck). From it the centre of the Little
Basses bears S. 25° E 3\frac{1}{2} miles; Chimney
Hill, N., 56° W., and Nipple Peak, N.,
75° W.—it is distinct from the nearest
shore, 1\frac{1}{2} miles.

Cyclops reef—so called in consequence of
the "Cyclops" striking several times, and in
different places—consists of a hard narrow
sandy ridge, with patches of boulders, hav-
ing only 2 fathoms in some places. It lies
E. by N. \frac{1}{4}N. and W. by S. \frac{1}{2}S. for a distance
of 3\frac{1}{2} miles, and is from \frac{1}{4} to \frac{1}{2} a mile in
breadth. From its West end in 3 fathoms,
Potana point bears North 2 miles; and from
its Eastern end in 4 fathoms, Chimney Hill
bears N. \frac{1}{4}W., the shore in that direction be-
ing distant 3\frac{1}{2} miles. Between the reef and
the shore is a channel with 7, 9, and 12
fathoms.

Breakers are occasionally seen on shoal
patches of this reef.

Potana Patch—breaks very heavily, and
appears to be about \frac{1}{4} of a mile in extent. It
lies W. by S. \frac{1}{2}S from the West end of
Cyclops reef, the distance being 1\frac{1}{2} miles,
forming a clear channel with from 8 to 10
fathoms. To sail through, keep Chimney
Hill on with the Eastern slope of Potana
point bearing N. by E. \frac{1}{4}E.

Elephant reef—also breaks heavily, and
lies N.E. \frac{1}{4}E. and S.W. \frac{1}{2}W., 1\frac{1}{2} miles long;
its N.E. end being 1 mile from Potana patch.
This supposed channel has, however, never
been sounded, and should not therefore be
tried. The N.E. end is 1\frac{1}{2} miles from the
shore, with Elephant Hill, and Elephant
Rock in line, N.W. \frac{1}{4}N. The S.W. extremity
is 1 mile S.W. \frac{1}{4}W. of the detached rock of
Anadowe point. Between the reef and the
shore is a clear channel, with from 8 to 9
fathoms, but should never be attempted by
strangers, as the Coast permits of no leading
or back mark being given.

Masters of Ships, under any and every cir-
cumstance, should carefully avoid attempt-
ing to pass inside the line of the Great and
Little Basses.

The foregoing bearings are Magnetic.

The current during the S. W. Monsoon,
sets along the line of Coast, between Point
de Galle and the Little Basses, to the East
and N.E., at rates varying from 1 to 2 miles
per hour.

G. F. MCDOUGALL,
Master, R.N., in charge of Ceylon Survey.

Lat.
,
Great Basses 6 9 54 N. and 1 15 30
East of Galle,
Little Basses 6 22 48 N, and 1 30 50
Do.