198

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

Rodondo Island, W.N.W.
Crocodile, W.S.W., distant between five and
six miles.
The westernmost of the Moncœurs Islands,
just on with the westernmost land of
Wilson's Promontory.

CHARLES FERGUSON,
Chief Harbor Master.

Department of Ports and Harbors,
Williamstown, 9th April, 1863.

Colonial Secretary's Office,
Auckland, 3rd June 1863.

THE following Notice to Mariners, received
from the Government of South Australia,
is republished for general information.

READER WOOD,
In the absence of Mr. Domett.

South Australia.

NOTICE TO MARINERS.

No 4.-ST VINCENT GULF.

Treasury, Adelaide,
April 14th, 1873.

The following Nautical description by Com-
mander Hutchinson, R. N., of the Red Buoy
placed on the north end of the Semaphore Spit,
is republished for general information.

ARTHUR BLYTHE,
Treasurer.

RED BUOY, SEMAPHORE SPIT.
The red buoy placed on the north end of
the Semaphore Spit is in eighteen feet low
water springs.
Its position is as follows:-Jetty end E. S.
E. one and one-third miles, touching north side
of hotel. Light vessel N. E., two miles.
The jetty end can be approached within
half-a-mile in seventeen feet water, taking care
not to bring it to bear to the eastward of E. S.
E. Vessels passing to the southward should
keep the buoy a little to the eastward of the
bearing of Light vessel.

[The bearings are magnetic.]

JOHN HUTCHINSON,
Commander R.N.,
Admiralty and Colonial Surveyor.

Adelaide, April 11th, 1863.

South Australia.

NOTICE TO MARINERS.

Sailing Directions for Mac Donnell Bay,
near Cape Northumberland..

Variation, 6º 19º East. High water at full
and change at three hours. Rise and fall, five
feet.
MacDonell Bay is formed by the indentation
and trend of the coast line to the eastward of
Cape Northumberland, and may readily be
distinguished by the lighthouse standing on
the summit of the Cape.

Cape Northumberland Lighthouse is in
latitude 38° 3' S., longitude, 140° 38' E.
The lighthouse is twenty-eight feet in height
and stands on the summit of the rocky head-
land, which is 108 feet above high water mark.
The light, which is catoptric and revolving,
consists of three faces, and exhibits alternately,
every minute, a white, red, and green light, on
an arc visible from seaward from N. 74° E.
to N. 66° W., round by south.
The white light may be seen from the deck
of a moderate sized vessel about eighteen miles.
The red light, will be distinguished from a
distance of fifteen miles.
The green light will not generally be dis-
tinguished beyond a range of eight miles.
During warm weather and northerly winds,
when there is much refraction, the white light
will be frequently observed at a great distance..
Vessels approaching from the eastward, and
bound past Port MacDonnell, should not bring
the white or red light to bear to the westward
of W. N. W., and when the green light becomes
visible on that bearing, they should steer more
southerly, in order to give the reef which
stretches to the eastward of Cape Northumber-
land a wide berth. Vessels from the north-
ward should never sight the red or white light
on a bearing more southerly than E. & S., and
on seeing the green light should immediately
alter the course, so as to give the reefs running
parallel to the coast, at a distance of a mile, an
offing. In bad weather, with the wind hanging
from the southward, it will be advisable to give
the Cape such an offing as will enable a ship to
pass the lighthouse without seeing the green
light, and should the weather be thick, or it be
blowing hard, it will be prudent not to sight the
red light, which, under such circumstances, will
not be seen at the distance first given. The
coast to the north-westward of the cape soon
becomes low, and owing to the heavy ocean
swell which sets directly on the shore, should
be very carefully avoided.
The land about Cape Northumberland may
be known from the offing by day by two re-
markable mountains near each other. Mount
Gambier, the northernmost, is peaked, and
bears from the Cape N. by E. four (4) leagues;
Mount Schanck, the other, is flat topped, and
bears N. N. E. ½ E. nine or ten miles from the
same Cape.

Sailing Directions-Port MacDonnell,
Vessels bound into Port Macdonnell by day
should give Cape Northumberland a good offing,
taking care not to bring the cape to bear to the
westward of N. W. by N. until Mount Schanck
bears N. by W., when a course may be shaped for
the anchorage, which will then bear N.W.;
stand boldly on, carefully observing the breakers
on the reefs. On this course the water will
shoal rapidly from ten (10) fathoms to six (6),
and as the beach is approached to three (3)
fathoms on a rocky bottom, generally, in the
latter depth the soundings will be very regular;
as, although the ground is rocky, the patches
appear to be composed of limestone flats covered
slightly with seaweed.
Before thus closely approaching the coast,
strangers should hoist the signal for a pilot,
who will if the weather be not too bad, come
off.