Dec. 16. THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1621

BREAKERS REPORTED OFF NORTH REEF, CAPRICORN GROUP.
NOTICE is hereby given that heavy breakers, lying N.N.W. ¼ W. 8½ miles from North Reef Lighthouse, were seen by the s.s. “Guthrie,” when coming south, in September last, during a south-easterly gale.
The break on the 6-fathom Coral Rock had been previously passed, and distinctly made out.
G. P. HEATH, Commander, R.N.,
Portmaster.
Department of Ports and Harbours,
Brisbane, 12th November, 1886.
INNER EDGE OF BARRIER BETWEEN HOLBORNE ISLAND AND THE PALM ISLANDS, AND SHOALWATER OFF CAPE BOWLING GREEN.
NOTICE is hereby given that the following detached reefs at the inner edge of the Barrier, between Holborne Island and the Palm Islands, have been examined, and their positions determined by Lieutenant-Commander Richards, R.N., in H.M.S. “Paluma:”

1. A coral reef, which partly dries at half-ebb, and which is 8½ miles long, N.W. by W. and S.E. by E., and 3 miles broad. Its S.E. end lies N.W. 21½ miles from the centre of Holborne Island, and there is an average depth of 25 fathoms close round the reef.
2. A circular patch, about 1½ miles in diameter, the centre lying N.N.E. distant 30 miles from Cape Cleveland Lighthouse.
3. A coral patch, 1½ miles long, E. and W., and 1 mile wide, its centre lying N. ¼ E. 30 miles from Cape Cleveland Lighthouse.
4. A coral reef, situated to the N.N.W. of the last-mentioned patch, 3½ miles long, E. by N. and W. by S., and 1½ miles broad. Its west and north-west sides are ragged with off-lying patches. The eastern end lies N. 33½ miles from Cape Cleveland Lighthouse. The depth between this and the former reef is 25 fathoms.
5. The shoal marked “Doubtful,” in lat. 18° 41½' S., long. 146° 52½' E., does not exist.
6. At a distance of 1 mile from the lighthouse on Cape Bowling Green when bearing S. 56° W., the depth does not exceed 9ft. at ordinary low-water springs. Vessels are therefore cautioned to attend to the directions not to shoal the water under 11 fathoms when rounding the cape.
   G. P. HEATH, Commander, R.N.,
   Portmaster.
   Department of Ports and Harbours,
   Brisbane, 15th November, 1886.
   Notice to Mariners, No. 53 of 1886.
   Marine Department,
   Wellington, 6th December, 1886.
   THE following Notice to Mariners, received from the Chief Harbourmaster, Suva, Fiji, is published for general information.
   W. J. M. LARNACH.
   SUNKEN REEF, BENGHA PASSAGE, S.C. VITI LEVU.
   NOTICE is hereby given that, to the north side of the Bengha Passage, and between the Lake and Combe Reefs, is situated a sunken coral reef, having, as least water on it, 2 fathoms, the average depth being about 3 fathoms. It extends east and west for about 300 yards, and is 200 yards broad.
   Bearings (magnetic) from it are as follows: Shark’s Fin, N. 48 W.; Bengha Peak, S. 48 E.; Sand Cay, Shark’s Reef, S. 75 W. Admiralty Chart, No. 167.
   C. F. de M. MALAN,
   Lieut. R.N., and Chief Harbourmaster.
   Suva, 30th October, 1886.
   Notice to Mariners, No. 54 of 1886.
   Marine Department,
   Wellington, 10th December, 1886.
   THE following Notice to Mariners, received from the Hydrographer to the United States Navy, is published for general information.
   W. J. M. LARNACH.
   MAGELLAN STRAITS.
   Desolation Island, Port Mercy: Rock.—A rock, with 23ft. water over it and 40 fathoms all around, has been discovered about two miles from Port Mercy, western part of Magellan Straits.
   Approximate position, lat. 52° 44' 30" S., long. 74° 34' W. (Avviso ai Naviganti, No. 189, Genova, 1886.)
   Cape Virgins: Rock.—The steamer “Magellan,” on the night of the 4th July, 1886, struck on a rock about three miles north-eastward of Cape Virgins.
   Approximate position, lat. 52° 18' 45" S., long. 68° 16' 20" W. (Avviso ai Naviganti, No. 189, Genova, 1886.)
   By order of the Bureau of Navigation.
   J. R. BARTLETT,
   Commander, U.S.N., Hydrographer.
   U.S. Hydrographic Office,
   Washington, D.C., 2nd October, 1886.
   Despatch.—Extending Provisions of “The Foreign Deserters Act, 1852,” to the Republic of the Equator and the Oriental Republic of Uruguay.
   Defence Office,
   Wellington, 7th December, 1886.
   THE following despatch, with its enclosures, received from Her Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies, is published for general information.
   J. BALLANCE.
   Downing Street, 4th October, 1886.
   SIR,—I have the honour to transmit, for publication in the colony under your Government, copies of two Orders by Her Majesty in Council, extending the provisions of “The Foreign Deserters Act, 1852,” to the Republic of the Equator and the Oriental Republic of Uruguay.
   I have, &c.,
   EDWARD STANHOPE.
   The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.
   [London Gazette, 28th September, 1886.]
   At the Court at Balmoral, the 24th day of September, 1886.
   Present:
   THE QUEEN’S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY IN COUNCIL.
   WHEREAS by “The Foreign Deserters Act, 1852,” it is provided that, whenever it is made to appear to Her Majesty that due facilities are or will be given for recovering and apprehending seamen who desert from British merchant-ships in the territories of any foreign Power, Her Majesty may, by Order in Council, stating that such facilities are or will be given, declare that seamen, not being slaves, who desert from merchant-ships belonging to a subject of such Power, when within Her Majesty’s dominions, shall be liable to be apprehended and carried on board their respective ships, and may limit the operation of such order, and may render the operation thereof subject to such conditions and qualifications, if any, as may be deemed expedient:
   And whereas it has been made to appear to Her Majesty that due facilities will be given for recovering and apprehending seamen who desert from British merchant-ships in the dominions and possessions of the Republic of the Equator:
   Now, therefore, Her Majesty, by virtue of the power vested in her by the said “Foreign Deserters Act, 1852,” and by and with the advice of her Privy Council, is pleased to order and declare, and it is hereby ordered and declared, that, from and after the publication hereof in the London Gazette, seamen, not being slaves, and not being British subjects, who, within Her Majesty’s dominions, desert from merchant-ships belonging to the Republic of the Equator, shall be liable to be apprehended and carried on board their respective ships.
   Provided always that, if any such deserter has committed any crime in Her Majesty’s dominions, he may be detained till he has been tried by a competent Court, and until his sentence, if any, has been carried into effect.
   And the Secretary of State for the Home Department, the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and the Secretary of State for India in Council, are to give the necessary directions herein accordingly.
   C. L. PEARL.
   [London Gazette, 28th September, 1886.]
   At the Court at Balmoral, the 24th day of September, 1886.
   Present:
   THE QUEEN’S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY IN COUNCIL.
   WHEREAS by “The Foreign Deserters Act, 1852,” it is provided that, whenever it is made to appear to Her Majesty that due facilities are or will be given for recovering or apprehending seamen who desert from British merchant-ships in the territories of any foreign Power, Her Majesty may, by Order in Council, stating that such facilities are or will be given, declare that seamen, not being slaves, who desert from merchant-ships belonging to such Power, when within Her Majesty’s dominions, shall be liable to be apprehended and carried on board their respective ships, and may limit the operation of such order, and may render the operation thereof subject to such conditions and qualifications, if any, as may be deemed expedient:
   And whereas it has been made to appear to Her Majesty that due facilities are given for recovering and apprehending