234
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 12

VICTORIA.—PORT OF PORT PHILLIP.—SOUTH CHANNEL.

Referring to General Notice to Mariners, Victoria, dated 1st June, 1898, page 67, it is hereby notified that the 26 ft. shoal patch midway between Nos. 1 and 2 buoys, South Channel, has now moved north-eastward of such position, and on the 29th instant it was ascertained that a knoll with a minimum depth of 26 ft. over it at low water had formed on the line of leading-lights between No. 1 and No. 3 buoys of such channel.

The following bearings were taken over such knoll:—
Point King, S. 28° 33′ E.
No. 1 buoy, N. 50° 37′ W.
No. 3 buoy, N. 77° 05′ E.

Masters and others in charge of ships drawing 26 ft. or more are recommended to keep about one (1) cable-length southward of the line of leading-lights in the South Channel when navigating their vessels through the channel to westward of No. 3 buoy.

C. W. MACLEAN,
Port Officer.

Department of Ports and Harbours,
Melbourne, 30th November, 1900.

Notice to Mariners No. 3 of 1901.

Marine Department,
Wellington, 18th January, 1901.

THE following Notices to Mariners, received from the Board of Trade, London, are published for general information.

WM. HALL-JONES.

AFRICA.

KOWIE RIVER (PORT ALFRED).—The following information respecting Kowie River (33° 36′ S., 26° 54′ E.) has been received:—Winds and Currents.—The prevailing winds in summer are from an e.ly. to S.-e.ly. direction during the day, calms and light airs off the land at night, but occasionally a strong S.E. wind blows continuously day and night for two or three days. During the winter, wly. winds blow with bad weather at times, but a gale may be blowing in the offing when it is fine near the coast. The Agulhas current sets to the wrd. sometimes very strongly at a distance of 5 to 25 miles from the coast, and a current sometimes setting against the wind is experienced in the roadstead (assisting vessels to ride), which prevents the regular tidal ebb and flow being perceptible. The Bar.—The bar is composed of sand over rk.; wly. and S.-wly. gales send in a heavy swell, which deposits more sand on the bar, making it impassable for two or three days; this deposit, however, is usually scoured out by the following spring tides. The passage over the bar in consequence varies considerably in direction, position, and depth. Directions, &c.—Upon a vessel appearing off the port, the Harb. Master, who is also Shipping Master, will come on board, if weather permits, and point out a berth, otherwise a berth will be sig. from the Port Office. The best anchorage is in from 15 to 17 fms., with the entr. of the river open and the Port Office flagstaff on the wrn. bank near the entr. bearing N. 25° W.; the holding-ground here being good, and the position outside the rollers. The holding-ground in other areas is generally not good, being sand over patches of rk. The anchor should be buoyed, coir riding-stoppers being used for the cables, and arrangements made for slipping in case of bad weather, when the end of the cable must also be buoyed. Topgallant yards and masts should be struck, the topsails double-reefed, and the vessel always kept ready for sea, strict attention being paid to all sigs. made from the Port Office so that there will be no delay in putting to sea when the sig. to do so is made. By keeping within 12 miles of the coast the very heavy sea which gets up outside that dist., due to the Agulhas current, will be avoided. All vessels visiting this port should be provided with the best ground-tackle and a stout coir spring to ride by. With the wind from the erd. or wrd. it is preferable to ride at single anchor with a whole cable and a spring on, but with a sly. wind and dirty weather, and with no chance of putting to sea, it is better to give the vessel a good sheer, let go a second anchor before veering on the first, and then veer both cables together. Masters are strongly advised to remain on board as much as possible, and to exercise discretion in permitting boats to leave their vessels at any time, as accidents have occurred through drifting. Sigs.—Mariners can communicate their wishes to their agents through the Port Office by use of the Commercial Code, and every assistance will be rendered as far as practicable. Vessels not possessing the Commercial Code can make the following sigs.: (1.) Ensign in foretopmast rigging.—I am in want of a cable. (2.) Ensign in maintopmast rigging.—I am in want of an anchor. (3.) Ensign in fore rigging.—I have parted a bower cable. (4.) Ensign in main rigging.—Want an anchor and cable. (5.) Wheft—where best seen.—I want assistance. Weather Sigs.—The following sigs. will be shown from the Port Office: (1.) A black ball over union jack.—Veer about 70 fms., see second anchor clear. (2.) A black ball under union jack.—Put to sea at once, get an offing. (3.) Flag (blue, white, blue hor.) over union jack.—Send down topgallant yards and mast, point yards, see everything clear for working ship as far as practicable. (4.) Union jack over white and blue flag.—See third anchor clear, and prepare for bad weather. (5.) Union jack over red, white, blue (vert.) flag.—Heave up second anchor and shorten into same scope as before. Bar Sigs.—(1.) Black ball at wrn. yardarm.—Bar impassable. (2.) Black ball hoisted half-way up.—Bar dangerous. (3.) A working flag (red pierced white) will be hoisted when the bar is practicable for tug-boats and lighters; it will be kept half-mast when special caution is necessary in crossing the bar, and hauled down altogether when the bar is impassable. Pilots are always in readiness with a steam-tug to take vessels in or out, and no vessel should attempt to enter the river even in most favourable weather without a pilot. No ships’ boats should attempt to cross the bar, however smooth it may appear. The whole of the above sigs. are to be answered by the answering pennant hoisted where best seen, and promptly acted upon: neglect to do so will be reported to Lloyd’s, and also to the owners. Masters, however, should not necessarily wait for the sigs., but take timely precautions. The first rise of a low barometer indics. a strong wly. gale, the first fall of a high barometer foretells a strong e.ly. gale with short chopping sea. Port Alfred is in tel. and daily postal communication with Cape Colony generally, and railway communication will follow very shortly. Dec.

PORT NATAL.—On 1st Jan., 1901, Rocket-house Beacon and the three white lts. exh. therefrom is to be disc. The Town Hall tower (in West Street), in 29° 51⅜′ S., 31° 2⅛′ E., by day, and the elec. lts. in the same street by night, will give approx. the same anchorage-bearing as the Rocket-house Beacon and lts. Nov.

East Coast.

INNAMBÁN RIVER ENTR.—On 1st Nov., 1900, the F. white lt. on Burra Pt. (23° 45′ S., 35° 33′ E.), S. side of river entr., was to be replaced by a F. and fl. white lt. every 30 secs., a partial ecl. precedes and follows the fl., vis. from N. 5° E., through N., W., and S., to S. 25° E., elev. (probably the same as the old lt.) 80 ft., R. 15 miles, exh. from a white Lt.-H. with green cupola, 31 ft. high. Dec.

CHINA SEA, ETC.

Annam.

KULAO RAI ISL.—A fl. white lt. every 5 secs.—fl. 1⅓ sec., ecl. 4⅔ secs.; vis. from about N. 59° E., through N., W., and S., to S. 72° E., elev. 172 ft. above H.W., R. 20 miles, is exh. exper. from a grey pyra. Lt.-H. about 165 ft. high, in 15° 23⅛′ N., 109° 6′ E., about 2 cables S. 60° W. from the N.E. pt. of the isl., entr. to Tong King Gulf. Dec.*

Tong King.

HAIFONG APPROACH.—The lt. exh. from the beacon (20° 46⅛′ N., 106° 46⅛′ E.), 3⅜ miles about N. 15° W. from Do Son Pt., Kua Kam, has been replaced by a F. white lt., vis. from N. 48° W., through N. and E., to S. 12° W., elev. 30 ft. above H.W., exh. from a red pile structure surm. by a pole. Dec.*

The following lts., R. 6 miles, are exh. at Kua nam Trieu: 1. The F. white lt. vis. from S. 9° E., through W. and N., to N. 81° E., elev. 37 ft. above H.W., on a pile Lt.-H. with red lantern, 65 ft. high, in 16 ft. at L.W., in 20° 43⅛′ N., 106° 54⅛′ E., has been destroyed by a typhoon. A green conical buoy, No. 3, temp. marks its position. 2. Two F. lts., leading over the bar, are exh. on the sand extending from Dinh Vu lsl. The front lt., red, vis. from N. 44° W., through W. and S., to S. 44° E., elev. 27 ft. above H.W., from a black shed on piles, 53 ft. high, in 20° 45⅜′ N., 106° 50⅛′ E. The rear lt., white, vis. from N. 46° W. to N. 71° W., elev. 46 ft. above H.W., from a column with black lantern on piles, 63 ft. high, in 20° 46⅜′ N., 106° 49′ E. 3. Two F. white lts., leading up the fairway after crossing the bar to the first curve in the Kua nam Trieu. The front lt., vis. from N. 62° W., through N. and E., to S. 62° E., elev. 27 ft. above H.W., from a red shed on red piles, 51 ft. high, in 20° 50′ N., 106° 48⅛′ E. The rear lt., vis. from N. 19° W. to N. 44° W., elev. 53 ft. above H.W., from a red pile Lt.-H. with red lantern, 57 ft. high, about 1⅜ miles N. 32° W. of the front lt. Dec.*

China.

HONG KONG.—TAILONG HEAD LT.—On certain copies of Admiralty Chart No. 1964, this lt. in 22° 12⅜′ N., 114° 15⅞′ E., appears in error, and should be erased from that chart. Sept.