Mar. 19.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 805

Notice to Mariners No. 21 of 1903.

Marine Department,
Wellington, 18th February, 1903.

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

WM. HALL-JONES.

ARABIAN SEA.
West Coast of Hindustan.

BOMBAY HARB.—From 1st Jan., 1903, all sig. will be done at the Post Office sig. station, above the Port Trust Administrative Offices, Ballard Pier, and will be repeated at the Centre Dock flagstaff, Prince’s and Victoria Docks. The Castle flagstaff sig. station has been abolished. Feb.

MANGALORE.—On 15th March, 1903, the F. white lt. (12° 51′ N., 74° 50½′ E.) is to be altered to a group-occ. white lt. with a group of 4 ecls. every min. Feb.

EASTERN ARCHIPELAGO, ETC.
Malacca Strait, &c.

SINGAPORE STRAIT.—A red lt. buoy exh. an occ. white lt. is moored in the wrn. approach to Keppel Harb., with the ern. white beacon on Cyrene Reef, N. 1½° W., one cable. Feb.

A white lt. buoy exh. an occ. white lt. vis. 10 secs., ecl. 10 secs., R. 6 miles, is moored exper. in approx. 1° 11¼′ N., 103° 53′ E., N. of Batu Berhanti. Feb.

SURABAYA HARB.—The following 3 shoal heads lie in the harb. :—1. A shoal, with a least depth of 3½ fms., with the srn. pt. of Kamal (7° 10¼′ S., 112° 43½′ E.), N. 28° E., 9 cables, and the wrn. jetty head of the port, S. 70° E. 2. A shoal, with a least depth of 3½ fms., with the srn. pt. of Kamal, N. 66° W., 13 cables, and the wrn. jetty head, S. 31° W. 3. A shoal, with a least depth of 4¼ fms., with the srn. pt. of Kamal, N. 72° W., 17 cables, and the wrn. jetty head, S. 46° W. Feb.

CHINA SEA, ETC.

AMOY HARB.—The following shoal heads lie N.W. of Chapel Isl., in the srn. approach to the harb. : a. A shoal, carrying 2¾ fms. at L.W. springs, with Chapel Isl. lt (24° 10′ N., 118° 14′ E.), S. 57° E., 5¼ miles, and Lamtia Isl. summit, S. 55° W. The 3-fm. patch marked on the chart “Position approximate” about 1 mile S. 6° E. from the above shoal has been expunged from the chart, as it is probable that these dangers are identical. b. A shoal carrying 4½ fms. at L.W. springs, with Chapel Isl. lt., S. 36° E., 3¹⁄₁₀ miles, and Lamtia Isl. summit, S. 65° W. There may be less water on this shoal. A considerable area between Chapel Isl. and the coast was exam. without any other danger being found, but the depths are irregular. Feb.

YANG TSE KIANG.—The fairway bell buoy, in approx. 31° 3¹⁄₂′ N., 122° 9′ E., S. chan. entr. to the river, has been replaced by a lt. and bell buoy, conical, red and black hor., exh. an occ. white lt., vis. 4 secs., ecl. 2 secs. Feb.

Chi yao bank buoy (red conical), in approx. 31° 25½′ N., 121° 49′ E., 2¼ miles S. 4° E. from Drinkwater Pt. lt.-h., N. chan., Yang tse approach, has been replaced by a lt. buoy, exh. an occ. white lt., vis. 4 secs., ecl. 2 secs. Feb.

WUSUNG RIVER.—The depths over Wusung bars (approx. 31° 23′ N., 121° 30′ E.) have decreased considerably, and are now as follows :—There is only a depth of 11 ft. at L.W. on the outer bar. Allowing a rise of 8 to 12 ft. according to the age of the tide, vessels of 19 to 23 ft. draught can cross it. This bar has been shoaling during the last four years at the rate of 1 ft. a year. The water on the inner bar at L.W. springs varies from 8 to 9 ft. in Sept., Oct., and Nov., to 12 to 13 ft. in March, April, and May. Allowing a rise of from 8 to 12 ft., it admits of vessels crossing during the autumn neaps with a draught of 16 to 17 ft., during the autumn springs 20 to 21 ft., during the spring neaps 20 to 21 ft., and during the spring at spring tides with a draught of from 24 to 25 ft. Feb.

CHIMATAU.—A F. white lt., R. 10 miles, is reported to be exh. from a brick tower in 37° 41¼′ N., 120° 14′ E., on the wrn.- most of the 3 peaks on Chimatau Promontory. This is stated to be a private lt., and it cannot, therefore, be implicitly relied on. Feb.

Pescadores Islands.

NORTH ISL. (MOKUTO SHO).—A rocky bank, carrying 6 fms., and on which the sea breaks occasionally, is reported to lie in approx. 23° 47¼′ N., 119° 28¼′ E., about 7 miles wrd. of North Isl. lt. As the s.s. “Taichumaru” touched lightly on this bank, it is probable that the depth over it is less than that given. P.D. has been placed against the position of this rk. on the chart. Feb.

Philippine Islands.

Cuyos IslS.—Paya Isl.—A bank about ¼ mile long N.N.W. and S.S.E., carrying 7 fms., lies in approx. 11° 2′ N., 120° 54′ E., with Paya Isl., N. 79° W., 2 miles, and the wrn. extr. of Agutaya, N. 19° E. Feb.

PALAWAN.—WASHINGTON HEAD.—A sounding of 7 fms. has been obtained in approx. 8° 51′ N., 117° 23′ E., with Cape Washington, N. 87° E., 4½ miles, and Lita Lita Isl., S. 12° E. Feb.

PALAWAN.—ALTNACRAIG SHOAL.—The U.S.S. “Quiros,” when in the vicinity of Altnacraig Shoal, ran for 1½ miles over shoal water, the least sounding obtained being 6 fms. When the ship was in a position with East Isl. centre, S. 32° W., 8¼ miles, and the highest peak of Pulute Range, N. 72° W., a shoal head carrying appar. about 1 fm., bore S.E., ¾ cable, in approx. 9° 0′ N., 118° 19′ E. The wrn. edge of the shoal appeared to extend in a S.-wly. direction for about one mile as well as to the srd. and erd., and to be of considerable extent. P.D. against this shoal on the chart has been expunged. Feb.

PACIFIC OCEAN.
Ellice Islands.

FUNAFUTI.—TE AVA I DE LAPE.—A coral head, carrying 3 fms., lies in approx. 8° 26′ S., 179° 6½′ E., in the Te ava i de Lape, with the cocoanut-trees on Te Afualiku Isl., S. 72° W., 4½ cables, and the srn. extr. of Tebuka Isl., S. 26° W. There is another head, carrying 3 fms., about ½ cable S. 52° W. from the above. The positions of these heads are probably not exact. Feb.

NORTH AMERICA.—WEST COAST.
British Columbia.

FRASER RIVER.—A bridge is under constr. across the river at New Westminster, in approx. 49° 12′ N., 122° 54′ W., the ern. end of which joins the river’s bank about one cable to the nrd. of Brownsville Jetty, and the wrn. end at about 8 cables to the srd. of Brunette Saw-mill. During the progress of the works the chan. at that pt. will be marked in the daytime by a red flag, fixed to a spar or pile, on each side of the chan. ; at night the flags will be replaced by F. red lts. Mariners are warned that the chan. is between the above marks, and that obstructions exist elsewhere, also that speed is to be reduced to a minimum for at least a cable’s length before and after passing the bridge works. Feb.

Vancouver Island.

SIDNEY CHAN.—A rk., with least depth of 3½ fms., lies in approx. 48° 41¼′ N., 123° 20½′ W., N. end of the chan., 4 cables, S. 43° W. from Yellow Isl. Feb.

TRINCOMALIE CHAN.—A rk., now named Victoria Rk., on which the s.s. “Victoria” struck in Trincomalie Chan., has been exam. : it is small, with a least depth of 15 ft. at extreme L.W., deep water around, not marked by kelp, but its position is indic. by a can buoy, red and black hor., moored in 6 fms., on the N.W. edge of the rk., and lies in approx. 48° 55¼′ N., 123° 31¼′ W., with Walker Rk. lt. beacon N. 44° E., 12 cables, and S.-ern. extr. of Narrow Isl. N. 53° W. Feb.

Oregon.

COLUMBIA RIVER BAR.—Peacock Spit bell buoy, black, conical, latticework surm. by a bell, in 46° 15¼′ N., 124° 2¾′ W., about 13 cables S.-erd. from Cape Disappointment lt.-h., has been disc., it being impracticable to keep it in position owing to heavy seas and tides. Jan.

A F. white lt., elev. 46 ft. above H.W., R. 12 miles, is exh. from a white octagonal lt.-h., with bronze-coloured roof, on piles in 12 ft., in 46° 13¼′ N., 123° 57½′ W., on the wly. extr. of the bank extending from Desdemona Sands, with Fort Stevens Wharf lt. (F. red) S. 31° E., 10⁶⁄₁₀ cables, and Ellice Pt. N. 52° E. Also, a fog-trumpet giving blasts of 2 secs. dura., with alt. intervals of 3 and 23 secs.—blast 2 secs., silence 3 secs., blast 2 secs., silence 23 secs.—is est. at the lt.-h. Feb.

California.

SAN FRANCISCO HARB.—On 20th Jan., 1903, a lt. buoy, red and black hor., exh. an occ. white lt., vis. 10 secs., ecl. 10 secs., was to replace the can buoy, in 37° 48½′ N., 122° 27′ W., marking Presidio Shoal. Also, on same date, a lt. buoy, red and black hor., exh. a F. white lt., was to replace the can buoy marking the Blossom Rk., 2½ miles N. 67° E. from Presidio buoy. Feb.

SOUTH AMERICA.
Magellan Strait, &c.

TUESDAY BAY.—A rk. marked by kelp, carrying 4 ft., lies in approx. 52° 50½′ S., 74° 27½′ W., about ¾ cable from the nrn. shore of the bay, with Nose Pt., S. 1° W., 5 cables, and the wrn.-most Nodales Isl., N. 84° E. Feb.

FELIX PT.—A lt.-h. exh. a fl. white lt. is intended to be constr. on Felix Pt., approx. 52° 56½′ S., 74° 8′ W., in Sea Reach.

TAMAR ISL.—A rocky bank, about 5 cables in diam., carrying 11 fms., with 30 fms. around, lies in approx. 52° 57′ S., 73° 55¾′ W.: from the lat. and long. given it would appear to be situated with the summit of Tamar Isl. (Jones Peak, 1,405 ft.), N. 29° E., 5¼ miles, and srn. extr. of Cape Providence, N. 83° E. This bank should be avoided in strong wly. gales, on account of the heavy sea on it. Feb.

East Coast.

RIO DE LA PLATA.—An unwatched F. white acetylene gas lt., elev. 19 ft. above H.W., R. 6 miles, is exh. from the pyra. beacon with a platform on its top, black and white hor., 19 ft. above H.W., est. in about 16 fms. in approx. 35° 27½′ S., 56° 54′ W., 4 miles N. 79° W. from the Piedras Pt. lt.-v. Note.—The supply of gas in the reservoir is stated to be equal to one month’s consumption ; it is possible that bad weather may delay the refilling of the reservoir. Feb.