Dec. 6.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

Notices to Mariners.—No. 96 of 1917.

Marine Department,
Wellington, N.Z., 27th November, 1917.

THE following Notices to Mariners, which have been received from the Hydrographic Office, London; the Department of Ports and Harbours, Melbourne ; the Department of Trade and Customs, Melbourne ; and the Minister of State for Communications; Tokyo, are published for general information.

GEORGE ALLPORT,
Secretary.

BRITISH ISLANDS.

REVERSION FROM SUMMER TIME TO GREENWICH MEAN TIME.

Date of alteration.—From 2.0 a.m. September 17th, 1917. Attention is drawn to the fact that the reversion from British summer time to Greenwich mean time will take place on the above date.

The clock time of all time-signals throughout Great Britain will be, from thenceforth, as shown in the Admiralty List of Time-signals under the column “Standard Time,” the time-gun at Edinburgh Castle being fired at 1 h. 00 m. 00 s. Greenwich mean time.

ADMIRALTY PUBLICATIONS.

TIDE TABLES FOR THE YEAR 1918.

Two editions of the Admiralty Tide Tables for 1918 will be published.

(A.) A complete edition, in two volumes, consisting of :— Part I, containing tidal predictions for standard ports of the world for the year 1918, with tidal differences on the standard ports. Part II, 1918-1919, containing the time of high water on full and change days, with the rise of the tide at springs and at neaps for the principal ports, &c., of the world. (This part of the Admiralty Tide Tables will not be republished for the year 1919, and should therefore be preserved for use during that year.)

(B.) An abridged edition, in one volume, containing all tidal information for European waters given in Parts I and II of the complete edition.

The complete edition will be published during September, 1917, and the abridged edition during November, 1917.

Note.—It is particularly requested that users of the Admiralty Tide Tables requiring tidal information for European waters only will obtain the abridged edition.

ARGENTINA.

RIO DE LA PLATA, SOUTHERN APPROACH.—POINT MEDANO.— SHOAL REPORTED SOUTH-EASTWARD OF.

Position.—At a distance of about 18 miles, south-eastward, from Point Medano Lighthouse. Lat. 37° 6' S., long. 56° 26' W. Details.—A report has been received that a vessel, drawing about 16 ft., took the ground on an uncharted shoal in the above position.

Note.—A two-fathom shoal is to be inserted on the charts in the position given above and marked “ Reported (1917).” Charts affected.—No. 2522, Santa Catharina Island to Rio de la Plata ; No. 1324, Rio de la Plata to Cape Dos Bahias ; No. 2202B, South Atlantic Ocean, western portion. Publication.—South American Pilot, Part I, 1911, page 454.

WEST INDIES AND BERMUDA ISLANDS.

CAUTION AS TO CLOSING OF CERTAIN PORTS BY NIGHT AND DISCONTINUANCE OF AIDS TO NAVIGATION.

Ports closed.

Mariners are hereby warned that the following ports are closed between sunset and sunrise, until further notice :—

(a.) Port Kingston (Jamaica).

(b.) Port Castries (St. Lucia).

(c.) St. George Harbour (Grenada).

(d.) Georgetown and New Amsterdam (British Guiana).

Lights extinguished.

The lights at the following ports and islands are extinguished:—

(a.) Harbours in Jamaica.

(b.) Myhlenfeldts Point (St. Thomas).

(c.) St. Johns (Antigua).

(d.) Guadeloupe.

(e.) St. Lucia.

(f.) St. Vincent.

(g.) Grenada.

(h.) Carlisle Bay and South Point —| |— (Barbados).

(i.) Nassau Harbour leading-lights (Bahamas).

(j.) Georgetown and New Amsterdam (British Guiana). Mariners are hereby warned that it may be necessary to extinguish certain lights, and to discontinue or remove any aids to navigation on the coasts of the Bermuda Islands and outlying reefs without further notice.

AUSTRALIA.

VICTORIA.—SUBMARINE MINING IN VICINITY OF SWAN ISLAND.

Mariners and others are hereby notified that, for the purpose of permitting practice in submarine mining, vessels shall not, on and after 22nd November, 1917, until and including 10th December, 1917, be navigated in the waters to the northward and westward of the No. 3 (Swanspit) Buoy, West Channel, within the area bounded by a supposed line running south-easterly from Swan Beacon to No. 3 (Swanspit) Buoy ; thence northerly to small black can buoy moored east by north 5 cables from the north-east end of Swan Island ; thence westerly to the outer pile which marks the entrance to the channel leading to Swan Island Jetty ; thence due south to Swan Point ; and thence southerly along the shore to the starting-point.

EAST COAST.—BREAKSEA SPIT.—LIGHT-VESSEL.

Mariners and others are hereby notified that the proposal to establish a light-vessel on Breaksea Spit on or about the 15th September, 1917, is postponed until further notice.

EAST COAST, INNER BARRIER ROUTE.—PIPER ISLANDS.— LIGHT ESTABLISHED.—PIPER ISLANDS LIGHT-SHIP WITHDRAWN.—BEACON DISCONTINUED.

(1.) The group flashing white light is now permanently established.

(2.) The Piper Islands light-ship is withdrawn.

(3.) The red triangular beacon is discontinued.

New Light.—Position.—On the east elbow of Eastern Reef, Piper Islands, in the position previously occupied by red triangular beacon. Lat. 12° 15½' S., long. 143° 14⅜' E. Structure.—Steel skeleton tower, painted red, on concrete piers ; height, 61 ft.

Character.—Group flashing white light, showing four flashes in quick succession every twenty seconds, thus : Flash ½ sec., eclipse 1 sec. ; flash ½ sec., eclipse 1 sec. ; flash ½ sec., eclipse 1 sec. ; flash ½ sec., eclipse 15 sec.

Elevation.—56 ft.

Visibility.—13 miles.

Power.—1,500 candles.

Remarks.—The light is unwatched.

Charts affected.—Admiralty Charts Nos. 2920, Cape Direction to Cape Grenville ; 2764, Coral Sea, sheet 2 ; 780, Pacific Ocean, south-west sheet ; 2759A, Australia, northern portion.

Publications affected.—“ Admiralty List of Lights and Time-signals,” Part VI, 1917, No. 2747 ; “ Australia Directory,” Vol. II, 1907, page 430 ; “ Sailing Directions and other Information for the Ports and Harbours of Queensland,” 1917, pages 20, 25, 50, 51, &c.

NORTH COAST, DUNDAS STRAIT.—CAPE DON.—LIGHT ESTABLISHED.

Position.—About 200 ft. from the western extreme of the Cape. Lat. 11° 18½' S., long. 131° 46' E. Structure.—Grey concrete tower, lantern painted white. Height, 118 ft. The tower shows about 58 ft. above the trees on the cape.

Character.—White single flashing, showing one flash every five seconds, thus : Flash ⅓ sec., eclipse 4⅔ secs.

Elevation.—163 ft. ; not 166 ft. as formerly stated.

Visibility.—19 miles : from 320° (N. 43½° W. mag.) through north, east, and south to 212° (S. 28½° W. mag.). Obscured elsewhere.

Power.—150,000 candles.

Charts affected.—Admiralty Charts Nos. 613, Melville Island with Dundas and Clarence Straits ; 1044, Groote Eylandt to Cape Ford ; 2759A, Australia, northern portion 942B, Eastern Archipelago, eastern portion, Part 2.

Publications affected.—“ Australia Pilot,” Vol. V, 1914, page 91 ; “ Admiralty List of Lights and Time-signals,” Part VI, 1917.

SOUTH COAST, SPENCER GULF.—WEDGE ISLAND LIGHT.— INTENDED ALTERATION IN CHARACTERISTICS.

Mariners and others are hereby notified that the single flashing white light on Wedge Island will be replaced by a group flashing white light on or about 1st January, 1918.

Position.—Lat. 35° 10½' S., long. 136° 29' E.

Structure.—Lantern carried on a square wooden cylinder house, painted red, in position of old skeleton tower. Height, 22 ft.