NOTICE TO MARINERS.

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 152, 13 November 1847, Page 2

NOTICE TO MARINERS.

Reefs.— The accompanying notice having been received from Captain, the Count Dv Bouzet, of the 'Trench corvette'*' La Brilliante,' communicating- the discovery of two coral reefs, in the situations therein described! His Excellency the Governor is pleased to direct its publication, for general information. Hie Excellency desires at the same time to acknow* "ledge RTCaptain the Count Dv Bouzet his attention in furnishing the government with this information. . (Translation)-~Ou\the2Bth August, 1847, the French u corvette ( La'JSriiliante,' having left Anatam on the 26th with agale'of wind from the east, which changed ou the nextday to the south, after having veered f 6und to the north east and northwest, was at half past 5 in the morning, by reckoning, in latitude 23'9'SO south, and longitude 167*51 east (from Paris); the day wai just dawning 1 , the weather thick, with a fresh breeze from the S.S. W., but the sea still very high, the vessel was on the port tack, under plain sail, and making three knots ; ,the look out signalled a shoal a head, very near the ship, The helm having been put up, she fell-off immediately, and cleared the shoal to the E.N.E,,, at the distance of little more than a cable's length ; the commander ;ave orders to wear, and to heave to on the other tack, it was then only that bottom could be found, two soundings were obtained, of twenty and twenty three fathoms, on a rocky bottom, no other indicatiou being risible on tbe sounding lead than the removing of the arming. Immediately afterwards soundings could not be obtained with fifty fathoms, the corvette toe iog then about three cables lengths to the E £S.E. of the shoal. The sea still running high, the commander did not send a boat to examine it, but having passed so near, it could be perceived from the color of (he tea, which was quite yellow, that there was very little water' upon it, at most, two or three metres, {from 6*5 to 975 feet). The shoal appears to be a mass of coral, its form is round, and it is about 40 metres wide. It is the more dangerous, as the sea did not break upon it, although there was a heavy swell. The weather cleared in the forenoon, so that good observations for time could be taken, and an excellent; latitude at noou. With the aid of these observations, the position of the danger was fixed (approximate])!), to be in 231352 of south latitude, and 107'35i8 east, of the meridian of Paris ; and consequently a considerable distance from the Durand Rcef,as marked on the charts. The.commander ' of the corvette, believing it to be unknown, thought, himself justified in calling it' La Brilliante's Shoal. Ifinstead of 'coming on it at daybreak, the vessel had enr countered it during the night, especially as the weatbeo was 90 dark, it would have been almost impossible te ' avoid it'/ It is to be regrettsd that the weather did no .admit of this danger being.exainined more minutely.— - Coral Reef discovered- to the north-east of the Wallis Isles, by an American whaler.— The ship * Lalla rßookh^of New Bedford, Captain Reynard Ower, discovered a. reefjof coral forty miles to the north-east of ' the Wallis tales; ten 'fethoras of water were found on it. The ship was going at the rate of three knots, and was two hours in passing over the bank, running W.JS. W. The captain' shppoied that the reef extended about two ( mile* on each side of his course. In many parts there ' appeared to be less water. The latitude of this reef is 132 south, and its longitude 175-38 west of the meridian of Greenwich. This 'in formation is given by Capt. Reynard Ower, of New Bedford, during his stay at the, Wallis Isles.— Sydney Herald, 20th Oct.

Mail fqH 'Sydney.— The mail for Sydney per the ' MiuHitf,' is 'announced at the Post Office to close this forenoon, At balf past ten.