NOTICE TO MARINERS. SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN.- PELORUS REEF.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 229, 13 September 1862, Page 6

NOTICE TO MARINERS. SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN.- PELORUS REEF.

Information .has-been received at the Admiralty that H.M.S. Pelorus, when navigating between lVew Zealand and the Fiji, on the 12th July, 1861, pa«se<l within *a third of a mile of a reef, which appeared to be about a quarter of a mile in length, and to have not more than one or two fathoms water onits western end, at the extremity of which breakers were visible. Its position is in latitude 22 deg>. 52j tniu. S., long." 17t> deg. 27 mm. 50 sees, west from Greenwich. P?I----staart Island -was in sight, and bore N. by E. 37

Also that, after dark on the evening of the samo day. when stem-iuq N.W. under reduced sail, soundings were obbune:! with the hand lead in 7 fathoms, fmlowcd by two casts of G\ nud 7 fathoms respectively. The vessel was immediately brought to the wind and tacked, and the deep sea lend hove, bat no Bouudincrs wore obtained within 63 fathoms. This bank, if it exists, is iv hit. 21 deg. 43niin. S., lon-'. 170dt-j?.42inia. W. Caution.—As these shoals lie directly in the track of vessels bound from New Zealand to the windward islands of the F'ji frroup, tho mariner ii cautionetl to pay great jitteuCioii to the lead, and to keep a koo.l iook-out fur(lL-co'ouretl water v.hen iv tills neighborhood. The natives of the Friendly Islands, who maintain much intercourse with the Fiji groups by means of their large canoes, state that they are aware of the existence of ninny shoals between and the Ono Islands to the routh of (he Fiji group, but are unable to uVflue their position. The' only bank of which there id any relhblc information, is one of tome extent, having 22 fathoms of water on it. It was dis-cavc-red in August, lßu'O, by three American whalers! iv company, and rh« moan of their observations place it in latitude 22 dcg. 43 rain, south longitude 17G deg. 11 mm. west. j (gThetaaringsareinairnetic. Variation 10dfe. 20 mm. ea. tin 18(31. By command of their lordships, Joust Washingtost, Hydrographer. Hydrosraphic Office, Admiralty, London, OetchrrS, IS'II. ' This notice aflvcts the fallowing Admiralty Charts, on v/hich tiie-e dangers arc marked : —Pacific Ocean, General Chart, No. '2,03.3; and Pacific Ocean, Sheet 0, No. 2.4G4.