NOTICES TO MARINERS.

West Coast Times, Issue 179, 16 April 1866, Page 2

NOTICES TO MARINERS.

(From tho Government Gazette, of March G.) North -East Coast oi? Australia. — Oojiak Patch in Blackwood Channel. Information has been received at tho Admiralty that H.M.S. Salamander, January 20, 1865, whilst steering to tho south-west through tho Blackwood chanuol, on tho route recommended, from Raino Island towards tho Middle Bunk, struck on nn unknown coral patch, with only seven feet on its shoalest part at low water. Tho patch lies about a milo E.S.E. of Iho eastern part of tho Middle Banks, or in lot. lldog. 47m in. lOscc. S. ; lon. 143deg. 'ilmin. 35sec. E. It is about 230 yards long, oast and west, 110 yards wide, lias ten to 'seventeen fathoms all round it, and fifteen to soventeen fathoms in the channel, a milo wide, botween it and tho reef in connection with tho eastern sand bank on tho Middlo Bauks. From its shoalest spot of soven feet, tho centre of tho eastern sand bank' on the Middlo Banks bears W. i N., distant two and a half milos, and tho south oxtremo of Sir Charles Hardy Islands S.W. fourteen and a half miles. Yessols entering tho Groat Barrier Roof by the Ruino Island entranco, should, us soon as possible after passing north or souMj of Raino Island, bring its boacon to boar N. E. £ E., steering S.W. $ W. (allowing for tido and a northorly sot) for Sir Charles Hardy Islands. As soon as tlio beacon is lost sight of, tho vessel will bo clear of tho shoal patches westward of tho 100 fathoms lino of soundings, and jh tho bank. Look out now for Sir Charles Jlnrdy Islands, and when they nro plainly seen, steor for their south oxtromo on a S.W. I- W. bearing, and when tho easternmost sandbank on tlio middlo bnnks benr N. W. by W., and tho west Aslnnoro bank (if seen S.S.W. £ W., tho vossol will bo well to tho south-west of tho Salamandor pal eh, and a courso may then bo shaped for oithor tho north or Pollard channels. (All bearings aro magnetic. Variation sdcc. E. in 1865.) By command of thoir lordships, Geo. Hknry Richards, Hydrographcr. Hydrographio Ofllco, Admiralty, London, July 7, 1865. This notice affects tho following Admiralty charts : — Australia, north and cast consts, sheot 21, N. 2,354 j Coral Sen, No. 2,764 : and Australia, northern i' 01 '^ 011 * No. 2,759 a ; also, Australia Directory, vol. 2, page 228. Leading Lights and Beacons for Newcastle, New South Wales. In order to incrcuso tho facilities for navigating Newcastle Harbor, leading lights for entering, and also leading lights for taking the north channel, will bo oxhibitod on and after Tuesday, tho Ist May. 1866. Tho two fairway lights for ontering (rod and bright), will bo shown from boacons 228 feot apart, in a S.W. hulf S. and N.E. half N. direction, oroctod on a clear spaco of ground on tho hill ut tho back of tho town, botweon tho Wosloyan and Catholic churches. Thoso for taking tho north channol, also red bright, will bo shown from beacons oreotod on tho breakwater in tho vicinity of tho old Bull Beacons, at a distanco of 100 feot apart, in a W. by N. and E. by S. direction. In both cases, when tho lights aro in lino, tho bright will bo tho uppermost and the red the lowormosfc of tlio two. In tho day timo, however, tho order of colors will bo rovortsod, as it is intended to paint tho uppor boacons red and the lowor ones white. The lowor or north-eastern of tho two obelisks at prosont used tor the loading mark in,

situated on Shepherd's Hill, will bo removod, as likewise will bo Iho voinuant of tho Bull beacons on tho breakwater. Tho exhibition 0i theso loading lights will not nocessilato diUbronl Bailing directions to thoso already publiahod, any more than tho lights and new beacons being substituted for tho obelisks and beacons which aro at presont in use. ' In entering tho port of Newcastle at night grent caution will bo necessary,, in consequonco of tho strength of tho tide, and duo allowanco willhavo to bo mado for ebb or tlow, on sighting tho north chanuol lights, and about to niter courso from S.VV. '} S., with tho fairway lights in one, to W. by If., tho direction which a "vessel will havo to stoor to keep tho north channel lights in lino to gain an nnohorago in tho north harbor. FnANOis Hixson, Superintendent.