NOTICES TO MARINERS.

West Coast Times, Issue 181, 18 April 1866, Page 2

NOTICES TO MARINERS.

(From tho Government Gazette, of March 6.) North-East Coast op Avstraua.— Coba! Patch va Blaokwood Channel. Information has beon received at tho Admiralty that H.M.S. Salamander, January 20, 1865, whilst steering to tho south-west through the Blackwood channel, on tho route recommended, from Raino Island towards tho Middle Bank, struck on an unknown coral patch, with only seven feet on its shoalest part at low wator. Tho patch ließ about a mile E.S.E. of the eastern part of tho Middle Banks, or in lat. lldeg. 47min. lOscc. S. ; lon. 143deg. 41min. 358ec. E. It is about 230 yards long, east and weßt, 110 yards wide, has ten to seventeen fathoms all round it, and fiftcon to seventoon fathoms in tho channel, a railo wide, between it and tho reef in connection with tho eastern sand bank on tho Middlo Banks. From its shoalest spot of seven feet, tho rentro of tho eastern sand bank on tho MidiUo Banks bears W. i N., distant two and a half miles, and tho south extreme of Sir Charles Hardy Islands S.W. fourteen and a half miles. Vessels entering tho Great Barrier Reef by the Raine Island entranco, should, as soon as possible after passing north or souli of Raino Island, bring its beacon to bear N. E. £ E., steering S.W. $ W. (allowing for title and a northerly set) for Sir Charles Hardy Islands. As soon as tho beacon is lost sight of, tho vessel will be clear of tho shoal patches westward of tho 100 fathoms lino of soundings, and 3n tho bank. Look out now for Sir Charles Hardy Islands, and when thoy aro plainly seen, steer for their south oxtromo on a S.W. $W. bearing, aud whon the oastornxnoßt sandbank on tho middlo banks bear N. W. by W., nnd tho wost Ashmoro bank (if eeen S.S.W. 4 W., the vessel will bo well to the south-west of tho Salamander patoh, and acoursemaython.be shaped for either tho worth or Pollard cbahnoh.

(All benrings aro magnetic. Variation sdog. E. in 1865.) •"" By command of thoir lordships, Qr.o. llenrv Biciuuns, Hydrographor. Uydrographic Ofllco, Admiralty, London, July 7, 1865. This notice affects tho following Admiralty charts: — Australia, north and east consts, sheet 21, N. 2,354.': Coral Sea, No. 2,7 C!■: and Australia, northern portion, No. 2,750 a } also, Australia Directory, vol. 2, page 228. Leading Lights and Beacons von Newcastle, New South Wales. In order to increase tho 'facilities for navigating Nowpastlo Harbor, leading lights for entering, and also leading lights for taking the north channel, will bo exhibited on and after Tuesday, tho Ist May, 1866. , ■ Tho two fairway lights for entering (red aud bright), will bo shown from boacons 228 feet apart, in a S.W. half S. and N.E. half N. direction, orcctcd on a clear spaco of ground on tho hill at tho buck of tho town, betweon tho Wcsloynu nnd Catholic churches. Thoso for taking tho north channel, also rod bright, will bo shown from beacons ovo'ctcd on tho breakwater in tho vicinity of tho old Hull Beacons, at v distance of 100 foot apart, in a W. by N. aud K. by S. direction. In both cases, whon the lights arc in lino, tho bright will bo tho uppermost and tho red tho lowermost of the two. In tho daylimo, however, tho order of colors will bo reversed, as it is intended to paint tho uppor beacons rod and the lowor ones while. The lowor or north-eastern of the two obelisks at present used for the leading mark in, situated on Shepherd's Hill, will be removed, as likowisc will bo tho romnant of tho Bull beacons on tho brenkwator. Tho exhibition of those leading lights will not necessitate different sailing directions to thoso already published, any moro than tho lights and new boacons being substituted for tho obelisks and boacons which arc at present in use. In entering tho port of Newcastle at night great caution will bo necessary, in consequonco of tho strength of tho tide, and duo allowanco will havo to bo mado for ebb or flow, on sighting tho north channel lights, and about to alter course from S.W. $ S., with tho fairway lights in ono, fo W. by N., tho direction which a vessel will havo to steer to keep tho north channel lights in lino to gain an anchorage iv tho north Imrbor. Fkancjs Hixsox, Superintendent.