[One more remark we may add here, and it is this:-From the position of the Phoenix on the 25th at noon, the bearing and distance of the Hartwell reef off the north-east point of Bonavista is S. 84 W. 45 miles; and the course of the vessel by log to the supposed place where she struck is S. 201° E. 40 miles, without any allowance for drift, (the wind being well abaft her larboard beam,) heave of sea, a current well known, bad steering, &c.] CURRENTS OF THE OCEAN.-Extract of a letter from Mr. J. K. Crowe, Her Majesty's Consul at Hammerfest dated British Consulate, Alten Hammerfest, 2nd July, 1842.-"The enclosed letter was taken out of a bottle, picked up on the 1st June last, off the North Kyn in N. lat. 71° 5' E. long. 28. I have again ventured to make this the subject of a Dispatch, considering it as, so far of interest, as tending materially to confirm the prevailing opinion, that the Gulf Stream, exercises considerable influence on the climate of Fuimar Ve. This is the third instance of the kind, within these few years, the fact may appear interesting to the Admiralty or Gentlemen of the Royal Society. Lat. 60° 0' N., long. 7° 30′ W., October 20th, 1840. "GENTLEMEN.-I have to inform you that, on the night of the 18th inst., while lying to, we were run into by a brig, I do not know her name, but while in contact with her the whole of my crew went on board of her, with the exception of one boy and myself, and carried away our jib-boom, topsail yard, main boom, several of her staunchions, and split part of her covern board, which caused the vessel to come waterlogged; and when obliged to leave her, we were taken off by the American barque "Hull," bound to Boston, on the 20th inst.; and thought it hard to leave her, but seeing nothing but death before us. The boy along with me belong to Dungarwan. To Messrs. J. Scott & Co., Merchants, Cove of Cork, Ireland. "Gentlemen, your obedient servant, on EQUATORIAL SUBMARINE VOLCANOES.-In lat. 1° 07' S., long. 21° 21' W., the 3rd July, at 4 AM., we experienced a very heavy shock of an earthquake, which at first alarmed us very much, as we thought the ship was grinding over a bank or shoal; but the continuous steady noise, and agitation of the vessel, soon convinced us of the cause; as, had it been a shoal, from the sea there was running at the time, the vessel must have been wrecked; as it was, she never lost any way, but continued going at the same rate as before. The noise and sensation (as if a heavy chain cable were running out) continued about four minutes. The Sarah Bell is the first vessel ever arrived at Liverpool from Port Philip with a cargo loaded there. JOHN RICHARD BELL, Master.-Shipping Gazette. [The foregoing is an extract from the report of the Sarah Bell of Hull, from Port Philip, South Australia, and adds another proof to the fact of the existence of Submarine Volcanoes near the Equator alluded to in our last number, p. 574.] NORTH SEA GOEDEREDE LIGHT.-The director general of the Netherland Marine has notified on the 19th July, that the smaller light on the Island Goederede, at the North Battery, being in a damaged state, will, till further orders, not be lighted. SWINEMUNDE.-Entrance.-In order to mark the vicinity of the harbour of Swinemunde, and at the same time point out the middle of the channel, there has recently been laid down in its roadstead, a black and white circular striped buoy, with a red bottom, larger than the others, which remain unaltered. This buoy is placed in 44 feet water, in a line with two beacons, erected on the Eastern Harbour Mole and Strand-Down, N.N.W. W., and at distance from the beacon light, on the summit of the eastern mole, three cable lengths S. E. distant from the outer beacon; which on entering the harbour must be left on the starboard of the white buoy, to be passed on either side, only taking care that by steering S.S.E. into the harbour, the two land marks before mentioned be always kept covered.-Swinemunde, July 13th, 1842. REVOLVING LIGHT ON THE GREAT BERLING.-The following particulars given by Lieut. G. Burslem of H. M. S. Lynx, who has visited the Berlings, for the purpose of obtaining them, may be added to the notice of it in our last number. This Lighthouse is on the S.E. side of the Island. The following are compass bearings from it. Peniche Light discontinued S. 32° E., Cape Roca S. 29° W., East end of Great Faralhon North, and the top of the Great Estella rock N. 421° W. The tower is 75 feet high and the lantern 25, the latter 365 feet above the level of the sea. The light revolves and shows its brightest glare every three minutes, the glare lasting 12 seconds. It was distinctly seen from the Lynx 20 miles distant, clear weather. THE WOLF ROCK.-It appears by a notice from the Trinity House, dated 5th August 1842, that the pole and ball carried away from this rock in November 1840, have been reinstated. GUADALOUPE,-Terre de Bass Light.-Navigators are hereby informed that on the 10th July, 1840, a fixed light was established on the Islet called Terre de Bass Guadaloupe in lat. 16° 10' 29'' N. and long. 65° 45' 36" W. at 604 feet from its eastern extreme. The light which is 75 feet above the ground and 108 feet above the high water level of the sea is visible from all points of the compass, and may be seen at the distance of 5 leagues. The light bears from extremity of Point de Chateaux S. 36° 45' E., from Morne a Fregate de la Desiderade S. 5° W., and from the eastern point, called Double de la Desiderade S. 32° 15' W. The rock called the Baleine du Sud off the Petite Terre bears S. 19° W. 2920 feet from the Light. Ships coming from the Eastward will find from . 13 to 20 fathoms water at the distance of two miles North or South of the light and should not approach it within those limits. EDWARDS' PRESERVED POTATO,-The following important testimonial from so high an authority as Dr. Ure amply confirms the favourable opinions which have been so repeatedly given of the valuable article prepared by the Messrs. Edwards' for the Mess table. Analysis of the Patent Preserved Potato, by Dr. Ure.--I hereby certify that Messrs. Edwards' Patent Preserved Potato, contains by chemical analysis the whole nutritious principles of that root in a pure concentrated state; that it contains 60 parts in the hundred, at least, of starch; nearly 30 of a soluble fibrine of a demulcent antiscorbutic quality, 5 of a vegetable albumine of the nature somewhat of the white of egg, and 5 of a lubricating gum. The fibrine and albumine render it more light of digestion, and the gum more demulcent to the stomach than wheat flour, with which, also, it may be regarded as nearly equally nutritious, and more so than peas, beans, rice, sago, or arrow root. London, July 30th. (Signed) ANDREW URE, M.D., F.R.S., &c., Professor of Chemistry and Analytical Chemist. RESTRICTIONS ON BRITISH VESSELS IN BELGIUM. The following correspondence has been received during the past week from Belgium: BRUSSELS, Aug. 9.-The Independent endeavours to defend the ordonnances that arbitrarily fix the days when the boats of the General Steam Navigation and Antwerp Companies are to be permitted to sail from Antwerp. It is pretended that these ordonnances are promulgated for the benefit of the public on the one hand, seeing that, as they forbid, under pain of paying certain dues, the steamers of the rival companies running on the same day, a vessel will, for the future, sail from Antwerp five days in the week instead of three; and on the other, to prevent the ruin of both companies likely to result from the present system of opposition. This is all very fine; and the General Steam Navigation Company is, by inference, called on to be grateful for the disinterested interference; but the hollowness of the pretence is apparent, and the cover sought to be thrown over the attempt to ruin the English company too flimsy to bear a glance. If a care for both companies were the moving cause of these ordonnances, why is the best day out of the seven, namely, Wednesday taken from the English company, Wednesday being the day it has always run its boats, and Sunday given in lieu, Sunday being the day most Englishmen wish to avoid travelling at all? Again, how is it, if the Government only desire to see the companies run on equal terms, that ten per cent. is deducted from the duty of all merchandize entering Antwerp in one of the Belgian Company's boats, the freight being the thing that pays best! The Belgian Government is nothing more or less than a partner in the Antwerp Company, is directly interested in its success, and evinces its interest by seeking among other things to injure the rival company. Some time ago an ordonnance was published in the Moniteur, forbidding the rival boats from starting from Antwerp at the same hour. The pretence for this was the danger of two steamers sailing in the river at one and the same time; but a truer cause may be found in the desire to prevent the English passing so gallantly the Belgian boats in the very face of the burghers of Antwerp, and thus giving the best possible answer to the boastings of the press, which assert the superiority of the Belgian vessels. As to danger, the thing is singularly absurd. Whoever saw ten ships in the Scheldt, which is no rivulet, at once? M. Nothomb, Minister of the Interior, perhaps never sailed from Gravesend to London-bridge. If all sorts of vexatious interference with the steamers of the General Steam Navigation Company be permitted, perhaps the Ministers, emboldened by success, may set about playing still worse pranks with all British ships that enter Ostend or Antwerp. August 13.-Although I have twice lately referred you to the attacks of this Government on the General Steam Navigation Company, I think you will not deem the subject unworthy still further notice. While justice to an important body demands that this matter be understood by the British public, who can tell whether, if this interference with English commerce be passed over in silence, the Belgian Government may not be encouraged to extend its annoynce to other, nay, all vessels sailing under British colours? That the ordonnances arbitrarily fixing the days of departure from, and threatening to fix also those of the arrival at Antwerp, of the steamers running between that port and London, were drawn up in the hope of driving away from this station the boats of the General Steam Navigation Company altogether, and giving the Belgian Company, of which the Belgian Government may be fitly designated 'the managing director,' the monopoly of a trade created by its revival, few here seem to doubt; while the exultation of the favoured society shows how much is anticipated from their promulgation. But let the Antwerp Company be moderate in its expectations; for first, the ordonnances themselves are contrary to law; secondly, the General Steam_Navigation Company may be found to possess too much vitality to be destroyed by a brace of Belgian ordonnances; and thirdly, the English Government may not be inclined to submit to this intolerable interference with British vessels. And first, as to the legality of the two ordonnances. The one declares that if a boat of either company sail on any but the days fixed by the other, such boat shall be mulcted in certain dues, by treaty payable to Holland for the navigation of the Scheldt; dues which have hitherto in all cases been discharged by the Belgian Government; and both ordonnances rest on the authority of a law passed by the Belgian Legislature in June 1839, conceived in the following terms:-The toll payable to the Government of the Netherlands on the navigation of the Scheldt shall be reimbursed by the State to the ships of all nations; but if there exist in regard to one of the foreign flags grave and special motives, the Government is authorised to suspend provisionally in regard to it the effect of this law. It is the view (to say nothing of the folly of considering the opposition between the rival companies to constitute des motifs graves et speciaux) of lawyers, and those fully competent to give an opinion, that the proviso contained in the above act gives power to the Government to tax all vessels sailing under any foreign flag in the dues in question; but does not empower the Ministry, on its own responsibility, to select for this purpose particular vessels sailing under such flag, all others being exempted. Had the ordonnances in question struck all ships hoisting the British flag, it would have been legal. The words "un des pavillions etrangers" clearly contemplates foreign national flags generally, and cannot be restricted to particular ships sailing under any one flag. Were any other interpretation of this proviso correct, the Belgian Legislature would not have placed in the hands of the Ministers an instrument of petty annoyance to be used on any flimsy pretence (just as the Ministers thus construing it have done in regard to the General Steam Navigation Company), whereas, according to the construction above suggested, a construction which I am sure every lawyer would put on it, the Legislature cannot be accused of bestowing immoderate discretionary power on the Ministers, for it would be sure that they would think twice, and leave no possible doubt of the existence of motifs graves et speciaux, before venturing to impose an exceptive tax on the flag of any, even the least powerful, nation. Again, the General Steam Navigation Company may not be found so easy to crush; the Ministerial ordonnance complained of, subjects the English company's boats to the Scheldt dues if they sail on a Wednesday. This day has always belonged to the English company (before even the Antwerp one began to run at all.) It is, as I observed in a former letter, the very best day in the week, as experience has proved; it is moreover the day the company have advertised for years in journals and in hand bills throughout the Continent; therefore the day when travellers from Italy, Switzerland, and the Rhine borders, &c., expect to find one of their boats ready to sail for England. This being so, I learned with infinite pleasure yesterday, that the company has determined to continue to run on that day in spite of the penal ordonnances, and pay the tax demanded under protest. I cannot help here expressing the hope that this spirited conduct will meet its reward, and that English gentlemen will make it a point of national feeling to sail only in the English boats. As to the third point, whether or not the British Government will interfere, I have only to observe, that I believe the Antwerp Company build their expectations of non-interference on this,-that in the multitude of engrossing affairs the scandalous treatment to which the General Steam Navigation ENLARGED SERIES.-NO. 9.-VOL. FOR 1842. 40 Company is subject in this country, will escape the attention of the Government of Great Britain. In a letter inserted in your paper of the 9th inst, I informed you that this Government had, up to the day I wrote, advertised in the British Gazette that the British Queen was under the command of Capt. Keane, and stated my belief that this was done to induce confidence in the navigation of that fine steamer. The Morning Post, containing my letter, arrived in Brussels on Thursday, and on Friday the name of Capt. Keane was expunged from the advertisement; but the real captain's name was not added, which looks very like attempting to effect, by a silent untruth, what was ventured to be done in terms, till exposed.—London Journal of Commerce COPY OF THE REPORT OF THE LOSS OF THE SHEARWATER'S BOAT'S CREW. H.M.S. Shearwater, Sheerness, 26th July, 1842, SIR. It is my painful duty to report to you that the Cutter of this Ship was upset in a squall of wind yesterday afternoon, in Gillingham Reach, by which accident Mr. Thomas Corral, Surgeon, four seamen, and one boy were unfortunately drowned. On the strictest enquiry into the circumstances of the case, it appears that after I had left the ship in the gig, to report my arrival to you, the first lieut. Dunlop, the Surgeon, and boats' crew, consisting of five men, shoved off from the ship to sail to Chatham about a quarter before one o'clock, in the cutter, a twenty-four foot boat, rigged with a sliding Gunter sail with a slight boom and jib fitted by the Dock Yard at Woolwich; it was blowing a fresh, but not a strong breeze at the time from the eastward with squalls, and the first lieutenant was steering the boat. When near the entrance of Gillingham Reach having occasion to jybe the sail, the boom sheet was hauled in quite amidships, when a sudden gust of wind over the low land took the sail, tore the sheet out of the hand of the man who was holding it, threw all the boat's crew to leeward, and heeled the boat over so much that she filled and went down. The surgeon and three of the men, apparently not being able to swim, sunk almost inimediately; the first lieutenant and two of the seamen supported themselves for some time by swimming, but the nearest land being to windward, and the lee shore more than a mile distant, and a fresh spring tide running, and neither oar nor spar having floated out of the boat, these two seamen after a quarter of an hour's struggling sunk. Lieut. Dunlop, having fortunately found the back board of the boat floating, supported himself by it, and after being about half an hour in the water was picked up in a very exhausted state, by the steamer plying between Chatham and Sheerness, and brought on board; he is now I am thankful to say recovered. The steamer immediately began to search about in every direction on the spot, in hopes of finding some of the unfortunate sufferers, but in vain, as not a vestige of anything but a seaman's jacket could be seen. The blades of the oars having been under the sailing thwart may account for the oars not having floated. The above are all the details I am enabled to obtain of this lamentable occurrence. It only remains for me to state that Mr. Corral, the surgeon, was a young man lately promoted, highly recommended by Sir William Burnett, Inspector General of the fleet, that in the short time he has been on board he has made himself much beloved, and that he leaves a young widow, the daughter of Commander Patey, to deplore his untimely end. Of the seamen, three were Petty Officers; the boatswain's mate, Thomas Sparrow, a good sailor and an excellent hard working man; and David Edgar, and William Marshall, Quarter masters, both steady and trustworthy men, all of whom had been seventeen years in the service. The Ordinary seaman Henry Kemp, and Stephen Bond, boy, were also steady and well behaved lads. The three petty officers have, I regret to say, left widows to lament their loss, and the two former families of young children. It is only a few days since |