of the duties, as therein mentioned. This sum, with the exception of £14,000 of principal and postponed interest, has been repaid. But the purchase of the island, and of the right to levy duty for the Coal Light cost £60,000, besides the expense of erecting the new lighthouse. The duty leviable for the old light was 1 d. per ton on Scotch vessels, and 3d. per ton on all other vessels navigating between St. Abb's Head and the Red Head, which includes the shipping of the Firths of Forth and Tay; and from a calculation which the committee have made on the amount of that shipping, they find that the old rate of duty would have yielded, for the year 1846, nearly £25,000, while the actual revenue of the lighthouse, in the same year, was only £3,825.

The statute last mentioned likewise points out for the erection of various other lighthouses, and in particular "a lighthouse upon the dangerous rocks of Skerryvore, near the Islands of Tyree and Mull, in Argyllshire, in the direct track of vessels coasting along the western coast of Scotland, and also dangerous to ships making the western shores of Scotland and Ireland from the Atlantic Ocean."

Although the Board completed the lighthouse on the Isle of May in 1816, and although they were fully aware of the necessity of husbanding their resources for the great and expensive work of erecting the lighthouse at Skerryvore, yet in consequence of the requisitions of the trading and shipping interests, they erected Corsewall Lighthouse in 1817, the three lighthouses in the Isle of Man (authorized by special statute) in 1818, Sumburghhead in 1821, Rhinns of Islay in 1825, Buchaness in 1827, Cape Wrath in 1828, Tarbetness in 1830, Dunnethead in 1831, Barrahead, Lismore, and Girdle. ness, in 1833. The support of these lighthouses increased the annual expenditure of the Board, while they added nothing to the returns, as the rule of levying separate duties for each lighthouse was not established till the year 1836.

The Board having for several years refrained from erecting any lighthouses, conceived that their funds were in a state to enable them to begin the erection of the lighthouse at Skerryvore, which they did in 1838, and it was completed and lighted in January 1844, at an expense of £93,000 this expenditure includes the building of the pier and construction of a small tide basin for the attending vessel in the adjacent island of Tyree, works which, from the exposed nature of the locality, required to be of the most substantial materials; besides buildings for the lightkeepers' families, and the crew of the attending vessel.

In connexion with Skerryvore lighthouse, (the first in Europe in which catadioptric zones of the first order were employed), it is proper to notice, that the Commissioners have lately expended about £12,000 in procuring apparatus of this kind for the improvement of existing lights.

Till the three great works, viz. the Bell Rock, the purchase and lighting

Skerryvore.-Summary Report, p. 43.-About 12 miles to the southwestward of the island of Tyree, is the dangerous reef of Skerryvore, on which a lighthouse has recently been erected. The foundation-stone of the building was laid in July 1840, and the light first exhibited in October 1845. It is intermittent, and stands at 150 feet above the sea. At Hynish Point, in Tyree, it was found necessary to construct a small pier in connexion with the workyard established for the building of this lighthouse. Since the completion of the works, a small tide-dock, with boomgates and a scouring basin, have been constructed here for the use of the tender which furnishes the lighthouse with supplies. The erection of this lighthouse in this important yet very exposed situation, is highly creditable to the public spirit and liberality of the Commissioners of Northern Lights, and especially so to the skill of Mr. Alan Stevenson, engineer to the Board.

of the Isle of May, and the erection of the lighthouse and relative establish ment at Skerryvore were accomplished, it was impossible for this Board to apply their funds in erecting more lighthouses than have been mentioned, and particularly in erecting those of a secondary class. But as soon as, from the progress of the works at Skerryvore, the Board felt themselves warranted in proceeding with the other lighthouses, they erected, in 1843, one at Little Ross, which, while it answered the purpose of a sea-light, was also intended to open up Kirkcudbright Bay, in the Solway Firth, being the first of a series of lights for harbours of refuge which the Eoard undertook. These had indeed been often applied for, but the Board thought that, as they were subordinate to the great sea-lights, they ought to be deferred until this stage of their proceedings.

Since that time the Board have erected an additional leading light (for avoiding the Carr Rock) on the Isle of May, in 1844; and in 1845-46, three lights in the Moray Firth, viz. Covesea Skerries, Chanorry Point, and Cromarty Point, whereby the Moray and Cromarty Friths, and the entrance to Inverness and the Caledonian Canal are completely opened. The erection of a lighthouse at Covesea was deferred for several years, in consequence of a discussion as to its proper position.

Inverness-Summary Reports, p. 37.-With reference to the lighting and buoying of this part of the coast, it appeared in evidence that heavy, and, we are compelled to add, wellfounded complaints were made of the utter want of buoys and beacons, in the approaches to this port, and that while the Caledonian Canal had been open for traffic for a quarter of a century, yet until the 11th May 1846, no light had been placed as a guide into the entrance of Inverness, although repeated wrecks had occurred; and that at the time of our visit, when the Caledonian Canal was about to be re-opened, and a far more extended traffic was expected, there was not a single buoy or beacon to mark seven dangerous shoals which line the channel on either side.

Avoch. or Auch.-Summary Report, p. 38-Chanonry Point, a dangerous spit of shingle projecting almost a mile from the shore, on which many a vessel has been beached, is now marked by a fixed light, first shown on the 15th May, 1846.

Cromarty.-Summary Report, p. 38.-The small tidal harbour of Cromarty, just within the entrance on the south side, is formed by two piers and a detached breakwater, built at the joint expense of Government and the proprietors in 1785. The revenue last year was £65, the debt £1,100. Here are 50 fishing-boats, employing 200 men and buoys. Steamers from Leith and Inverness call here during the summer. The arrivals in 1846 were 115 vessels, of 7,401 tons, exclusive of 600 vessels which sought shelter in the Frith, where occasionally may be seen from 50 to 70 vessels at a time, showing the value of this secure anchorage in the heavy easterly gales to which this coast is so much exposed. A light was first exhibited here in May 1846; it is red, and fixed.

Dornoch Firth-Summary Report, p. 38.-Dornoch Firth, or the Firth of Tain, is a shallow barred estuary, encumbered with sands, the most noted of which, called the Gizzing Briggs, dries three miles off shore, and its outer edge is steep too. The bar as from nine to twelve feet over it at low water springs, with a thirteen feet rise of tide; but unfortunately for the mariner, the leading mark for crossing it are so far off that they cannot be readily dis

* These buoys and beacons have since been placed.

tinguished, and the use of buoys to mark out a channel does not yet appear to have reached this remote district.*

Loch Ryan.-Summary Report, p. 57.-Loch Ryan, a deep inlet, ten miles in extent, accessible at all times, and one in which vessels may ride in security with all winds, is well known to the mariner frequenting this part of the coast of Scotland as a capacious natural harbour of refuge, as many as 360 vessels having sought shelter there during one winter. It has hitherto, however, been rendered comparatively useless by night, from want of a small harbour light on the Cairn Point, in the immediate vicinity of the best anchorage in the loch, as well as a conspicious beacon to mark the Scar Spit.†

The Commissioners, in 1845, converted the beacon in Lock Ryan into a lighthouse, and 3rd March 1847, five months previous to the date of the summary report (1st August), exhibited a light therefrom.

A great source of the expense, difficulty, and delay which have attended the erection of almost every lighthouse in Scotland has been the necessity for considerable preliminary works in the formation of landing piers and roads. The stations of Cape Wrath, Mull of Kintyre, Mull of Galloway, Nosshead, Sumburghhead, Barrahead, Skerryvore, and Ardnamurchan, may be mentioned. At several of them roads, varying in length from two to twelve miles, and landing piers, costing from £800 to £10,000, have been necessary.

While these works have been accomplished, the duties on lighthouses, from the free surplus of which alone new lighthouses could be erected, were, on the suggestion of the Board, reduced to the coasting trade; first in the year 1845, to the amount of nearly one-eighth; and, lastly, in the year 1846, tothe extent of one-half, or 50 per cent.

PUMPS AT SEA worked by means of Sails like those of a Windmul.- The American ship Hamilton, from Manila bound to Boston, arrived at St. Helena 25th August. Having occasion to use her pumps, it occurred to the commander, Capt. Allen, that he might save his men considerable labour if he could construct some means, however rough, whereby he might set the pump in motion by the wind. He, therefore, raised two spars perpendicularly, and parallel with, and lashed with ropes to the barrel of the capstan, about 14 feet in length, and across the top he put a piece of a small spar about 5 feet long, let horizontally into the ends of the uprights, which piece is the spindle or axis. On the one end of this spindle are the two cross pieces to which the sails are attached. On the opposite end is fastened a wooden crank, which is connected with the pump-brake by a rod, so that when the sails act, the whole are set in motion. By the superstructure being placed on and attached to the capstan, whichever way the wind may blow, the capstan is turned so as to meet it.

The contrivance is very ingenious, yet simple, and for which Capt. Allen deserves great credit. It would be well, perhaps, for masters of vessels to to give the subject consideration, and to adopt the plan, particularly in leaky vessels, which would save the men a great deal of laborious and unwelcome work. How important would this be in vessels short-handed, or with a sickly crew, while almost all the time might be taken up in keeping the ship

A fairway buoy and two channel buoys have recently been placed. + The Cairn Point has since been lighted, and the beacon on the Scar Spit is to be placed.

from foundering. Many a vessel and cargo, with numberless valuable lives, no doubt might have been saved, if the plan now noticed had been used.

Capt. Allen has got the machinery strengthened and made more secure, by adding some strong blacksmith work to it at this port; and he seems to be very sanguine that a very small portion of his crew's exertions will be required at the pump, apart from this contrivance, between St. Helena and Boston.-Hong-Kong Register.

NAUTICAL NOTICES.

DIRECTIONS For Vessels bound for MaroIM, COTINQUIBA RIVER, on the Coast of Brazil.

THE bar of Cotinguiba river is in lat. 10° 58', or, 10° 59' S., and vessels making the port should keep well to the north of the bar, as during the shipping season from October to April there is a very strong N.E. current down the coast. Vessels may close with the land until within soundings of 5 or 6 fathoms when they will be from two to three miles distance from the bar; and they should then hoist a signal at the fore for a pilot, who will proceed on board as soon as the tide turns for the ebb.

When in sight of the signal post from the ship, the signals should be observed, as they are intended for a guide to vessels entering the port; and of their purport the following is an explanation.

1st. The upper flag hoisted alone, is the signal that the vessel is seen from the shore.

2nd. The lower flag, which is hoisted upon a moveable staff, denotes that the vessel should tack, either to the north or to the south, as indicated by the direction of the sloping flag-staff.

3rd. Both flags being hoisted on the central flag staff, one above the other, signifies that the vessel is in the right position off the bar, and that the tide is favourable for entering. The vessel should then steer direct for the signal-post on the beach, and the signals will remain flying even after the vessel has passed the bar.

4th. If either one or both of the flags be hoisted and lowered again, it implies that the vessel should stand off.

If the master of a ship has never been in the port before, he should not attempt to enter without a pilot, and should avail himself of the telegraph only, in case of absolute necessity. Long before the signal post is visible,

there is a chain of mountains that may be seen in clear weather, it is called La Itabayana, and is so denominated in the English charts. Its southermost point is named from its similarity in shape, the Cardinal's Hat, and bears from the bar W.N.W. W.

Coming from the northward there may be seen a distant and solitary hill, called Aracaju, at the entrance of the river, which when the vessel is about two or three miles E.S.E. of the bar, bears W.N.W. § N.

Coming from the southward the bearings will be nearly the same, but great care must be taken not to enter the river Vazabarris, where the signals are very similar, and which is only 14 or 15 miles to the S.W. of the Cotinguiba bar. The bearings of the Cardinal's Hat from the Vazabarris are N.WN., and the Aracaju is not visible.

There is good anchorage to the nortward of the bar, in 6 or 7 fathoms hard firm sand; but vessels should, if possible, always remain under way, and though they make the port too late for the pilot to come off that night, still they should hoist the signal at the fore, and stand out to sea, keeping well to the northward, where they will be sure to meet the pilot outside in the morning.

Vessels coming either from foreign or Brazilian ports should be very particular in being provided with all papers required by the authorities in any Brazilian port, as the custom-house is very strict, and in default of such, the usual fine will inevitably be levied according to the custom-house regulations.

The pilot boat is a fore and aft schooner.

The depth of water in the channel on the bar is about 16 feet at spring tides, but as vessels cannot get under way from the anchorage before the ebb begins, and as a good deal of time may be lost before they reach the bar, they ought not to draw more than 11 feet. Maroim, 7th March, 1858.

(Signed)

AFCHRAMM & Co.

Trinity House, London, 5th May, 1848. Bunt Head, in the Gull StrEAM.—It having been ascertained that the Bunt Head, in the Gull Stream, has grown up considerably in a W.S.W. direction:-Notice is hereby given, That the Bunt Head buoy has been moved about 100 fathoms to the W.S.W. of its former station, and now lies in 4 fathoms at low water spring tides, with the following marks and compass bearings, viz.

St. Lawrence Church in line with the north side of
Ramsgate Mill

N. W.

W. S.

Waldershare Tower, in line with the south end of
the New Terrace at Deal

North Foreland Light House

. N.b.E.

N.N.E.E.

. S. W.

. S.S.W.

.S.W. W.

W.

J. HERBERT, Secretary.

Trinity House, London, 8th May, 1848. CARDIFF GROUNDS, BRISTOL CHANNEL.-The western end of the Sand in the Bristol Channel, called the Cardiff Grounds, having grown up in a SS E. direction:-Notice is hereby given, That the West Cardiff Buoy has been moved about one half-mile to the southward of its former position, and now lies in 4 fathoms, at low water spring tides, with the following marks and compass bearings, viz.:—