written to give a history of wigs, so much as to show how shameful it was for ecclesiastics to wear them, by collecting all the notices he could find calculated to bring them into discredit. They were denounced by the prophet Isaiah; they were general amongst heathens; they were resorted to by rakes and courtesans, whose evil lives had rendered them necessary We have seen the forced interpretation of one sacred writer, that he might be brought to bear witness against wigs; the 14th verse of the 11th chapter of the 1st of Corinthians is brought in to shew that, if it be a disgrace for a man to cultivate long hair, it is forbidden him to wear a wig as an ornament. Then follow all the more direct and dreadful threats of the apostolic fathers. Tertullian is astonished that any one should indulge in the enormity of false and woven hair. If wig-wearers are not ashamed of these enormities, they ought to be alarmed at the peril of their indulgences; their wigs are, perhaps, the exuvia of the heads of criminals, condemned to a place of torment. What can the wearers of such coverings expect? He taunts wig-wearers with having sheaths for their heads. Clement Alexandrinus maintains the wearing of false hair to be most impious. Gregory Nazianzen reckons it the highest praise of a good man that he had not ornamented himself with false hair, or proclaimed his own ignominy by a fraudulent covering for his head. St. Jerome speaks in scorn of the hairy turrets built on the top of the head. St. Augustine maintained that wig-wearing was specially forbidden by the Apostle Paul. From the times of the Apostles, in short, till long after the reformation, wig-wearing seems to have been one of the pet aversions of the Catholic church, and the utmost length the most generous could go, was to give sanction to the use of wigs for health, not for shew," ad sanitatem, non ad vanitatem."

We have said that one reason against them was, that they were heathen devices; and it says more for the warmth than for the consistency of the writer, that he adduces the vestal virgins as authorities on his side, their plan as described by Pliny, being to cut off their hair, and bestow it on the lotus plant, that they might be denuding their heads in this world, to ensure themselves a crown of glory in the next.-Bombay Monthly Times.

DESCENT OF THE MAIL STEAmer “Gildersleeve" down THE NORTH CHAŃNEL OF THE LONG SAULT RAPIDS.-Those who have travelled on the St. Law. rence are aware that between Dickenson's landing and Cornwall, a distance of from 12 to 14 miles is a long rapid, called the Long Sault. This Rapid is divided into two channels, by an island in the centre. The channnel on the south side being the one which has heretofore been descended by steamers and other large craft passing down the river. Captain Maxwell, the enterprising commander of the mail steamer "Gildersleeve," having sometime ago become impressed with an idea that the channel on the north side of the Island, was not only practicable for vessels of a large class, but that it was much safer, and easier of descent than the channel on the south side, made with much trouble, soundings and observations, for the purpose of ascertaining whether such was really the case. Having well satisfied himself in the matter, he (with Mr. Hamilton's permission) made a descent down the north channel last Tuesday afternoon in the mail steamer "Gildersleeve,. The passage was magnificent. The grandeur and beauty at the Rapid at the Cedars, the Cascades, or Lachine, owing to the great rapidity of the current, the water was much rougher than on the south side of the Island, but the channel is straighter, and, in every respect better than the one heretofore adopted, and there is little doubt that ere long the north channel will be the one which the main traffic of the river will pass through.

Great credit is due to Captain Maxwell for the ability and perseverence he has exhibited in exploring this new channel. The thanks (at least) of the country are due to him for his exertion and enterprise, and the smallest tribute that can be paid to him, is, that the channel which he has thus been the first to prove is practicable for large vessels, should bear his name, and be called "Maxwell's Channel."-Quebec Paper.

LIST OF CHRONOMETERS purchased in the last five years by the Admiralty, for the use of Her Majesty's Navy, from those on the annual trial at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich; with the prices paid for each expressed in guineas.

Makers' Names,

Chron Price Chron, Price Chron, Price Chron Price Chron Price

NAUTICAL NOTICES.

The following have been given by the Trinity-House, dated the 22nd of August, 1848.

HARWICH HARBOUR. With reference to the advertisement from this House, dated the 9th of February last, that for the purpose of further facilitating the entrance of vessels into Harwich harbour in the night time, a light as hereinafter described, is in course of preparation to be exhibited, with the permission of the Board of Ordnance, in Landguard Fort.

Mariners are to observe that the arrangement of the several lights for the said harbour of Harwich will be as follows, viz:—

The lights in the high and low light towers as heretofore exhibited; and in the lower part of the high tower a light appearing of a Red colour, or White, according to the line of direction on which it is seen

The light about to be shewn from Landguard Fort will appear to vessels entering the harbour in succession as they proceed, first Red, second White, and third Green.

Masters of vessels, Pilots, and other persons, are requested to attend carefully to the following instructions, viz. :

Having arrived with the high and low light at Harwich in one, steer the usual course, until the Red light in Landguard rort (which will not become visible until the vessel is to the northward of the Ridge) is seen bearing N. Easterly, and having opened the same, a W.b.N. course must then be steered until the lower White light in the high tower shall have been opened to the south westward of the Red light, and which White light being so kept will lead to the south-westward of the Beach-end buoy, and between the Clifffoot rock on the port or larboard hand, and the Altar Shoal on the starboard hand: when abreast of the Beach-end buoy the Red light in Landguard Fort will disappear, and be immediately succeeded by the White light therein, which will continue visible up to the Altar buoy, on arriving at which it will in turn disappear, and be succeeded by the Green light, on the appearance of which it should be brought to bear E b.S. for the anchorage.

Note.-The White, Red, and Green light in Landguard Fort will be first exhibited on the evening of the 1st of October next, and the whole of the arrangement above described is to be regarded as temporary only, pending such alterations as may be judged advisable upon the completion of the pier now in course of construction.

PRINCE'S CHANNEL. Notice is hereby given, that in compliance with the request of numerous owners and masters of vessels, and other persons using or interested in the navigation between the North Foreland and the Nore, two floating light vessels are about to be placed in the Prince's Channel, the lights on board of which will be first exhibited on the evening of Sunday, the 1st day of October next, and thenceforth continued every night from sun-set to sun-rise.

Mariners are to observe, that one of these vessels will be moored in the eastern part of the said channel, near to the East Tongue Sand, and will exhibit two lights, one at the mast-head, which will be White, and one at a lower elevation, which will be coloured Red.

The other vessel will be placed at the western end of the said channel, near to the Girdler Sand, and will exhibit one bright revolving light.

Further particulars in relation to the exact positions of these respective vessels will be published in due course.

Admiralty, 4th August, 1848. HALIFAX HARBOUR, Nova Scotia.-Sir, I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, to acquaint you for the information of the Committee for managing the affairs of Lloyd's, that Vice-Admiral the Earl of Dundonald, has, at the request of Mr. Cunard, Senior Commissioner of Lighthouses, placed a bell on the buoy of the Rock Head Shoal, at the entrance of the harbour of Halifax, Nova Scotia.

(Signed) W. A. B. HAMILTON.

Capt. G. A. Halsted, R.N., Secretary, Lloyd's.

Hobarton, 10th April, 1848.

DBAL ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE, Van Deiman's Land.-Sir, 'The following notice has just been published by the Post Office here, and we beg to forward the same for the information of the subscribers to Lloyd's.

(Signed) T. D. CHAPMAN & Co., Agents to Lloyds. The lighthouse on Deal Island, forming one of the cluster of islands, called Kent Group, in Bass Straits, lat. 39° 29' S., long. 147° 21′ E., having now been erected, a light is burning, and will continue from sun-set until sun-rise.

The lighthouse is erected on a hill 900 feet above high-water mark. The supporting column is 46 feet in height. The upper part of the column (like all the lighthouses within the Government of Van Diemen Land,) is coloured Red, and the lower part White. The lower part of the column is built of granite, each block worked to a mould. The cornice and blocking are 6 feet high of freestone.

The lantern is 7 feet high, having a revolving catoptric light, with 21 lamps and patent pipes, smoke consumers, working in three groups, each group containing 7 lamps with reflectors, and revolves round once in five minutes, showing fifty seconds of light, and fifty seconds of darkness.

The light may be seen thirteen leagues, has been set by cross bearings at a distance of 12 leagues, and is visible all round the compass, unless the light be intercepted by being close in with any of the surrounding islands. (Signed) W. MORIARTY, Port Officer.

Danish Consulate General, London, 8th August. BLOCKADE. -Sir, By direction of the Royal Board of Trade at Copenhagen notice is hereby given, that in addition to the harbours of Swinemunde, Wolgast, Cammin, Kiel, with the mouth of the Sleswig Canal at Holtenau, now under blockade, the following places will be blockaded by His Danish Majesty's naval forces from the 15th inst., viz.-Griefswalde, with the Eastern Entrance to Stralsund, the rivers Elbe, Weser, and Jahde.

This announcement has been communicated to the representatives of the Friendly and Neutral Powers, accredited at the Court of his Danish Majesty, and will likewise be notified by the officers of the Customs to every vessel passing through the Sound and Belts.

Capt. G. A. Halsted, R.N., Secretary, Lloyd's.

(Signed)

F. WILSON.

COTTONS.-The Supreme Board of Health having renewed the disposition that cottons arriving from England may be freely admitted, have ordered that the said cottons must be accompanied with a certificate, either directly, from the Consular Agents, or by the Local authority; in which case the sig NO. 9.-VOL. XVII.

nature of the same must be certified by the Consular Agents, who will attest that the said cottons have been manufactured, or at least unpacked in England.-Naples 4th July, 1848.

STRUIS BAY NEAR CAPE AGULHAS, South Coast of Africa.—Extract from the Remarks of H.M.S. Rosamond, Commander J. Foote.

STRUIS Bay is formed by Northumberland Point and Struis Point in the vicinity of Cape Agulhas. With any northing in the wind vessels may find good holding ground in Struis bay in 7 fathoms (sand) Northumberland point bearing S. W. by compass; with any southing in the wind the anchorage is exposed. There is an excellent boat harbour formed by a reef of rocks, to enter which you must pass over a bar, which when the Rosamond was there did not break at all heavily, and we were informed by an inhabitant of the bay that by keeping close to the rocks to the northward of Northumberland point, boats might enter at any time, and we found by following this direction we entered by the smoothest channel; when once in the boat harbour, the water is perfectly smooth and the landing excellent.

Sailing vessels should not anchor within two miles of this landing place. Her Majesty's steam sloop under my command anchored in 5 fathoms, about one mile and a quarter distant from it. Vessels entering this bay should give Northumberland point a wide berth, the rollers break occasionally in 10 fathoms, and the reef extends fully 2 miles in a S.E. direction. There is only one house or building in the bay, rented by a Mr. Barry, upon which a red ensign was hoisted. There are several wells in the neighbourhood, but the water is brackish. Sand hills studded with heath and brush wood are the prominent features of the surrounding country, but upon the hilly ground near Agulhas and Northumberland points lime stone is found.

Remarks upon the position selected for a lighthouse on Cape Agulhas. Firstly, as to the opinion of a Mr. Bell that a lighthouse placed on Agulhas point would be of little or no service to vessels coming from the eastward.

Secondly, as to the eligibility of Northumberland point for a lighthouse, and the extent of a reef running off that point.

With regard to the first question raised, we are of opinion that all vessels coming from the eastward would derive the utmost benefit from a lighthouse erected on Point Agulhas, for we find that it extends two miles farther to the southward than Northumberland point, and is the southernmost extreme of Africa, We also find that Northumberland point is only 3 miles distant from Agulhas point, bearing N. 62° E., (true bearing) and that a light on Agulhas point would be seen by all vessels coming from the eastward, provided they were not actually in the western part of Struis Bay, and it would be a leading mark for vessels clearing Quoin point, off which a dangerous reef extends; moreover we do not conceive it probable that a vessel could run on Northumberland point, with a powerful light within three miles of it.

With regard to the eligibility of Northumberland point for a lighthouse, two objections present themselves, the first: that this point does not extend so far to the southward as Agulhas point, and the second that a light so placed on Northumberland point would be masked to vessels approaching from the westward by Agulhas point,-moreover we find that the reef off Northumberland point does not extend more than two miles. Under these circumstances and having minutely examined the different points, we have,