r South Sentinel, tions were obtained again in the afternoon of this day, when near S with similar result to those in the morning. Immediately on the arrival of the For at Trincomalee, (11 days) observations were taken on shore by artificial horizon, the result of which proved the correctness of the chronometers. The incorrectness of the places mentioned being considered established, renders the approach to this land from the westward, a matter of great consideration, as by reference to the chart it will be seen the dangers on the western part of this coast are many, and of very great importance, particularly in thick weather, which often happens. It is also reasonable to suppose the Invisible Bank, and the rock laid down on it on the chart are incorrectly placed, but, considering it, (the rock), to be fourteen leagues to the eastward, and of the Two Sisters, as stated in Horsburgh's Directory, its position by our chronometers will be in lon. 93° 26' 00" E. Captain Owen calls it in 93° 29' 00" E., and the chart places it in 93° 40′ 00′′ E. There can be little doubt that the position of this very dangerous rock is but imperfectly known, and the fact of Barren Island being correctly laid down, and the Two Sisters twelve miles out, will tend much to bewilder the navigator. G. L. BRADLEY, Master. CHRIS. BIDEN, Master Attendant. Office of the Coast Survey, Washington, NANTUCKET SHOALS.-The following discoveries and determinations, recently made by the hydrographic party of the Coast Survey, employed on the Nantucket Shoals, under the command of Lieut. C. H. Davis, United States Navy, are of sufficient importance to be communicated immediately. They will be transferred at the close of the season to the preliminary charts of the Nantucket Shoals: 1st. A shoal, two and a half to three miles long, making off from the southern extremity of Great Rip, with which it is connected by a short ridge of 3 fathoms. This shoal lies in a N.b. W. and S.b.E. direction, (mag.,) and has only eight feet on it in several places. The distance between the east end of the South Shoal and the new determination is only 63 miles. The southern limit of danger on Great Rip, is fifteen miles from the shore. Vessels passing to the southward of Great Rip, or to the eastward of the Old Nantucket South Shoal, should be careful to govern themselves accordingly The centre of the shoal bears from Sankaty Head S.E. 3 E., (mag.,) and S. 62° 30' (true), 133 miles distant. 2nd. A small shoal, having only eight feet of water on it in one spot, which bears N. W., (mag.,) and Ñ. 11° W. (true), from eastern end of Old South Shoal, 4 miles distant. 3rd. A small shoal, with sixteen feet on it, a little to northward and eastward of the preceding, bearing N.b.E.. (mag.,) and N. 3° 25′ E., (true,) from Old South Shoal, 53 miles distant. 4th. A small shoal, with thirteen feet on it, to the eastward of south end of Bass Rip. The middle of the shoal bears from Sankaty Head S.E.b.E., (mag.,) and S. 65° E., (true,) 6 miles distant. 5th. A very small shoal spot, having only ten feet of water on it, north of Bass Rip, and one mile distant from the shoal discovered in that vicinity in 1847, and now marked on the latest coast survey "Preliminary Sketch" of the Nantucket Shoals. This spot bears from Great Point Light, S.E. E., (mag.,) and S. 62° E., (true,) 6 miles distant. The ground to the northward, and to the northward and eastward of the Old South Shoal, is broken, dangerous, and marked by occasional strong tiderips. Coasters taking the outside way, are advised to follow down the east side of 'Bass Rip," and, passing over the tail of it in 4 fathoms, to haul round under the south side of the "Old Man," which (it is always visible), it is best to keep in sight. Here they will have a good beating channel, of, at least, two miles; -i.e., from half a mile, to two and a half miles from the "Old Man." Vessels taking this course with an ebb (or westerly) tide, will clear the shoals in a few hours. They will also have more room, and be more favoured by the prevailing westerly winds, than in the Sound. Hydrographic Office, September 8th, 1848. MILFORD HAVEN LIGHTS DISCONTINUED.-Mariners are hereby required to take notice that, the two harbour lights of Milford, that is to say, the light off the Tongue Spit, of Weare Point, called Weare Point Light, on the north shore of the harbour, and the light off the Carr Spit, called the Carr Spit Light, on the south shore, being no longer required for her Majesty's packets, they will be discontinued on and after the fifth day of October next, and the two light vessels will be removed from their stations. He SHOALS IN THE CHINA SEA.-R. B. Forbes, Esq., furnishes to the editors of the Boston Journal the following important information to navigators. says, "Captain Watkins, of the brig Antelope, informs me that several shoals exist not marked, except on the latest charts of the China Sea. They are as follows: Pratt's Shoal............lat. 1° 33' N., long. 107° 27′ E. Rob Roy's Spralty's Island Another act. gives..." The latter, several miles in extent, bearing north-westerly from Prince of Wales's Bank. These shoals are laid down on the new charts, but, as many navigators are not furnished with them, I trust the above, if published, will be of service. Naval Yard, Port Royal Jamaica, June 20, 1848. NOTICE TO PILOTS.-Notice is hereby given that the beacon on the Three Fathom Bank, off "Healthshire," commonly known as the "Warrior Beacon," having again broken adrift, the same will not be renewed, as such beacon is unnecessary, for the purpose of piloting vessels either into, or out of, the Harbour of Port Royal. NAUTICAL MISCELLANY. SUSPENSION BRIDGE AT NIAGARA FALLS.-The Albuny Journal says, it is contemplated to have the foot bridge at the Falls, ready for crossing, on the 4th of July. This will be a great curiosity. The following is to be the composition of the railroad bridge : Number of cables for bridge, 16; number of strands in each cable, 600; ultimate tension, 6,500 tons; capacity of the bridge, 500 tons; number of strands in the ferry cable, 37; diameter of the cable, inch; height of stone tower, 68 feet, 1 inch; height of wood tower for ferry, 50 feet, base of the tower, 20 square feet; size at the top, 11 square feet; span of the bridge, 800 feet; whole weight of the bridge, 650 tons; height from the water, 230 feet; depth of water under the bridge, 250 feet. This suspension bridge is the most sublime work of art on the continent. It makes the head dizzy to look at it, and yet it is traversed with as much security as any other bridge of the same width. Not an accident has happened since the first cord was carried across the river at the tail of a kite. It is impossible to give the reader a clear idea of the grandeur of the work. Imagine a foot bridge 800 feet in length, hung in the air, at the height of 230 feet, over a vast body of water rushing through a narrow gorge, at the rate of 30 miles an hour. If you are below, it looks like a strip of paper suspended by a cobweb. When the wind is strong, the frail gossamer-looking structure sways to and fro as if ready to start from its fastenings, and it shakes from extremity to centre, under the firm tread of the pedestrian. But there is no danger. Men pass over it with perfect safety, while the head of the timid looker-on swims with apprehension. The first person passed over it, Mr. Ellett, the builder. His courageous wife soon followed him, and for two days hundreds, attracted by the novelty of the thing, took the fearful journey. It is worth a trip to the Falls, to see this great work, although, it is not probable, that one in twenty, will have the nerve to cross upon it. For, strange as it may seem, there were those who had no hesitation to slide over the awful chasm in a basket, upon a single wire cable, who could not be induced to walk over the bridge. And this aërial excursion is thrillingly exciting. MESSINA. On the 2nd of September, General Pronio sent a note to the Consuls, advising them that Messina would be attacked the following morning at sunrise. The English and American families, as also many Messinese ladies and children, took refuge on board her Majesty's steamer Gladiator; the French and others on board the French steamer Panama, from whence we all had a view of what was going on. At six a.m. on the 3rd, two frigates, 16 steamers, and 23 gun-boats, after landing a thousund men in the citadel, and disembarking as many more to the southward, took up a position to bombard the Sicilian forts, and also to shell the city. A sortie of a thousand men was made from the citadel at eight a.m., but was met and repulsed in gallant style by the Sicilian troops. The other Neapolitan division succeeded in storming and carrying Fort Sicilia, but, finding the sortie repulsed they abandoned it and retreated to their boats. The loss of the Neapolitans in killed, wounded, and prisoners, was about 300 men. The Sicilians suffered severely, for they attacked in such dense masses that every bullet must have told. The squadron then embarked the troops, and returned to Reggio. I am sorry to have to add that the prisoners, especially the Swiss, were cruelly tortured. The dead and dying had their heads cut off and paraded on poles through the city. Many prisoners were stabbed in cold blood. I have heard of many other acts, to which, for the credit of the human civilised world, I am unwilling to give credence. The city is much damaged by the shells from the citadel which never ceases firing, but generally sends over a shell or two every hour. During the engagement a sergeant and a corporal deserted from the Neapolitans, and got on board the Gladiator. They have offered to join the Sicilians, but they refuse them in toto; in fact, if they were to land, they would be murdered. NEW YORK. Our fashionable world is returning homewards. Fancy balls are already forgotten. The shady side of Broadway, and a grove of New York chimnies, to use the expression of one of your celebrated men of fashion, are now all the country which is considered desirable; and yet, a return to to the city is not without its alarms. We have the yellow fever prevailing to some extent at our quarantine, six miles below the city, and a few cases have made their appearance in the city itself. Business is not yet effected by its approach, and the medical men tell us there is no danger. Probably there is not; but we learn with horror that the cholera is approaching from the east. The yellow fever has caused great alarm among the inhabitants of Staten Island, about seven miles from the city of New York, several residents having died of the disease. It was probably introduced by soldiers returned from Mexico. The American steamers for the Liverpool trade, are getting ready as fast as possible, and are said to be fine vessels by persons competent to form an opinion. It is thought here that, the time is not far distant, when we shall have a steamer arriving from Liverpool daily in our port. CONSTANTINOPLE.-September 5th.-This city appears to be doomed to calamity; no sooner is one conflagration stifled, than another breaks out. On the 28th, at three in the morning, another fire broke out in a house at Foundoucli, close the grand Mosque of that name. As the wind was strong from the north, it spread rapidly, consuming in its progress the palace of Ahmet Fethi Pacha, and extending as far as the villiage of Tophana, where it was providently stopped. During the eight-hours that it raged, it entirely destroyed the quarters of Sali- Bazar and Foundoucli, which are now a heap of cinders. A Mosque, and upwards of two hundred houses and palaces, belonging to government officers, have been destroyed, Several bodies have been discovered in the ruins. AUSTRALIA. An exploring party, headed by the Governor, had discovered Some tolerable a quarry of good building stone, at Yorke's Peninsular. specimens of building stone had also been discovered in the hill, ranges near Adelaide. The South Australian Register of the 16th of February, states, that "In following up two of the lodes of rich silver lead ores, lately intersected in the Wheal Gawler mine, the very promising prospects which they presented when cut off, are being realised." NEW CHARTS. Published and Corrected at the Hydrographic Office, Admiralty, during the month of RIVER HUMBER, corrected to 1848, Mr. Calver, R.N., Price 3s. Ditto Ditto. Price 6d. Capt. Sulivan, R.N., Price 3s. LEMNOS ISLAND, Archipelago, Capt. Copeland, R.N., 1835. price 2s. MITYLENI ISLAND, Eastern and Western Ports, Archipelago, Capt. Copeland, R.N., Ditto Dilto price 2s. PORT LINDO, Rhodes Islands, Archipelago, Capt. Graves, R.N., 1842, price 6d. 1834, price 2s. MOSKO-NISI AND AIVALI BAY, MAKRY HARBOUR, Ditto Ditto price 1s. KARUGHATCH TO MACKRY, price 2s. DENUSA ISLAND, price 6d. SUDA BAY & CANEA, (Candia I. 1843 price 1s. LEVITHA ISLAND, Ditto Ditto 1838 price 6d. TIGANI PORT, Lieut. T. Spratt, R.N, 1844, price 8d. CIVITA VECCHIA, Italian Survey, 1841 price 1s. CARGADOS CARAJOS, Capt Sir E. Belcher, 1846 price 1s. 6d ARACAN RIVERS, Capts. Lloyd, and Weston, I. N., MAZATLAN HARBOUR, Capt. Beechey, R.N., F.R.S., MUGERES HARBOUR, Capt. Barnett, R N., RIVER GABOON, Lieut. A. F Langle, French Survey, 1845 price 2s. 1828 price 1s. 6d. 1844 price 1s. 6d. 1845 price 1s. 6d. Note. The addition to Towson's Great Circle Table will be presented gratis to the purchaser of the 1st Edition on their application. Hydrographic Office, Admiralty. METEOROLOGICAL REGISTER. Kept at Croom's Hill, Greenwich, by Mr. W. Rogerson, of the Royal Observatory From the 21st of September to the 20th of October 1848. AUGUST 1848.-Mean height of Barometer-29-888 inches; Mean Temperature=59-0 degrees; depth of rain fallen- 5,09 inches. TO CORRESPONDENTS. We have received the YACHT VOYAGE to NORWAY, SWEDEN, and DENMARK, by Mr. Ross, but too late for notice in our present number. Hunt, Printer, 130, St. Alban's Place, (late New Church Street, Edgware Road. |