HOUTMAN'S ALBROLHOS, Australia.-Extract of a letter from a Naval Officer.

The Abrolhos Islands are divided into three distinct groups, the southernmost has been named Pelsart group, the middle Easter group, and the third the Northern group; they are separated from each other by broad channels, in which no dangers appear to exist; that which separates Pelsart from Easter group is nearly five miles wide, and was sailed through by the Beagle.

On Pelsart group we found great quantities of wrecks, some apparently very old, being probably the remains of the Batavia, Pelsart's ship; and on one of the north-western islets of that group, which agrees with the Dutch description of the place where the Zeewyk was wrecked in 1729, we found a brass 4-pounder swivel of singular construction, and many ornamental gilt articles for harness, also two Dutch doits bearing date 1707 and 1720; and from the number of bottles, pieces of glass, pipes, &c. that were found on this islet, it is, no doubt, that upon which the crew of the Zeewyk remained so long, while building a sloop from the remains of the wreck, and in which they put to sea, by the channel through which the Beagle sailed; it has, therefore, been named Zeewyk passage.

Each of these groups form a lagoon of circular shape, or more resembling a horse shoe open to the northward; they afford good anchorage on their northern sides in from fifteen to twenty fathoms water, and in the lagoons formed by Easter and North groups, are two excellent harbours.

Their western boundaries are formed by a barrier reef upon which the sea is always breaking heavily. On this side they are very steep, as at four miles distance we could not get bottom, with nearly two hundred fathoms of line, whereas to the eastward the greatest depth does not exceed thirty-five fathoms across to the main land.

The islands of the two southern groups are very low, being in no place over twenty feet high, but generally from seven to ten feet. The two principal islands of the northern group are much larger and higher than those to the southward, being in the highest part fifty feet; they are covered to a considerable depth with a sandy soil, which is composed chiefly of decomposed shells and coral, and nourishes a stunted brushwood, which in some places is very thick, and in which we found a great number of Wallabi, a small species of Kangaroo, affording an ample supply of fresh provisions to the crew. Fish also were abundant at every anchorage, but we were unsuccessful in our searches after fresh water, several wells were dry, and after sinking a few feet our progress was invariably stopped by a bed of hard rock, being a calcareous stone which forms the base of all these islands, and is very similar to that of which Rottenest Island is formed.

Houtman's Abrolhos occupy a considerable space north and south, extending nearly N.N.W. and S.S.E., between the parallels of 28° 15' and 29° 0′ of south latitude, being some miles more than that given to them on the charts. East and west they are not nearly so extensive, the whole being contained between the meridians of 113° 32′ and 114° 05' of east longitude.

MERCHANT SEAMENS' FUND.

MR. EDITOR.-In your valuable Magazine for March 1839, there appeared the first petition from myself on this important subject presented to Parliament by Sir Edward Codrington, G.C.B., &c. Several petitions have since been presented to a similar purport, numerously signed by sea-going owners, masters, mates, and seamen.

The following is a copy of a petition now receiving signatures in London; petitions to a similar purport are at several of the out-ports. You would materially assist a cause that you have at all times advocated, if you would give a place to it in your valuable journal. The recommendation and suggestions of the Select Committee of the House of Commons are so just that they cannot be too universally known, nor too highly appreciated by those who wish justice done to the worn-out mariner, the widow, and the orphan.

The Committee suggested certain alterations, namely that the pensions be equalized, except in the cases of seamen and widows, who were entirely disabled, to whom a more ample allowance ought to be made, also to orphan children, than to those who had a surviving parent. That the balances should be safely invested, and applied in maintaining the existing rates of pensions to all present pensioners, when such rates should exceed what would be their share in a general dividend, and applied hereafter to the relief of those widows, who do not come within the conditions prescribed by the Act; or to the establishment of schools for orphan children. The Select Committee also recommend a change in the existing law, on a conviction of the insufficiency thereof, and that the election of Trustees be vested exclusively to sea-going owners, masters, and mates.

In reference to that part of the petition, "or any British Colony from sources similar to those supplied to British Consuls;" permit me to observe that seamen wrecked in a British Colony obtain no relief. As a case in point, suppose a seaman wrecked in the river St. Lawrence, on a fall voyage from Canada, and fortunate enough to reach Quebec, there he may beg or starve through the winter. Suppose a seaman wrecked in the White Sea, and gets to Archangel, there he is supported through the winter by the Consul, and has a passage provided for him to England in the spring.

Green-street, Stepney, Feb. 12.

I remain, &c.

SAMUEL BAKER.

To the Honourable the Commons of Great Britain and Ireland in Parliament

assembled.

The petition of the sea-going owners, masters, mates, and seamen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

Most humbly sheweth

That your petitioners are truly grateful for the inquiry which your Honourable House has caused to be made into the appropriation of certain monies contributed by them to the Merchant Seamen's Fund, for the support of worn-ont and disabled seamen, their widows, and orphans.

But your petitioners regret that the Select Committee appointed by your Honourable House to investigate into the appropriation of this fund, did not

deem it fit to recommend the immediate introduction of a bill to remedy the defects which they acknowledge do exist.

That many of your petitioners have paid for a considerable length of time to this fund, under an impression that they would have been provided for when unable from old age or infirmity to persue their vocation.

Your petitions humbly pray that your Honourable House will take into your consideration the injustice done to the seamen in the merchant navy, in appropriating any portion of the proceeds of this fund towards the relief of the general poor rate.

And they further humbly pray that immediate steps may be taken to facilitate the introduction of such a measure as will enable them to obtain efficient relief under any emergency in England, or in any British Colony, from sources similar to those supplied to British Consuls, and finally that they may be able to ascertain in the fullest manner possible the actual receipts and outlay of the institution, through a distribution of the annual returns in the various outports.

And your petitioners will ever pray, &c.

BATTLE OF ST. VINCENT.-In our last volume we noticed the appearance of Colonel Drinkwater Bethune's account of the Battle of St. Vincent, and recommended those of our readers who keep authentic collections of such records to add it to their stock, more especially as it is accompanied with diagrams shewing the positions of the hostile fleets at different periods of the action. It will be seen by the following spirited view that the Colonel has spared no pains or expense in his work. The view represents H.M.S. Captain boarding the San Nicolas.

LIGHT AT SAVANNA, Georgia.-Custom-house, Collector's-office, Dec. 18th, 1840. To mariners having ingress and egress with this port, notice is hereby given, that a light boat has been moored between Martin's Industry, south-east

* Published by Saunders and Ottley, Conduit Street.

point, and the north bank of Port Royal entrance, and will be lighted up on the first night in February next.

The bearings of this light are as follow, viz.-North Point, Trench's Island N.W.IN.; Bay Point, N.W.b.N.; Tyber light-house, W.S.W., distance about eighteen miles. Depth of water, six fathoms and three-quarters at half ebb. Shows one bright light, which is elevated about twenty-two feet above the surface of the water. Distance from nearest land about eight miles.

LIGHT AT GENOA.-The following notice, issued by the Admiralty at Genoa has been received at Lloyd's from their agent at that port:

Navigators are advised that from the date of the 15th of January, 1811, and after, the illumination of the Pharo of the Grand Lantern of this port, which is built on the extremity of the promontory of St. Benigno, in lat. 44° 24′ 18′′ N., long. 6° 34' 6", will be effected by means of lenticular apparatus of the first order. The flashes of light and eclipses will succeed each other from minute to minute. The elevation of this light is found at 114 metrical measure above the level of the sea, ordinary tide. Its appearance in clear weather will be visible at the distance of ten marine leagues. The less brilliant fixed fire in the intervals between the flashes will be clearly distinguished at five marine leagues, and the eclipses will not be total but beyond the said distance.

LIGHT-HOUSE ON THE MAPLIN SAND.-Trinity-house, London, Jan. 14th.— Notice is hereby given, that the light-house, which has been for some time past in course of erection upon the Maplin Sand, is nearly completed; and that the light therein will be exhibited for the first time, on the evening of Wednesday the 10th of February next; at which time the light, hitherto shown on board of a vessel moored off that Sand, will be discontinued, and the vessel taken away.

Mariners are to observe, that this light-house is erected upon the southeastern projecting part of the Sand, where it becomes dry, or nearly so, at low water spring tides; and they are particularly cautioned and enjoined never, under any circumstances, either by day or by night, to attempt to cross the Sand to the northward of the building.

Mariners are also to observe, that in this light-house, a fixed light, coloured red, and visible in all directions, will be exhibited.

By order,

J. HERBERT, Secretary.

GRINEZ LIGHT.-Boulogne-sur-Mer, January 21st, 1841.-SIR.-From the information we have been able to collect from the captains of the three vessels wrecked at Ambleteuse, it appears evident that they were all misled by the light on Cape Grinez. It is clear that the light in question resembles in all respects that of Dungeness; and nine captains out of ten who have the misfortune to run ashore on the coast of Ambleteuse declare that they believed themselves to be on the English coast, from the fact of the lights alluded to being so much in resemblance to each other. We are well aware that this statement of those captains is correct, and we know that incessant applications for an alteration in the light at Cape Grinez have as yet been made without effect.

A small light has been added, but it is of no use, as it is not visible at a short distance from the coast.

By a recent application our Chamber of Commerce has obtained an inquiry to be made upon the subject, and the result is that all the captains agree that the two lights in question are not sufficiently distinctive from each other.

If we may be allowed to give an opinion upon the subject, we should most certainly say that, if the underwriters of Lloyd's were to request the British

government to apply to that of this country, it would have the desired effect; and the light on Cape Grinez would undergo an alteration such as to avoid in future the loss of property on this coast to such an extent as of late, and particularly since the existence of the light alluded to.

To W. Dobson, Esq., Sec., Lloyd's, London.

We remain, &c.,

ALEX. ADAM & Co.

PORT FLEETWOOD-ON-WYRE HARBOUR LEADING LIGHTS.-Bearings-Magnetic.-Fleetwood-on-Wyre, Lancaster Bay, November the 1st, 1840. The Directors of the Preston and Wyre Railway Harbour and Dock Company, hereby give notice, that the harbour improvements having been so far completed, under the plans of Com. Henry Mangles Denham, R.N., F.R.S., as to permit a straight course direct from sea into the harbour, the same will be denoted, on and after the 1st day of December next, by the exhibition of TWO HARBOUR LIGHTS, from which date the shore beacon, known as Wyre Mark, will be discontinued. These lights (of fixed white character,) will appear to the mariner in upper and lower order when brought in line upon the bearing of south, to which bearing their brilliancy is limited, and will guide him right up the seareach of Wyre according to his draught and time of tide, instead of depending on daylight for navigating the buoyed but serpentine deep The said light-house structures are in addition to the Screw-pile light-house, erected at the western point of entrance last June; and present for a day leading-line two columns of the relative altitudes of 104 and 44 feet above half-tide level. The inner and higher column rises conspicuously from the town site, is of red sand-stone colour, and when in line of the lower light appears between the custom-house and the sea-view hotel, with a spired church half a point westward. The lower light-house stands at high-water mark 850 feet in advance of the higher light-house; it is of a light-coloured stone, springing from a square colonnade, and makes out in relief when in line of the higher column. The two lights by night, or a black ball at the lower column of the two by day, indicate at the present stage of harbour improvements nine feet water right up, which increases to eighteen upon neaps, and twenty-five feet upon spring tides; whilst in the buoyed deep eighteen at half-tide, twenty-four at high-water neaps, and thirtyone feet on high-water springs. The relative height of lights is so arranged, as to dip the higher below the lower when you have passed through the new cut, and may haul south-eastward for the mooring buoys, where twenty feet water is retained at low-water springs. Two black buoys mark the eastern side of the cut, and a black and white chequered buoy the western side. The cut lies at the inner, i. e. southern, portion of the leading line of lights.

H. M. DENHAM, Consulting Marine Surveyor.

N.B. Whenever the above shore light-houses are obscured from the entrance by haze during day tides, the lamps will be lighted to assist the Mariner's eye.

HARBOUR OF COCHIN.-Malabar Coast.-The following notice respecting the establishment of a light at the Port of Cochin, and the removal of the buoys appears in Fort St. George Gazette, of the 23d of April last :

Malabar Principal Collector's Office,
Calicut, 12th April, 1839.

Notice is hereby given, that the Buoys, hitherto laid down at the mouth of the Cochin River were withdrawn on the 1st inst., from which date a light has been shown from the flag-staff at that port, about (111) one hundred and eleven feet above the level of the sea.

• Vide "Denham's Sailing Directions for Port Fleetwood," published at Mawdsley's Liverpool, and Bate's London. 2 D

ENLARGED SERIES.-NO. 3.-VOL. FOR 1841.