PARLIAMENTARY,-Thursday, March 18th.-Harbours of Refuge.-Mr. Rice, seconded by Mr. Planta, moved for a select committee on the state of the harbours of refuge along the south-eastern coast. A commission had heen appointed last year to examine this subject, and had made a report, which it was now sought to refer to the proposed committee.-Mr. Baring resisted the motion, both because it suggested no particular course, and because a commission was a more competent authority in such a matter than a committee of members of Parliament.-Mr. Mackinnon thought a committee would be useful to decide between the deep-water and the back-water principle.-Capt. Pechell urged, that when millions of money were voted for churches, there might be a grant for harbours. It was as important, he said, to preserve men's lives as their souls.-Mr. C. Wood was of opinion that no useful addition could be made by a committee to the information already existing Sir R. Peel was not disposed to promote the formation of a variety of harbours of refuge, except to the extent of providing mere shelter for small craft; as to the larger class of vessels, he was sure it would be a more useful policy to construct one or two large and serviceable harbours, than to lay out several smaller sums in making minor ports, which at last would probably be found of little avail. He thought the matter should be left to the Government.-The motion was negatived.

Mr. La Roche.-Mr. Alston moved that a petition of a naval officer, named La Roche, should be referred to a select committee. The petitioner complained that the Admiralty had left him for very many years unemployed, in consequence of an intemperate letter addressed by him to their board, in which he had reflected on the conduct of the officers composing a court-martial upon some part of his previous conduct, and which latter he had refused to withdraw at the board's suggestion; and he further complained that he had been passed over in a late promotion.-Sir T. Cochrane thought it undesirable that such objects should be referred to the cognizance of the House of Commons. If the mover thought the Admiralty did not do justice to the Queen's officers, he had better propose a vote expressing his want of confidence in them.—Admiral Adam panegyrized the officers composing the courtmartial, and observed upon the unfitness of re-opening their inquiry, when thirtyfour years had since elapsed.-Capt. Pechell supported the motion: but which was negatived without a division.

NOTICES TO MARINERS.

ROCK AMONG The Phillipine ISLANDS.-Extract of a letter from Captain Herbert of H.M.S. Calliope describing a Shoal discovered in the Straits of San Bernardino, about three miles off the island of Sibuyan.

"A coral reef of which there was no appearance either by discoloured water or ripple about three miles off the island of Sibuyan in the following bearings. The centre of the two peaks of Sibuyan S. 45° E.; the deep saddle of the island S. 11° E.; extreme western point S. 56° W.; eastern extreme S. 85° E. No soundings were given by the leadsman, or any visible danger seen by the masthead-man, or any shewn on the chart."

NEW LIGHT-HOUSE AT STOCKHOLM.-The following has been received at Lloyd's from the Swedish and Norwegian General Consulate, dated London, Nov. 21, 1840:

"Sir.-I have the honour to communicate to you for the information of mariners, the following translation of an ordinance issued by the Royal Navy Board, at Stockholm on the 30th of October, and to which I am free to request that you will give publicity :

"1. That a new light-house of stone has been erected on the Utklippon, situated in N. lat. 55° 56, and in long. 33° 50 E. from Ferro, about 24 German or geographical miles south from the castle of Kingsholm near Cariskrona, on which tower has been placed a revolving light, which gives three equal clear flames within a period of six minutes, with equal long intervals of dark. The height of the tower is thirty-two feet above the rock, and the light fiftythree feet above the level of the sea; consequently, the latter ought, in clear

ot be a tendency to increased action ?* As the er is, to maintain its level, so in the fluid air to be at rest; and this state in either, we all an often be only fully accomplished by a violent

wind, although generally occurring, is not an f the tidal operation, it must be presumed that es in action at the time, or preceding it, to pro

at an increase of strength of the westerly winds, isture, is generally coincident with the rise of erally subsides again with the ebb, is too remarkWe need not, therefore, be at a loss to account les so commonly experienced in the locality of such periods. It may be well for those mariners

of the sea to study the subject with care; for, d to predict the coming and probable duration antage not to be despised near coasts so full of

the subject might be extended to the wide ocean, roportioned to the difference of rise, may happen advances along the Atlantic, modified, of course, eather, and principally regulated by the hygroair.

n, a movement of the air in the direction of the ander any parallel, would probably be the result. be blowing, it would, perhaps, in like manner, h breeze, and so on to a gale. In this way we for those sudden but temporary increases of wind at sea. The great extent of the wave may, in up for the want of elevation, and the effect, e so considerable when compared with that which waters become fluent, and the vertical rise aughe less certain. At all events, the suggestion is probable causes of a sudden increase and short he ocean, as whatever disturbs the equilibrium of reate a movement of the air.

extremely reasonable, under certain conditions, all to mind the compressive action of a bellows ed to reconcile the observed effect with the given

estigation of the subject, the following inferences rations already made. When the wind is at any est and west of whatever strength it may be prerally be found to increase with the spring flood be attended with moisture, and to subside again ease of the wind commencing some hours before

it be admitted, is going on over the water, the heat and the ocean would increase the expansibility of the air as it nt for the violent gusts which are experienced at such 3 B

NO. 6.-VOL. FOR 1841.

weather, to be seen when two and a half geographical miles distant, or more, from a vessel, whose deck is ten feet above the water.

"2. That, instead of the former coal beacon at Tandsort, outside the one entrance to Stockholm, a revolving light has been erected, consisting of a triangle with three reflectors on each side, which, similar to the one at Utklippon, will give three strong flames, with equally long intervals of darkness, within a period of six minutes. The tower, which has been partially altered, is sixty-four feet high, and the light being 147 feet above the level of the sea, ought in clear weather to be visible four geographical miles distant, or more, from a ship's deck ten feet above the sea.

“The above-mentioned two lights will be exhibited on the 15th of November, and continue at the same time of day and night as at the other light houses in the kingdom."

"I have the honor, &c.,

"To W. Dobson, Esq., Secretary of Lloyd's."

"CHARLES TOTTIE.''

PLUM ISLAND, Feb. 1.-The light-houses at the entrance of Newburyport harbour, on Plum Island, are now arranged in such order that vessels may run in over the bar at two-thirds flood, night or day, by keeping them in range— which course should be continued till within two hundred yards of the Eastern light, when if in the night time you must haul to the north about a cable's length and anchor, or proceed up the river if you can; but all vessels of a moderate draught will be safe at an anchor when the eastern light bears S. E. & mile disPHINEAS GEORGE, Keeper of the Lights.

tant.

HAMBURGH, Feb. 23.—On the part of the Navigation and Harbour Deputies an arrangement has been made, that upon re-opening the navigation a small craft shall be placed beneath Schulaw, between the black buoys Nos. 9 and 10, on the southern side of the river, where some time ago two ships have been lost; and that the said craft during the day time shall carry a signal, and during the night a lanthorn, and that she shall remain there until the many vessels which are at present lying at Cuxhaven have come up to town, and sufficient warnings will have been fastened to the wrecks, which is hereby notified.

Signed

THE DEPUTIES OF NAVIGATION,

NOTICE TO MARINERS.-Extract from a letter dated St. Petersburgh, 18th February, 1841, addressed to Thomas Cope, Esq., Secretary to the Russia Company, London.

The hydrographical department of the Ministry of Marine has published that, of the two lighthouses on Felsand, (on the western coast of the island of Vesel,) one built of stone and the other of wood, the latter is so decayed that during the present year 1841, it will be entirely rebuilt; that, in lieu of there being, as hitherto, two fixed lights on this point, the stone lighthouse alone will be lighted; that in every three minutes the light will be visible for two minutes and invisible during one minute. This change will show the difference between the lights on the island of Dago and Swafaat, (on the south-west point of the island of Vesel,) both these being continual lights. At St. Petersburgh the weather continues very steady; a decided thaw has not yet taken place; when the weather changes it is expected to be succeeded by an early spring."

LIGHT-HOUSE ON THE BREAKWATER, PLYMOUTH.-The foundation-stene of a light-house, to be built on the west end of the Plymouth Break water, has been laid.

AMERICAS Navy.-Our readers will recollect, that during the height of the discussion upon the state of our Navy, the detractors, not content with their endeavours to impress upon all the world the opinion of its decline, never failed to contrast its condition with that of France and of America. The calamitous condition of the French squadron driven for shelter into Palma last month gives a tolerable idea of the state of efficiency in which the ships of that nation are maintained; and the large votes of money to remedy the admitted paucity of their dock-yard material, are sufficient proofs that neither in their effective nor non-effective state do they merit the praise of these vaunting eulogists.

With respect to the United States of America, we learn by the last accounts that so far from their limited fleet being maintained in a state for service, with the exception of the ships in commission, there is scarcely one but what would require extensive repairs, while their fortifications are represented as in a deplorable state of dilapidation.

During a debate in the House of Representates on the 25th of February, on the subject of extending the vote for Naval appropriation from one million and a half to two million dollars, Mr. Thompson observed, "The condition of the Navy is one of ruin and dilapidation. He would state but one fact, and if the Secretary and all the officers should contradict it, he would assert it still, for he knew it to be true. When the French squadron were blockading the whole coast of Brazil, and the interests of the American merchants then required support and defence, a small ship was sent to New York for Commodore Kidgeley; but when she was about to sail she was found so rotten as not to be seaworthy, and we had no other ship afloat that could go; and in this urgent and pressing state of circumstances we had to wait, to leave our commerce unprotected for months, till at last a little sloop was found and sent."

The fact is, that both now and heretofore the extent of the Naval force of America has been greatly overrated. They maintain a few ships in good condition, but their ability to extend their force, even to double it, is very questionable; and of the ships that appear in their list, many are, we are assured, unfit for sea, until repaired, and not a few of such defective qualities as not to be worth repairing. In case of war it will be long ere the United States of America fits out a fleet of ships-of-the-line, and their operations will most probably be confined, as formerly, to single cruizers, and these will, of course, be perfectly and efficiently equipped. The means of blockading are, however, rendered more sure and easy since the introduction of steam navigation; and in the face of steam-vessels incessantly on the watch it will be difficult for their ships to escape, more particularly as all the ports of the United States are beset by bars, only passable at certain seasons. The following has been put forth as the distribution of the American Navy at the present time.

The United States has sixty-eight vessels of war, including those on the stocks, thirty-three of which are in active service, viz., one ship-of-the-line, five frigates, thirteen sloops, four brigs, seven schooners, two coast-steamers, and one storeship. They are distributed as follows:

Mediterranean-1 line-of-battle ship, 1 frigate, 2 sloops; West Indies-1, frigate, 1 sloop; Brazils-1 frigate, 3 sloops, 1 schooner; Pacific-1 trigate, 3 sloops; Coast of Africa-2 brigantines, 1 schooner; Coast of Florida-3 schooners; Atlantic Coast-2 schooners; Surveying-1 brig; Exploring-2 sloops, 1 brig, 1 schooner. Two fine steam-frigates are building at the Brocklyn and Philadelphia Navy-yards; the former to be armed with eight ten-inch Paixhan guns.-Naval and Military Gazette.

MAGICIENNE. The French frigate Magicienne, of 40 guns, has been wrecked on the Bombay Shoal, in the Palawan Passage, on her way to Manilla. Her crew was saved by the English ships Mysore and Clifford, and the French vessel Favourite. The French corvette Danaide had started for the wreck, with a view to save all she could from it.