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them perfectly invisible at any moderate distance in foggy weather. A white light-house is certainly rendered more conspicuous by a dark back ground either of downs or cliffs, but the cliffs in a fog would be seen when the light-house would not be.

Again, when seen with no back land whatever, owing to their having no strong contrasting colour, or being white of the same nature as the fog itself, they become fairly concealed by it, at the very time when they are most wanted. This subject has engaged the attention of Capt. Beechey, R.N., who in the course of his survey of St. Georges Channel has had frequent opportunities of observing this great defect. To remedy it he suggested that a band or portion of the building should be painted red, which suggestion has been adopted with complete success. The Ballast Office at Dublin has readily carried out his plan on the Maidens Light-house, as will be seen by the following notice, and the good effects of it have become evident. We annex Capt. Beechey's report an it, accompanied by a lithographic view, which he has sent us, showing that the part of the Maidens light-house which has undergone the process is distinctly visible through fog, while the other part is concealed by it We have also a letter from a Master of the Royal Navy confirming this fact. Our commissioners of lights will see the importance of this subject to our coast navigation, and we have no doubt will give it immediate attention.

MAIDENS ROCKS LIGHT-HOUSES, North-east Coast of Ireland.

Ballast Office, Dublin, Sept. 9th, 1841. THE Corporation for Preserving and Improving the Port of Dublin, hereby give notice that an alteration is now in progress of being made in the appearance of the towers of the Maidens Rocks Light-houses, which on and from the 1st of November next, will be marked with broad red belts or zones.

Specification given of the appearance of the towers, by Mr. Halpin, the Inspector of Light-houses.

Those towers have been hitherto coloured white; the lower spaces will be still continued white; the central belts red; and above these, white to the projecting galleries.

The red belts or zones will be nearly one-third of the heights of the towers from their bases to the outside galleries.

The belt being 18 feet in height on the North Light-house.

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NOTE-No change will take place in the appearance of the Lights.

By Order, H. VEREKER, Sec.

THE MAIDENS LIGHT-HOUSES.

DEAR SIR.-A few days ago we had an excellent opportunity of observing the improvement that has been made in the colouring of the Maiden Light-houses, by painting a broad red stripe across the tower, which before was entirely white.

We were endeavouring to make these light-houses in very hazy weather, and when within about a mile, we observed three dark spots somewhat elevated, and a long dark line at the horizon. The spots proved to be the red band which had been recently painted, and the slated roofs of the light-keepers' cottages; whilst the dark line at the horizon was the natural colour of the rock below the whitewash, but no part of the whited tower or of the rocky island which had been whitewashed could be discovered; and it was not until we were quite close that we could discover a faint outline of these objects, the appearance of which may be imagined from the sketch annexed.

There could not have been a stronger proof of the great mistake that has been made in white-washing many of the light-houses in this sea, in the hope of rendering them more conspicuous, but especially in the Maiden towers and rocks, which have been annually coated with lime down to the waters' edge,

and had it not been for the red stripe and the dark roofs of the cottages, which could not be seen when viewed end-ways, the vessel might have been too close to have avoided the danger, and had this occurred the loss of the vessel would have been entirely owing to the expensive process of whitening the rocks and

towers.

On a clear day when the sun shines bright upon a whited tower we must all acknowledge the brilliant effect produced by the lime, but at such times we care very little about light-houses, and at night the light is, of course the best guide. It is in foggy and hazy weather and during gales, which in this sea are almost always attended with mists, that we want our land marks, and there certainly is not any colour which at such times so effectually evades the eye as white.

Captain White in his Channel directions, complains of the difficulty of discerning the Hook light-house in consequence of its whiteness. Lieut. Frazer in his recent survey to the southward of Dublin, could scarcely make any use of the lower Wicklow light-house from the same cause.

I have frequently run for Carlingford Lough, at the entrance of which there is a beautiful light-house 110 feet high, of snow white purity, and in the misty weather which usually attends such exploits have always seen the Black house, a low ruiu about a cable's length inside the light tower, and even the black base of the tower below the whitewash, long before the tower itself could be distinguished.

I could furnish many other instances of a similar kind, but I hope that those which have been given will be sufficient to call further attention to the subject, and that the plan now upon trial at the Maidens under the direction of that most excellent Board, the Ballast office at Dublin, will be generally adopted. But I must observe that at present the plan is only half carried out at the Maidens, as the tower has only one band of red, whereas it should have two, each one third the height of the tower in width, and then the lantern may be white.

I must also remark that this rule should not be applied indiscriminately to all light-houses; for instance, Port Patrick, the Baily, Mull of Kintire, Douglas, and in fact all light-houses situated close under cliffs are decidedly more conspicuous when white; but all towers which stand alone, or, which have half a mile and more of atmosphere between them and the back ground, should be striped, and the stronger the contrast the better.

To the Editor, &c.

I am, &c.,

F. W. B.

SIR.-Being off the Maidens Rocks on the 23d Sept. 1841, in hazy weather, the great utility of the red band lately painted round the light-houses was very apparent; this, the railing round the lantern, and the darkness of the two cottages at the base of the tower being the only parts visible. It is evident that the roofs of these cottages in certain positions cannot be seen, we should, therefore, have been very close to the rocks before they were discovered, had it not been for the band.

As these dangers are five miles distant from the nearest land, swept by a rapid tide, and the lead gives us no warning of an approach to them, every means should be used to render them visible in hazy weather. This appears partly accomplished; and were there another band leaving the centre of the tower white, it would be still more so, aud at the same time prevent the possibility of their being (from a casual glance) mistaken for vessels under sail, which might be the case were they painted entirely red.

I am at a loss to account for the rocks being whitewashed, as they would surely be more easily seen were they left their natural colour, or blacked over, As it is in your power, through your valuable periodical, to call general attention to so important a subject, I veuture to trouble you with this note.

To the Editor, &c.

A MASTER, R.N.

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INSPECTION OF THE PRESENT STATE OF THE ROYAL NAVY. ORDERS have beem sent by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to the chief surveyor-general of the navy, and the governors of Deptford, Woolwich, Chatham, Sheerness, Portsmouth, Plymouth, and Pembroke dock-yards, to send immediately to the Board of Admiralty a correct statement of the present efficient state or sea-worthiness of all the ships within their respective dock-yards, after undergoing a careful survey as to their fitness for service.

Messrs. Lang, Fincham, and Atkins, it appears, have surveyed, in the last fortnight, thirty-three ships in the ordinary at Portsmouth, notwithstanding the tempestuous state of the weather, blowing and raining every day more or less; these officers have previously visited Sheerness and Chatham, and examined the ordinary at each port; they will now proceed to Plymouth, on a similar service, having been selected by the Admiralty for the purpose. Mr. Lang is the senior mastershipwright of the profession; Mr. Fincham the fourth following, and Mr. Atkins the sixth, comprising one-half of her Majesty's builders, and forming a Board of Professional Men, (than whom none could be better) to ascertain the correct state of "England's Wooden Walls," which have long since been, and, we trust, will ever continue to bethe dread and envy of her enemies.-Hants. Tel.

PENSIONS AND PENSIONERS.-The Lords of the Admiralty, taking inte consideration the injustice of the regulation, under which two years* service of the Marines, on shore is reckoned only as one for pensions— have rescinded that regulation. Henceforth there will be no distinction between sea and shore service. Their Lordships have also conferred another act of justice, by allowing great coats to this gallant corps, the same as to regiments of the line. The Lords of the Admiralty have rescinded the regulations which prevented pensioners from receiving their pensions when serving in the royal navy; and all pensioners will, in future, if fit for service, be allowed to receive their pensions in addition to their pay. The Lords Commissioners have directed that in the case of any soldiers who may be temperance men being embarked on board her Majesty's ships, or troop ships, or in transports or freight ships, such non-commissioned officers and privates shall be allowed double rations of sugar, cocoa, and tea, for each ration of spirits stopped. (See our Admiralty orders.)

In consequence of the difficulty experienced in obtaining able-bodied seamen for the ships ordered in commission, the Lords of the Admiralty, wishing to hold out every inducement, have issued the following notice:

“Sir.—I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to acquaint you that they have been pleased to rescind the regulations which prevented pensioners from receiving their pensions when serving on board her Majesty's ships, and that all pensioners will in future, if fit for service, be allowed to receive their pensions with their pay.

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“I am, sir, your very obedient servant, JOHN BARROW."

REACTION.

OUR readers may perhaps remember that Ensign Rushbrook when on duty in Portsmouth dock-yard, a short time ago, lost his life by being blown into the North Camber dock, while visiting the rounds in company with a corporal who shared the same fate. His brother Mr. Rushbrook, mate, has in consequence been promoted to the rank of lieutenant.

In our last we recorded the death of Lieut. Helpman, of H.M.S. Beacon, surveying the Archipelago. The distressed mother of this much esteemed young officer, has had the gratification of seeing her only remaining son a mate in the Wellesley, promoted in consequence, to the rank of lieutenant.

We leave these gracious acts for the comments of our readers. With reference to the accident to Ensign Rushbrook, we understand that as a due precaution against any such accident occurring in the dock-yard for the future, a fence-partly permanent, and partly made to ship and anship in those parts at which stores are landed, is ordered to be erected around the boundaries. This fence is to be placed under the charge of the police, whose duty it will be to see that no part of it shall be removed but for some especial purpose, during the day, and that the whole of it be standing immediately after the working hours have closed.

THE PELORUS. Her Majesty's brig Pelorus was sold out of the service at Singapore 6th July last, by order of Commodore Sir J.J. G. Bremer, and on the following day the officers and crew, with the exception of the acting commander (Chambers,) were transferred to the brig Bentinck, which the commodore had purchased for 6.0001. This brig was fitting for service in China. Lieut. Chambers returns to England. Mr. R. A. Bankier, as Assistant-Surgeon, and Mr. T. R. Tate, as Clerk in Charge, &c., have joined the Bentinck.

The Snake, 16, has been commissioned at Sheerness.

The Hazard, 18, by Commander Bell.-Shipping Gazette.

GENERAL STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY.-The General Steam Navigation Company have recently made another important addition to their numerous and splendid fleet of steam-vessels by the purchase of the Hull steam-ships Vivid and Waterwitch, which have been for the last four years running between Hull and London. The purchase-money for the Vivid and Waterwitch is, we understand, 16,0001. their original cost being 24,0001. each. The General Steam Navigation Company lately bought the Mercury, the largest of the Gravesend steamers; and not long since launched the Trident, of one thousand tons burden. In number and tonnage their fleet of steamers now exceeds those of the Royal Navy, and their consumption of coals amounts to 50,0001. per annum.-Morning Post.

PURSERS. The following memorandum, has been published, dated Admiralty, Sept, 8, 1841,-" Pursers serving as Clerks," are only to wear the uniform of the station in which they are actually serving.-By command of their Lordships,-J. BARROW.

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