to weather, sudden changes of climate, and all those other hardships which were inseparable from a sailor's life. This hospital had now been in existence about forty years, and continued to perform admirably all the functions for which it was instituted. Its central situation and facility of access were great advantages, the accommodation afforded was excellent, the number of patients discharged cured was fully equal to that of any hospital on shore; and, while all the temporal wants of the inmates were carefully attended to, the management had not been unmindful that it was equally their duty to instil into the hearts, softened and prepared by sickness and affliction, spiritual instruction, which they trusted might thereafter bring forth good fruits. It was, however, necessary to observe that efforts of this description could not be successful without a liberal expenditure; and, although they had received some large donations, and were therefore no longer struggling with those pecuniary difficulties which, in his own memory, almost endangered the existence of the institution, they were still earnestly desirous not to break in on their capital, and relied therefore on the kind and liberal support of the public-a support which had never been solicited in vain, and which he was sure would not be now withheld. The committee of management were very anxious that those amongst their friends and supporters who had not yet visited the hospital would do so in the course of the ensuing summer, and they were sure that those who went would be satisfied with the good arrangements, the comfort, and the cleanliness they would observe."

It was gratifying, continued Albert, to find a British Admiral advocating thus a charity of this noble and disinterested kind-one which had the benefit of all maritime countries at heart, and it was no less gratifying to see his exertions well supported.

The conversation then turned on electric cables, and it was stated that, although at present in a discouraging condition, submarine electric communication was active in the Mediterranean, and that the Americans were going to try their hands at it in the Pacific, in connecting their western shores with Japan and China; in which Russia would also be interested, to connect her new territory, obtained from the Chinese by a treaty signed at Pekin on the 14th of November last, five days after Lord Elgin left the city. The signing parties were Prince Kung and Count Ignatieff. By this treaty China cedes to Russia all the seaboard from the mouth of the Amoor, in 141° E., to the mouth of the Tumen, in 131° E. This valuable strip of land is stated to be fully 900 miles long by from 100 to 200 miles in breadth, and may be considered as advancing Russia's facilities for operating either for or against China.

It would seem by this that while the Anglo-Saxon race would divide the Northern Pacific with the Russians and Japanese, we shall have a tolerably good share of it in the South.

NO. 4.-VOL. XXX.

2 F

Secretary's Mems.

M. G. de la Tour, of the Corps Legislatif, states in his Report on the French Imperial Navy, that 600,000 soldiers and 100,000 seamen should be always the normal force of France.

To be depended on.

F. Fixed. F. Fixed and Flashing. R. Revolving. I. Intermitting. Est. Established.

(a.) 6.-Directions for Esquimalt and Victoria Harbours,-By Captain Richards, R.N.

The Race Rocks Tower is visible distant 12 miles, and should be rounded from half a mile to a mile; the outermost danger, of 5 feet, is S.E.b.E. 3 or 4 cables from the Great Race.

On rounding the Race Islands, Fisgard Island fixed light will be seen, and

should be steered for, N. W., to clear the reef off Albert Head. Keep the bright light in view; if a vessel be too far westward it will first become dim, then shaded or green, when she should immediately steer eastward to brighten

it.

This precaution is required by the tides, which in springs run 6 knots near the Race Rocks; the ebb runs almost direct from Haro Štrait to them, and between them and the shore; there are also tide-races near them, dangerous to boats.

A vessel northward of Albert Head and making for Royal Roadstead should bring Fisgard Island light N.b. W., when she will have 10 fathoms good holding ground, or she may stand westward until the light becomes shaded green, then anchor immediately.

Entering Esquimalt Harbour from sea, leave the light one to two cables' lengths on port hand, when it bears S.b. W. a ship may anchor in 7 fathoms, or stand into Constance Cove. When it bears N.W.b.W. it becomes red, which it shows in the harbour.

Entering Esquimalt from the eastward, as soon as the light shows bright steer for it, and you will clear Brotchy Ledge and the Scrogg Rocks; when it changes from red to bright, it leads about half a cable clear or those rocks. The course for Victoria Harbour after rounding the Race light is N. E. (allowing for tides), and when Fisgard light changes from bright to red a vessel will be scarcely a mile from the shore.

Those ships only, or coasters, acquainted with the neighbourhood should run for Victoria Harbour at night; others should anchor in Royal Roadstead for daylight. With S.E. winds and stormy weather a ship should invariably run into Esquimalt Harbour, which she can easily do by means of Fisgard light.

The bearings are magnetic. Variation, 22° 4' in 1861.

ISLAND VIGIAS OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN.

We continue our usual gleanings of these notices to our maritime readers, that enables them to keep their charts corrected by these fugitive but useful remarks; and the first we shall refer to relates to that of the Pacific Ocean, to the S.W. of the Sandwich Islands, being a useful report from the brig Josephine; and we are much inclined to agree that the islands alluded to are unworthy of retaining their positions on the chart. At any rate such evidence of their non-existence is valuable.

September 17th.-Sailed from Honolulu. Ran for an island laid down, as per chart, in long. 163° 58′ W., lat. 11° 30′ N., with a lookout aloft, on a parallel of lat. 11° 30′ from long. 163° 37' to 164° 25', thus sailing over the position of the island at mid-day and in clear weather; saw but two birds. That island is not in existence.

Thence steered for Paltroon Island, laid down as per chart in long. 164° 38′ W., lat. 10° 25' N., with a look-out aloft and with good observations, sailed on the parallel of lat. 10° 25' from long. 163° 55' to 165° 20, and saw less than a dozen birds. Was around the position of this island for two days, and had good observations. From long. 165° 25′ to 165° 41′ W., and lat. 8° 55′ to 6° 48′ was five days, calms and light winds prevailing, with a current setting E.N.E. at the rate

of three miles per hour, accompanied with heavy squalls of wind and rain.

28th. Ran for an island laid down in the chart in long. 166° 2′ W., lat. 6° 38′ N. Sailed over the position of this island at mid-day, with good observations: saw some large flocks of birds, and many of them land birds. Believe that there is an island in existence thereabouts, but not within sixty miles of its position on the chart. For three days had the wind S.S.W., with a current setting N.E. at the rate of 2 miles per hour.

30th. Ran for four islands laid down as occupying a space of five or six miles; position on chart, long. 169° 32′ W., lat. 4° 32′ N. Sailed over the position of these islands several times at mid-day, clear weather, good observations, and a look-out aloft and on deck day and night. Looked for these islands for three days; saw many birds, and the most of them land birds. Believe that there is one or more islands in this vicinity, but not within sixty or a hundred miles of the position of these islands, as per chart and the latest survey to be had there.

As these seven islands which I have searched for are more or less in the track of ships bound from San Francisco or Honolulu to Baker Island, I would say that ship-masters need not fear them in the positions which I have given, and may run in search of them with safety, either by day or by night, with the ordinary look-out. I would here say that I have E. and G. W. Blunt's charts of date 1849, with additions to 1858.

THE VIPER SHOAL,-China Sea.

A friend has considerately sent us the Straits Times of Singapore, in which we find the following:

The subjoined extract from the log-book of the steamship Ottawa has been received from the Superintendent of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, and is published for general information. It denotes the position of a shoal in the Palawan Passage which is not laid down in the chart. Captain Gribble, of the Ottawa, is of opinion that this is the Viper Shoal, the position of which is marked in the chart as doubtful.

"6th December, 1860.-2.45 p.m sighted from the mast-head broken water on the port bow, having every appearance of being a shoal about half a cable's length in extent from East to West, with no indication of shoal water near it. When abeam at 3h. p.m. it was two or three miles distant from the ship, and was then just visible from the deck.

"Position of ship at 3h. p.m., lat. 7° 14' N., long. 115° 7′ 15′′ E. Position of shoal, lat. 7° 16′ N., long. 115° 5' E."

We accept the foregoing as the real position of the Viper Shoal, as that in the chart is marked "doubtful," and consider it a very important contribution towards obtaining a correct chart of the China Sea.

The following information on the Great Barrier and outlying reefs on the N.E. coast of Australia, and the passage through Torres Strait by Raine Island, is from remarks by Captain Denham, of H.M. surveying ship Herald, from August to November 1860.

The Great Barrier Reef was traced from the Herald's former position of 1859, in lat. 20° 50′ S., long. 152° 1' 20" E., to Flinders Passage in lat. 18° 53' S., long. 148° 13' 0" E. The outer margin was found to trend in a W.N.W. direction for 245 miles, with an average depth of 100 fathoms within three to six miles of the reefs. The position of Flinders reefs was determined as follows;-The South extreme in lat. 17° 53′ 30′′ S., long. 148° 27′ 50′′ E.; the eastern elbow, in lat. 17° 39′ 50′′ S., long. 148° 34' E. To the northward of these reefs a dangerous breaker, which nearly occasioned the loss of the Herald, was discovered in lat. 17° 21′ 18′′ S., long. 148° 28′ 50′′ E., and was named the Heralds Surprise. Captain Denham in pursuing his route to the northward determined the extent and position of the Holmes Reefs; the South extreme of the western of these reefs is in lat. 16° 30′ S., long. 147° 47′ 41′′ E., from whence they extend thirteen miles eastward and seven miles northward.

A reported sounding of 17 fathoms in lat. 11° 49′ S., long. 145° 49' E., by the brig Dragon, in the fairway track to Raine Island Passage, was ascertained not to exist in the position assigned it.

In the passage from Raine Island to the westward for Torres Strait, the Tynemouth Shoal, as laid down in the charts with the West sand of the middle banks bearing E. & N., and Sir Charles Hardy North Island S.S.W. W., (the reported bearings,) was not seen by Captain Denham. It is therefore recommended that mariners keep a vigilant look out from aloft in this part of the route.

The Herald found good anchorage out of the strength of the tide in the small bay on the N.W. side of Hammond Island, Prince of Wales Channel. The longitude of this bay, as given in the charts, was verified in 142° 11' 40" E., and navigators in passing this locality, but more especially at Booby Island in lat. 10° 36′ S., long. 141° 54′ 45′′ E., may test the rates of their chronometers from the time of leaving Sydney or other port in New South Wales.

As several vessels of late years have passed with safety through the Great North-east Channel of Torres Strait, navigators are not to assume from this or any foregoing notice that the Raine Island Passage is recommended in preference; nor, in navigating the Coral Sea towards Torres Strait, should any ship notwithstanding the now accurate delineation of the Barrier and outlying reefs, pass westward of the reefs forming the western boundary dangers of the fairway track, unless compelled to do so by unfavourable winds.

After seeing that Booby Island was well provisioned for distressed ships' crews, the Herald proceeded to the North-western dangers of Torres Strait, which are out of sight of Booby Island; the southern and most in the way is the Proudfoot, a coral shoal with nine feet of