midst of the crowded deck. When used simply as a shot, a head of iron or steel is substituted for the fuse. The penetrating character of the new missile may be judged from the following facts:-A fivepound shot fired at a timber target three feet thick, composed of six layers of rock elm bolted together so as to form a solid block, passed entirely through it when fired from a distance of 1,500 yards. 12-poud shot at Shoeburyness fired at 800 yards distance perforated a solid body of oak timber nine feet thick.

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The havoc made in the iron sides and ribs of the Trusty, floating battery, by one of Mr. Armstrong's 32-pound shot has been recorded. At a range of 400 yards the steel-headed shot" drove in a portion of one of the plates, went through the side, tearing away one of the beams, deck, &c., and passed out over the upper deck." With such deadly flying steel-headed iron rams as Mr. Armstrong has invented, and with the improved cannon for projecting them, we need fear no floating rams nor iron mailed batteries.

TYPHOON IN THE CHINA SEA.

H.M.S. Niger, Hongkong, November 27th, 1858. Sir, I beg to forward for your information, in the hope that it may be acceptable, an account of the weather experienced by the P. & Ŏ. C. steamer Pekin, (on board which ship I was a passenger,) on her last passage up the China Sea, during which she narrowly escaped the vortex of a typhoon. I may add, that Captain Burne in laying to until the vortex had passed the course he intended to steer, showed his thorough knowledge of the principles which appear to govern the movements of these storms, and has afforded a practical illustration to his brother seamen of the advantages of studying the STORM COMPASS attached to your valuable little work the Seaman's Hurricane Companion.

I have, &c.,

To the Editor of the Nautical Magazine.

P. CRACROFT.

The Pekin left Sincapore at 4h. p.m. on Saturday, the 30th of October, with the mails and passengers for Hongkong, and passed Pedra Branca (the Horsburgh Light) at 7.15 the same evening. Everything had been made snug in anticipation of meeting the N.E. monsoon, which usually commences about this period, and it was the intention of Capt. Burne, had it made very strong, to steer for the Palawan; but the wind veered to the westward, so a course was shaped direct up the China Sea. Nothing particular occurred till off Pulo Sapata, when a very heavy swell was encountered, and the weather looked threatening; but as the barometer kept up, no great change

was apprehended. The following is an extract from the log, commencing on Friday, November the 5th, at noon.

Lat. 13° 56' N., long. by chron. 114° 29', course N. E., knots 6, 4 fathoms, wind W.N.W.,; at 4h. p.m. bar. 29-81, ther. 81°, 11 revolutions per minute, Mau-Mee-Chow N. 4° W., 474 miles. Sent up fore yard; bent and set foresail. Strong wind with heavy confused sea, cross swell and frequent hard squalls with rain; ship labouring heavily, and taking in water over all. 4h, same wind, weather, and sea. 5h. crossed fore topsail yard, close reefed sail and set it. 7h. 7 knots. At 8h. bar. 29-85, ther. 81°, 11 revolutions per minute. Strong wind and hard squalls; sea from N.W.; swell from northward and eastward. 10h. wind W.b.N. Midnight, bar. 29-84, ther. 81°, 11 revolutions per minute. Same wind and weather; very

heavy squalls; ship labouring a good deal, shipping water over all. Saturday, 6th. At 1h. a.m., course N. E., 7 knots, wind westerly, bar. 29.80. Very strong breeze with occasional hard squalls, and small rain. Dark cloudy weather all round. High confused sea from N.W., with long swell, crossing it, from North-eastward. 2h. wind W.b.S., bar. 29-75. Wind increasing, with hard gusts. Barometer falling steadily. 3h. bar. 29.73. Occasional flashes of sheet lightning to the N.W.b.N. Weather looking heavier and darker; wind and sea increasing. 3.15, turned all hands out, and took in the foresail, securing it with double gasketts. 4h. bar. surf. conv. 29-72, ther. 80°. Same weather. Took in and stowed the fore top staysail, double reefed the fore trysail. 5h. 8 knots, bar. oscillating between 29.72 and 29.75.

Daylight discovered the most sinister and threatening appearances in the weather; clouds dark and heavy, and banked up all round, with flying ragged edges, and charged with rain, streakyscud mist overhead, and the whole atmosphere, clouds, and sky gleaming with a livid lurid glare, which was heightened by the increasing light into a kind of fiery brickdust-red-and-yellow tinge, and then subsided to a general ashen and lead colour. Wind rising fast, with a moaning blast as it rose. Took in fore topsail and secured it with double gasketts. Battened all hatches, scuttles, &c. down, and secured everything about the decks. Boats (four of them) already in board on quarter deck. 6h. 7 knots, wind West, bar. 29.75 to 29.72. 7h. knots 6, fathoms 4, bar. 29.75, Wind veering to northward considered that it formed the southern South-western verge of a cyclone, which having already traversed the sea from the eastward in somewhere about the parallel of 10° N. lat. and this caused the high and confused sea and cross swell which we have experienced during the past few days, had recurved and was now passing ahead of us to the eastward. The centre-having borne North-at six o'clock, towards which our course was thus bringing us nearer, and as confirmed by the increasing strength of the wind, accordingly eased engines, so as to allow the centre to pass without our approaching nearer to it, and yet preserve a steerage way, and

hauled the ship a point to the northward, sea running very high and ship pitching heavily. Hooked on and manned relieving tackles; ship bowing the sea well. Strong gale now blowing with hard gusts and thick small rain. Ship labouring much and the sea striking heavily under the sponsons. Rove four heavy luff tackles, and hooked them on to chain slings round the funnels, two to each, and set them up as preventer stays. Spread half quarter deck awning, lashing it down to the rail in the side as shelter for the passengers. Wind gradually veering to northward, showing that we were in the S.W. quadrant of the retrograde cyclone, and that its centre was passing to the eastward and away from us. 8h. course N.b.W., knot 1, wind W.b.N., bar. surf. conv. 29-75, ther. 80°. 9h. knots 2, bar. 29-75. 10h. wind W.N.W., bar. 29-74, ther. 79°. 11h. bar. 29.73. Noon, knot 1, fathoms 6, wind N.W. W., bar. 29-74, ther. 79°. Same weather with less hard gusts. Engines going full power since 9.30 a.m.

Course made by account N. 12° E., distance made 140 miles, lat, 16° 14′ N., long. by acc. 114° 58′ E. var. 6° E.

1h. p.m., course N.b.W., knots 3, wind N.W.b.N. Strong gale and very heavy sea. Carried away one of the tiller blocks; replaced it. 2h. ship pitching heavily and taking in seas over the forecastle. 4h., bar. 29.76, ther. 79. Weather the same. Set double reefed

fore trysail,-in ditto. 6h. bar. 29.78. Very heavy squalls with high sea. Shipped a very heavy sea. A great quantity of water in fore saloon. 7h. squalls less frequent and moderating. 8h. knots 3, fathoms 4, bar. 29-80, ther. 78°, 9 revolutions per minute. Weather more moderate. Sea less high, but confused. Hands at the relieving tackles. 9h., course N. W., knots 4. Midnight, bar. 29-88, ther. 77, 9 revolutions per minute. Strong wind with frequent lulls. Ship taking much water over all. Sea more confused. Ship labouring very much. Sky clearer.

From this period the weather gradually improved, the wind drew round and settled in the N.E., and on the 9th at 10h. a.m. the Pekin arrived at Hongkong, and I was thankful to reach the end of the miscalled "overland" journey. We had the usual "equinoctial" in the "Bay," a levanter in the Mediterranean, and a typhoon in the China Sea,-quite enough for one trip.

[We are inclined to think that this was no retrograde movement of the great whirlwind,-the vessel having altered her course westerly would make it appear that it was travelling eastward. The Storm Compass alluded to is published by Potter, and has been distinguished by being translated into Spanish, as noticed in a former number.-ED.]

THE TIDE OF FORTUNE.

Another illustration of Shakespeare's lines,-"There is a tide in the affairs of man," &c., found in a Sandwich Islands paper wearing the garb of fact.

One little act of politeness will sometimes pave the way to fortune and preferment. The following sketch illustrates this fact:

A saor, roughly garbed, was sauntering through the streets of New Orleans, then in a rather damp condition from recent rain and the rise of the tide. Turning the corner of a much frequented alley, he observed a young lady standing in perplexity, apparently measuring the depth of the muddy water between her and the opposite side-walk, with no very satisfied countenance.

The sailor paused, for he was a great admirer of beauty, and certainly the fair face that peeped out from under the little chip hat, and the auburn curls hanging glossy and unconfined over her muslin dress, might tempt a curious or admiring glance. Perplexed, the lady put forth one little foot, when the gallant sailor with characteristic impulsiveness exclaimed,

"That pretty foot, lady, should not be soiled with the filth of this lane; wait for a moment only, and I will make you a path."

So springing past her into a carpenter's shop opposite, he bargained for a plank board that stood in the doorway, and coming back to the smiling girl, who was just coquettish enough to accept the services. of the handsome young sailor, he bridged the narrow black stream, and she tripped across with a merry "thank you," and a roguish smile, making her eyes as dazzling as they could be.

Alas, our young sailor was perfectly charmed. What else would make him catch up and shoulder the plank, and follow the little witch through the streets to her home; she twice performed the ceremony of "walking the plank," and each time thanking him with one of her eloquent smiles. Presently our young hero saw the young lady trip up the marble steps of a palace of a house, and disappear within its rosewood entrance; for a full moment he stood looking at the door, and then with a wonderful big sigh turned away, disposed of his draw bridge, and wended his path back to his ship.

The next day he was astonished with an order of promotion from the captain. Poor Jack was speechless with amazement; he had not dreamed of being exalted to the dignity of a second mate's office on board one of the most splendid ships that sailed out of the port of New Orleans. He knew he was competent, for instead of spending his money for amusements, visiting theatres and bowling-alleys on his return from sea, he purchased books and became quite a student; but he expected years to intervene before his ambitious hopes would be realized.

His superior officers seemed to look upon him with considerable leniency, and gave him many a fair opportunity to gather maritime knowledge; and in a year the handsome, gentlemanly, young mate

NO. 2.-VOL. XXVIII.

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had acquired unusual favour in the eyes of the portly commander, Capt. Hume, who had first taken the smart little black-eyed fellow, with his neat tarpaulin and tidy bundle, as cabin boy.

One night the young man, with all the officers, was invited to an entertainment at the captain's house. He went, and to his astonishment mounted the identical steps that had two years before the brightest vision he had ever seen; a vision he had never forgotten. Thump, thump, went his brave heart, as he was ushered into the great parlour; and like a sledge hammer it beat again, when Capt. Hume introduced his blue-eyed daughter, with a pleasant smile, as "the young lady once indebted to your politeness for a safe and dry walk home." His eyes were all a blaze, and his brown cheeks flushed hotly, as the noble captain sauntered away, leaving fair Grace Hume at his side. And in all that assembly was not so handsome a couple as the gallant sailor and the "pretty ladie."

It was only a year from that time that the second mate trod the quarter-deck, second only in command, and part owner with the captain, not only in his vessel, but in the affections of his daughter, gentle Grace Hume, who had always cherished respect, to say nothing of love, for the bright-eyed sailor.

His homely but earnest act of politeness toward his child had pleased the Captain, and, though the youth knew it not, was the cause of his first promotion. So that now the old man has retired from business, Harry Wells is Captain Wells, and Grace Hume is, according to polite parlance, Mrs. Captain Wells. In fact, our honest sailor is one of the richest men in the Crescent City, and he owes, perhaps, the greater part of his prosperity to his tact and politeness in crossing the street.

DEEP SOUNDINGS IN THE PACIFIC.

[The following extract from a Sandwich Island paper will show that the United States officers, who took the lead in sounding the Atlantic Ocean, are doing the same in the Pacific; a course prophetic of an important future on their gradually increasing western border.]

The schooner Fenimore Cooper, which arrived on Tuesday, left San Francisco on the 26th of September, having been sent out by order of the United States Navy department to survey the route to China from San Francisco. Her officers are Lieut. Commanding John M. Brooke, Lieut. Charles E. Thorburn, and Mr. Kern, draughtsman. Lieut. Brooke will be remembered by our readers as the inventor of the deep sea sounding apparatus, through the means of which the telegraph plateau across the Atlantic was mapped out by Lieut. Maury, a knowledge of which has led to the successful laying of the Atlantic telegraph. Lieut. Thorburn was a member of the commission which