The light-keepers are provided with a 9-pounder carronade and a code of Marryatt's signals, which will be used to warn vessels observed to be standing into danger.

The bearings are magnetic.

Variation 4° E. in 1858.

LIST OF CHARTS Published and Corrected by the Hydrographic Office, Admiralty, in February, 1859.

England, South coast, Needles Channel, corrected to February, 1859, (1s. 6d.)

England, West coast, Liverpool Bay, corrected by Lieut. M. Parks, R.N., 1859, (2s. 6d.)

France, Mediterranean, sheet 1, Palamos to Cape Béarn, (1s. 6d.) France, Mediterranean, sheet 2, Cape Béarn to Cape D'Agde, (1s. 6d.) France, Mediterranean, sheet 3, Cape D'Agde to Les Saintes Maries, (1s. 6d.)

France, Mediterranean, sheet 4, Les Saintes Maries to Marseille, (1s. 6d.) France, Mediterranean, sheet 5, Marseille to Hyéres, (1s. 6d.) France, Mediterranean, sheet 6, Hyéres to Rade D'Agay, (1s. 6d.) France, Mediterranean, sheet 7, Rade D'Agay to St. Remo, (1s. 6d.) South Pacific Ocean, Woodlark Island, South coast, Mr. Arguimbau, Master, R.N., 1858, (1s.)

Australia, Port Jackson and views, Capt. Denham, R.N., F.R.S., 1857, (3s.)

West India Pilot, vol. 2, Capt. E. Barnett, R.N., (5s.)

African Lights corrected to February, 1859, Commander Dunsterville, R.N., (3d.)

Deep Sea Soundings in the North Atlantic Ocean between Newfoundland, the Azores, and England, by Commander Dayman, R.N., in September and October, 1858, (1s)

North Sea Pilot, Appendix No. 1.

Admiralty, 21st February, 1859.

THE GREAT EASTERN.

The Civil Engineer's Journal says of the Great Eastern that— The preparations necessary for fitting this noble vessel for sea have at last been decided on, and will be immediately carried out. To one contractor will be entrusted the iron work still requisite in the hull and in the construction of the poop and masts, while separate contracts will provide for the rigging and sails and the cabin fittings and joiners' work. No money will be wasted in the mere frippery of decoration, though at the same time all the fittings will be of the best and most substantial kind. The design for the poop is complete in all its details. All of it will be constructed of iron, and some idea of its size may be gathered from the fact that the chief dining saloon, 120 feet long by 47 feet wide and 9 feet high under the beams, will

be in that part of the vessel. There is to be a large number of bathrooms allotted to each class of passengers, all of which will be kept supplied with hot and cold fresh and sea water. The contractors are

to commence their work on the 15th instant, and are bound under penalties to complete all in five months from that date. The longexpected first trial trip will therefore take place about the middle of July, when it is intended to run out from Weymouth to the middle of the Atlantic and try the ship under all possible conditions of sail and steam. This short voyage will probably occupy about six days, for the lowest estimate yet made of her speed allows her 17 knots, or about 18 statute miles an hour, the speed of a parliamentary train. The commencement of the work of fitting will be made by which the large iron floating Derrick launched last autumn will be used for the purpose of hoisting in the main shaft of the paddle engines and the rudder. The former weighs 40 tons, the latter 13, and each of these ponderous masses of iron work have been finished off with as much care and even neatness as if they were intended for the works of a clock. Both these will be deposited in the fore part of the vessel in order to assist in bringing her more down by the head when the blades of the screw are being fixed. The latter have not been attached to the screw bars, as in case of ice during the winter enough might have formed round them to have held such a mass of the loose pack as with the flow of the tide might have seriously endangered the ship. Trotman's anchors, by which she is now moored, would never have given way; but the chains unquestionably might.

EXPERIMENTS WITH NEW RIFLE MISSILES.-The experiments for the purpose of publicly testing the inventions made by Captain J. Norton, an old Peninsular officer, recently took place on the practising ground of the Royal Engineers, at Brompton, and, notwithstanding that the rain fell in torrents during the whole time, a number of officers of the Royal Engineers were present. The first portion of the afternoon was devoted to testing a new description of shell, called by Captain Norton a "liquid fire-shell." The merit claimed for this invention is that the phosphorus and other chemical properties contained in the shell are of so highly inflammable a character that immediately on its striking either the sails or rigging of a ship, they become ignited, and are thus destroyed. A number of sacks were suspended on the ground to represent the sails of a ship, and these were soon wetted through by the rain. Captain Norton having loaded a large rifle with his shell, which is somewhat larger than a rifle bullet, fired at the sacking, and, although the materials were so wet, the whole mass was shortly in flames; for immediately the shell struck the sacking, the bottle in which the chemical mixture was contained burst and covered the whole of the substance. Had the sacking been dry, it would have ignited the instant it was struck by the

shell. Captain Norton then proceeded to experiment with his newlyinvented rifle fire-shot, which he has named the "spinster" shot. This messenger is intended, when it is fired from a rifle, to set fire to the powder in ammunition waggons, bags of gunpowder, and also firing dry grass in jungles. This shot has been fired by Captain Norton at a distance of 1,800 yards. In the experiments a bag containing about 2lbs. weight of gunpowder, mixed with a great quantity of sawdust to increase the bulk, was placed on the ground, and was saturated with the rain. On the ball being fired into the powder no effect was immediately perceptible; but after a short time the gunpowder was ignited and blew up with a loud report. Both these experiments were considered perfectly satisfactory by the officers who witnessed them.

A LION IN COMMAND.-The somewhat unusual spectacle of a "lion hunt" took place on board the Himalaya on the 2nd February. One of the Moors was engaged in feeding the lion through a door which opened for that purpose in a part of his cage or den, when, with a sudden spring, the animal dashed through the opening on to the steamer's main-deck, which, as may be imagined, was soon cleared. The hatchways were at once closed, and measures promptly taken by Commander Seccombe to secure the animal as speedily as possible. For this purpose the commander, with the senior lieutenant, boatswain, serjeant of marines, and two men, descended to the maindeck, taking with them the end of a stout line; this was rove through a ringbolt in the deck, and a running noose formed with the end. After some considerable manoeuvring, the noose was thrown over the lion's head, the word given to the hands on deck, who ran away with the other end of the line, and the lion was pinned down to the ringbolt in the deck. His legs were immediately secured, and he was dragged back to his den in safety.

NEW ZEALAND MAIL-SERVICE.-The screw steamers Lord Ashley and Lord Worsley, belonging to the Intercolonial Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, having arrived in New Zealand in the early part of October, the mail service between Sydney and the various ports in New Zealand was commenced on the 1st November, when the Lord Ashley left Auckland for Sydney, carrying the mails, fifty-six passengers, and some cargo, since which date the vessels have been punctually performing the service. The period allowed under the terms of the contract for the passage from Sydney to Nelson is seven days; but the Lord Ashley made the return trip to Nelson in five days, and the Lord Worsley completed the voyage thence to Nelson in six days. The New Zealand people are much pleased with the vessels,

and pronounced them handsome and faultless models. They admire the steamers' excellent passenger accommodation, and consider them admirably adapted for the service. It is expected that the Prince Alfred, screw-steamer, 1,200 tons, would arrive at Melbourne from England some time in December. The Airedale, screw-steamer, 500 tons, has just been despatched. She is bound for Canterbury direct, and carries a large quantity of stores, a full cargo, and some passengers. The subsidy of £24,000 per annum commenced on the 1st November. There is a large intercolonial and interprovincial passenger traffic, and the prospects of the company are very encouraging.

AUSTRALIA. Extraordinary Passages of the White Star Clippers. -We have been much gratified to hear of the safe arrival out of the Liverpool September fleet, and note with satisfaction the fine passage of our old favourite the Mermaid, in 80 days, beating every ship that sailed during the same month. The regularity of the passages made by the clippers of this celebrated line, is somewhat marvellous, as indicated herewith:-Invincible, June packet, in 76 days; General Wyndham, July packet, in 79 days; White Star, August packet, in 72 days; Mermaid, September packet, in 80 days. These passages, although not equal to the famous runs of the Red Jacket, White Star, &c., indicate a regularity of speed never exhibited by any line afloat. The same firm despatch on the 20th of March the majestic clipper ship Tudor, one of the very largest packet ships in the world. She has a magnificent flush deck, of nearly 300 feet in length, and has enormous capacity below. She will be despatched under the able command of Capt. Wherland, whose great experience and kindness during his command of the Columbine, won him golden opinions; she is expected by her owners, from her fine lines, and extraordinary spread of canvas, to eclipse some of the greatest passages ever made.

THE LOSS OF THE "WIZARD."-The following are the particu lars of the loss of H.M. brig Wizard. On the night of the 8th of February, a little before twelve o'clock, the vessel, in attempting to enter Bantry Bay, went on shore on the small Rhone. Corrid, or Sealrock, outside the East entrance. The night was exceedingly dark and hazy, and the weather very stormy. After she struck her guns were fired, when the coastguard and some of the inhabitants of the neighbouring shore went to her assistance in two boats, and after considerable difficulty succeeded in taking off the crew. The firing from the Wizard was also heard on board H.M. gunboat Skipjack, which was anchored in Berehaven Harbour, about four miles from the scene of the catastrophe. Steam was got up on board her, and she proceeded to the spot and took the officers and crew of the Wizard on board. The latter became a total wreck, and the officers did no even save their clothes.

THE

NAUTICAL MAGAZINE

AND

Nabal Chronicle.

APRIL, 1859.

THE WESTERLY ROUTE FOR CROSSING THE LINE.

As the westerly route for crossing the line is becoming every day more common with our outward-bound ships, perhaps the result of the experience of our last five voyages may be useful. I shall give the particulars of the present voyage only, and make a few remarks on the four previous. Of course it is to Maury's Sailing Directions and Wind Charts that I am indebted for my first information respecting it; and from a careful perusal of his book and charts I think that he advises the course which we have followed.

On the 2nd Oct., 1858, we were in lat. 17° 43′ N., long. 26° 29′ W. From this position, being West of the Cape Verd Islands, I endeavoured to make a true South course when the wind was fair, and preferred the tack which gave the most southing when it was foul.

From the 2nd to the 7th we went on well, for on the latter date we were in lat. 7° 29′ N., long. 27° 52′ W., having been driven by the wind and about thirty-eight miles of current eighty-three miles further West. From the 7th to the 15th we had the Doldrums. Until the 10th, when we were in lat. 6° 25′ N., long, 26° 57′ W., the weather was chiefly fine, with a mixture of northerly and southerly swells; after that, heavy rain squalls, looking very threatening, but not sufficient wind to require the royals to be taken in, with a high southerly swell. During the whole time the wind was from East round by South to West, but chiefly South; the current was generally to the eastward from 11° to 5° N.

Oct. 15th.-Lat. 4° 8' N., long. 25° 41′ W; current in the last