CONTENTS TO VOL. FOR 1846, ENLARGED SERIES. Merchant Navys of France and England, 486. vii Mouth of the Amazons, 505. Nautical Directions for Copiapo, 177. Nautical Sketches, 61, 129, 465, 527, 590, 645. Nautical Notices, 41, 93, 145, 208, 264, 318, 377, 437, 499, 548, 613, 667. New Books, 106, 164, 272, 332, 384, 442, 500. New Charts, 166, 276, 386, 444, 501, 682. New Zealand Hydrography, 281, 565. Notes on the South-west Coast of Africa, 4. Notes worth noteing, 277, 325, 381, 439. North-west Coast of Borneo, 57. On Lights and Lighthouses, 202. On the Dip of the Horizon, 393. On the Storm Waves, and Storm Currents of Hurricanes, 577. Orton's Life Boat, 127. Orton's Life Buoy, 225. Passage through Torres Straits by the Barrier Reef, 658. Passages of Clippers-from China to Bombay, (in 1845), 489. Plan for Quick Staying or Wearing, 519. Port Royal and its Associations, 361, 630. Proceedings of the Squadron on the Coast of Borneo, 16. Providential Rescue of the Officers and Surviving Crew of the Barque Letitia, Remarks on the North-east Monsoon in the China Sea, 621. Remarks upon the Navigation of the River Min, 398. Rodger's Anchors, 59, 98, 329. 388, 433. Second Report of the Tidal Harbours Commission, 233, 307. Selections from Ancient Naval Records, 344. Ships' Position by the Sun's Altitude, 22. Shipwrecked Mariners and Fishermen's Benevolent Society, 446, 496, 611. Suicide of Captain M'Leod of the Great Liverpool, 216. Swedish Tariff, 150. Thames Navigation, and Port of London Committee, 219. Tides in the Gulf of Normandy, 184. Total Loss of the Francis Spaight, 216. Triumph of British Seamanship, 205. United Yach Club, 266. Universal Code of Signals on the Coast, for the Guidance of Vessels in Dis- THE NAUTICAL MAGAZINE, AND Nabal Chronicle. JANUARY 1846. VOYAGE OF H.M.S. AGINCOURT FROM HONG-KONG TO CHUSAN, by the Eastern Passage, or that outside of Formosa.-Remarks of Mr. I. E. Elliott, Master R.N. THE Agincourt left Hong-Kong on the 28th of August, in tow of H.M. steam-vessel Vixen; the morning commenced with heavy rain, thunder, and lightning, and a light air from the E.N.E. Towards noon it cleared off, and we passed Pedro Branco, at 4 P.M. This island is laid down too far east ; it is a round high rock, steep to; and vessels passing it at night often take it for a ship under sail. During the night of the 28th, the weather became very unsettled, and the wind came to the eastward. 29th at 8 A.M., cast off from the steamer, and made sail, wind north-east; the south-west monsoon having evidently finished, and the north-east set in, it was determined to proceed to the eastward of Formosa. On the 30th found we had been set thirty-four miles to the eastward during the twenty-four hours; and had been during the night passing through very strong ripples, as if a strong current running over an uneven bottom. On the 31st, light airs and fine weather, wind north-east; at noon in lat. 21° 55′ N., long. 119° 36′ E.; observed the high land of Formosa bearing N.E.b.E. On the 1st of Sept. at 10 A.M. wind north-east, a royal breeze, it suddenly increased, and obliged us to reduce sail to double-reefs, clear weather; towards night the wind increased, (still north-east.) with heavy squalls and rain, which continued during the night, clearing a little at intervals. On the 2nd at 7 A.M. in a clear, observed the island of Bayat ahead; bore up to run through the Bashee channel, but not being able to sight Goat Island, the wind having increased and hauled more to the NO. 1.-VOL. XV. B eastward, wore and laid the ship's head to the northward and westward ; strong gales with heavy rain and a confused sea, ship under main top-sail, storm staysails, and occasionally fore course; barometer falling, ship making from 4 to 4 points lee way. On the 3rd, soon after daybreak the wind moderated and it began to clear, and at 7h. observed an island bearing N.E. E.; at 10h. made it out to be Botel Tobago Xima, weather moderating and barometer on the rise; noon in lat. 22° 10' N., long. 121° 15′ E., Great Botel Tobago Xima E.b.S. S. 15 miles found we had been set forty-two miles due north against the gale since noon yesterday; our noon position placed us on the spot where a rock called the "Alceste" is placed in the Index Chart supplied by the Admiralty; we could see no appearance of broken water, although there was a heavy sea running at the time, neither could we see the land of Formosa, in consequence of the haze hanging over it. Passed between it and Tobago Xima, found we had a strong current running to the northward. Horsburgh's description of Tobago Xima is excellent, and his position agrees with what I make it. On the 4th at daylight, observed the small rocky island of Samasana, and the land of Formosa, which is very high and rises abruptly from the sea and intersected with deep gulleys, the hills covered with trees. Νο observations; light air from north, to east, and south-east, with a swell from the eastward; shaped a course to pass outside of Harp Island. At daylight on the 5th expected to see it ahead, although the weather was very clear nothing could be seen of the island; at noon in lat. 24° 8' N. long. 121° 5' E., found we had been set north 109 miles during the last 48 hours, having during that period light variable airs and a swell from the north-east; our longitude (mean of five chronometers) agreeing also with lunars, placed us by the chart only one mile from the land, and we were certainly not nearer than eighteen miles. I therefore suppose the east coast of Formosa from Samasana north, placed too far east about sixteen miles on the charts. These strong currents render it necessary that a good look out should be kept; in thick weather it must be very dangerous. I have since heard that a vessel making the same passage in January had a similar current to what we experienced in August, whether in runs in the opposite direction during the south-west monsoon I have not had an opportunity of ascertaining. There is no doubt that during the north-east monsoon this passage is preferable to the one through the Formosa Channel, as in it there is always a lee current, strong breezes with a very heavy confused sea which strains vessels very much. The opium clippers generally make the Channel passage, as they touch at the places along the coast, and as the whole coast of China is fronted by innumerable islands they work up under their lee and take advantage of the tides, anchoring under the lee of the islands when necessary. 6th, observed two islands to the northward of Formosa. I should suppose those placed off Killou are intended for them. I make their positions very different from the chart; they are small, moderately high and rise abruptly from the sea. The southernmost one has a remarkable nine pin rock off its south-east end, we did not go nearer them than six miles. I place them in the following positions, viz. : The southernmost lat. 25° 32′ N., long. 121° 58' E., the northernmost lat. 25° 44' N., long. 121° 55′ E. The whole of the east coast of Formosa is very high, gradually sloping towards the north end: we tried for soundings at seventeen miles off it, no bottom at 150 fathoms. As we advanced to the northward the current gradually decreased, and on standing in for the coast we found it setting to the southward. On the 6th wind north, observed Tae Yue Sue Island, but did not go nearer than eighteen miles; from 6h. to 10h. wind continued from north to north-east, moderate, when we made the "Heishans", and stood in shore to the southward, soundings regular, muddy bottom. On the night of the 10th strong breezes with rain, wind northeast, made nothing during the night. On the 11th passed to the northward of the Heishans, not far from the position where a shoal was reported to have been seen by John Walker, Captain of the Will o'the Wisp. Although a strong breeze and a heavy sea we could see nothing like broken water in the position assigned. Štood close into Cape Montague (8 fathoms) during the night, fresh north-east breezes; continued working to windward, in the morning only fetched the place we left the evening before. On the 12th wind more moderate, passed to the northward of Quesans, and at 9 P.M. anchored off Buffaloes Nose in 7 fathoms. On the 13th wind north-east, fine weather, wayed and worked through Goughs Passage, the tide carried us so far as Tower Hill, it then turned, and the wind having fallen light, we with difficulty reached an anchorage off Hayes Island. No vessel should attempt to go round Tower Hill Island without a fair wind or certain of tide to carry her through, as there is no anchorage. 14th, worked through Tower Hill Channel and anchored off Stewart Island to await the ebb tide; it having made, worked through St. Helens and anchored at Spithead. On leaving Chusan went out through the Melville and south-east channel against the flood with a commanding north-west breeze. In working into Spithead, the rocky patch will be avoided by keeping the three chimnies on the high land on with the extreme point (south point) of Guard House Island. A vessel bound into the harbour of Chusan will find the last quarter the best time, if a beating wind in, as at that time the tide runs fair into the harbour; during the first quarter it runs very strong and irregular in its direction. We annex the daily positions of the Agincourt as follows: |