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Lloyd's Agency, Scilly, 19th September, 1856. Sir, The enclosed extract we deem it right to send to you to make such use of as you think proper. The Master of the Mandarin, Tregarthen, is a very respectable man, and we think information from him may be depended upon. We are, &c.,

FRAS. BANFIELD & SONS.

Captain G. A. Halsted, R.N., Secretary Lloyd's.

Extract of a letter received by the owners of the barque Mandarin, of this port, Captain James Tregarthen,-which vessel left Liverpool on the April for San Francisco:

At sea, 19th May, 1856.

We made St. Antonio on the 18th inst (yesterday), and found the chronometers not many mile outs. We passed along close by a rock yesterday not marked in the chart-I wish you would report it. It is in lat. 14° 29′ N. and long. 26° 30′ W., was four feet high and eight feet long, quite round on the top, steep on all sides. We saw it yesterday at half past nine in the morning. We had good sights of the chronometers at that time and a good observation at noon. We passed it within thirty yards. There is a rock to the westward of this marked doubtful, but there is no doubt about this one. I send this letter by a brig bound to Rio de Janeiro.

[We have given much careful attention to this reported danger and believe that Captain Tregarthen, the Commander of the Mandarin, has been deceived, aad this conclusion is founded on the following reasons:

1.-The place of the reported danger is one commonly passed over. Had there been such a danger there it must have been well known before these days.

2. For although the place of it is somewhat doubtful there are some old vigias to the S.W. of it which seem to have assisted the Commander of the Mandarin in forming his conclusion. But that given by him is 100 miles from the Cape Verd Group,-at which distance to the S.E. of it no bottom has been found with a depth of nearly two miles.

3.-There was no attempt on the part of the Mandarin to verify the truth of the danger, either in approaching it, with the lead, or by firing a musket at the supposed rock; and the description of its rounded and steep sides, unmarked by any weed or break of the wave against them, throw much suspicion on his conclusion, and seem to show that he allowed himself to be easily deceived.

In fact, this appears to be a mere eye report, in which nothing whatever has been done, and the Navigator has in it nothing for which to thank him, but would more likely receive his account with incredulity.-ED.]

THE POLLOCK REEF.-Western Australia.

Government-House, Perth, June 28th, 1856. Sir, I have the honour to transmit a letter from the Surveyor-General of this Colony, Lieutenant Roe, R.N., relative to the position of a dangerous reef of rocks on the Australian Coast, with a view to its being brought under the notice of the proper department. I have, &c.,

A. E. KENNEDY, Governor.

Rt. Hon. Henry Labouchere, &c.

Surveyor-General's Office, Perth, 14th May, 1856. Sir,-In my recent voyage from South Australia to this Colony, in the brigantine Robert Clive, I had an excellent opportunity of fixing the true position of the Pollock Reef, and by good observations ascertained that it lies fourteen miles S. E. by compass from the nearest part of the S.E. isles of the Recherche Archipelago.

While passing 3 miles to the southward of this dangerous reef, the weather being fine and a long swell rolling in from the S.W., the shoal water upon it was observed from aloft to extend about one mile in an East and West direction, and to be 200 yards in width; but breakers extended over only one third of that space, in probably two or three fathoms water, the shallowest part being near the centre, where the sea broke abruptly against a small rock with apparently only six or eight feet water over it. The soundings seemed deep close up to the reef.

As the existing charts do not show this danger with sufficient accuracy, I would suggest, for the benefit of navigation, this account should be published. I have, &c., J. S. ROE, Surveyor-General.

Hon. the Colonial Secretary, &c.

[The charts published by the Admiralty give sufficient indication of this danger. ED.]

APPROACHES TO SMYRNA.

Constantinople, Sept. 29th, 1856.

The following is a copy of a notice recently issued to the fleet by the Commander-in-Chief:

In consequence of the extension of the spit off the western mouth of the Hermes, in the approach to Smyrna, the marks upon the Admiralty chart to clear it-viz, the large tree to the South of the Saujak castle on with the North end of the old castle of Smyrna-are no longer available. But that the large tree should be kept more than the castle's breadth to the northward of it. T. SPRATT, Captain H.M.S. Medina.

CURRENTS OF THE NORTHERN SEAS.

We find the following letter from His Imperial Highness the Prince Napoleon on the subject of currents of the ocean in the "Transactions of the Imperial Institute of France," addressed to the Secretary, M. Elie de Beaumont :

Reine Hortense, 20 Aug., Lerwick Roads, Shetland. In the bays of the northern lands of Spiczbergen, Iceland, and Greenland much drift wood is found, which after having been carried about by currents is cast ashore. It consists generally of fir, but there is nothing to indicate from whence it came.

Being anxious that my voyage to the Northern Seas should contribute towards a knowledge of the final disposal of these currents, already better known in their principal directions than in their several ultimate ramifications, I have caused to be thrown overboard from the Reine Hortense, in different parts, a

great number of cylinders (50) bearing a notice of the place where this was done. These cylinders are composed of fir, about nine inches long and the same in diameter. In the direction of the axis of the cylinder a hole is pierced to contain a little glass bottle, corked, and containing a note, as follows:-Voyage de S. A. I. le Prince Napoleon, à bord de la corvette la Reine Hortense, commandée par M. de la Ronciere, Capitaine de Vaisseau.

46

"Billet jeté à la mer le

"Latitude

"Longitude des meridien de Paris

1856.

"Celui qui trouverait ce billet est prié de la remettre au Consul français le plus voisin."

The above is translated into English, Latin, and Russian.

The bottles are sealed in the cylinders by means of pitch, which secures them entirely, and over them is a leaden plate, bearing the name Reine Hortense, with the date when they are thrown overboard; and lastly, with the view of more readily attracting attention to them and preventing them from being mistaken for other floating pieces of wood, strong pins are passed through the cylinders at right angles to each other and continued a few inches outside, thus forming a cross.

I shall be obliged if you will have the goodness to write to the various learned Societies of Europe and America and notify this information to them, requesting them to inform the Academy of Sciences of France the places where any of these cylinders may be found.

Accept, M. le Secretaire, the assurance of my most distinguished consideration.

NAPOLEON.

[In our next we hope to muster a collection of these messengers, which have been accumulating in our hands, mostly confirming those of the Bottle Chart in our volume for 1852. We hope to have an opportunity of adding some of the above mentioned fifty to it. At the same time the instances of such being found in the eastern portion of the Northern Seas are by no means common; and it is remarkable that of those of Franklin, in the West, one only has been found, although we have reason to believe that he threw over some hundreds. Among other difficulties they had to contend with was ice, which we have no doubt would account for their non-appearance, along with the unfrequented coasts on which they might also be drifted.-ED.]

WRECK OF THE RUSSIAN SHIP" AHTI."

The Ahti sailed from Liverpool on the 9th September, the crew consisting of the Captain, Mate, and five seameu, one of whom was an Englishman who joined the ship in Liverpool, in lieu of two others who deserted there. The Captain had also his wife on board. The cargo consisted of salt, three casks of molasses, a small quantity of cotton yarn, anchors, chain cables, and chain running rigging for a new ship.

From the day she sailed the wind was fair up to the 15th, when they passed Holborn Head, descrying in the distance the light of Dunnet. After passing the latter headland in the night, the wind being at the time westerly, and blowing very hard, a heavy sea broke over her, carrying away the cabin skylight, filling the cabin, and throwing all into confusion. Indeed, so heavy had the sea been, that on sounding the pumps, the crew found the ship had sprung a leak, which gained upon them fast, though they wrought hard for some time.

The Captain then directed the ship to be run on shore, and about 4h. a.m. she struck the rocks, where she lay, after they had cut away the foremast, for about an hour, when a sea broke over and drew her off into deep water, where she went down by the stern, all hands escaping by safely reaching the bow. While in this position a second wave of extreme force struck her and carried all hands into the sea. The Mate, three of the seamen and the Captain's wife, becane entangled in the wreck of the foremast, and thus got again upon the ship, and, though partly immersed, they held on for some time. The Captain and three of the crew did not re-appear.

Although the ship had taken the shore near the harbour of Ham, the sailors failed to see the masts of the vessels lying there, and no one on the shore discovered her until about 5h. a.m., when Mr. David Banks, of Corsbank, who had been anxious for the safety of a small craft he had in the harbour, left his home and observed the unfortunate vessel lying three parts dry, and with five or six persons clinging to her bowsprit. Instantly arousing the people of Ham, they were soon out, and going towards the wreck, when, as already stated, a heavy sea drew her off and left her in deep water, where there was no possibility of rendering her assistance, even had a suitable boat been at hand. It appears that no one had seen the vessel either coming on shore or after, before Mr. Banks; therefore the report that such had been the case is incorrect. When Mr. Banks and the others got upon the cliff they saw only four men and the woman clinging to the wreck. About 8h. a m. one man and the female gave up nearly at the same time, perishing from cold and constant immersion in the sea. The Mate was held for a while by John Lundstrom, but at last finding him dead, the latter was obliged, for his own safety, to let him go. The remaining two got to the taffrail, Lundstrom assisting Bauckmann, and there they lashed themselves.

The spectators were driven to despair at thus seeing their fellow-creatures perishing in their sight, and with, apparently, no possibility of rendering them help. But help there was. About six o'clock Donald Thomson and four of the Scarsfkerry fishermen launched a boat from their narrow and dangerous goe, but on nearing the entrance the sea was so terrific that the hearts of the rowers failed, and Thomson could not persuade them to proceed further. They accordingly returned, hauled up the boat, and went towards the wreck. Thomson, however, on seeing the poor creatures perishing before their view, went in front of the crowd with tears in his eyes, and begged of four to come forward to assist him, when Donald Lyell and John Murray, who were with him in the first attempt, with John Dunnet and John Nichol-on, volunteered, and they immediately proceeded and again launched the little yawl. only 13 feet on the keel, one of those well-adapted boats for the terrible Pentland. This time all had resolved to do their best, stimulated by the bold and determined behaviour of Thomson, and from witnessing the painful scene, they bent all their energies to their work, when after a doubtful and difficult struggle, they got through the boiling surf into the ocean, and dead in the wind's eye they rowed over the agitated sea.

There was now a great commotion on the shore, for, in addition to the expressed fears of the crowd, the low wail of wives, mothers, and sisters, might be heard; there were other lives in jeopardy, and anxiety had taken possession of all. Onwards, though slowly, sped the brave crew, and when they got opposite the ship the boat was carefully backed towards the wreck, a rope thrown with corks attached, was caught by John Lundstrom and tied round his body, and by this he was pulled to the stern of the boat. There he hung for some time until the boat was rowed further off to prevent its being dashed to pieces on the wreck. One of the rowers then left his oar and assisted the steersman to get in the almost exhausted mariner. The boat by this time had drifted near the wreck. when, after she was righted, the line was thrown again, unsuc

cessfully three or four times, until it was caught by the second man, who was, by a strong pull, got into the boat. This done, the head of the boat was turned towards Scarfskerry, in the face of a very strong ebb tide, against which they had to pull a mile.

On their arrival a great crowd had assembled, and after the boat had safely got through the heavy surf at the entrance, before she could touch the shore, a rush was made and boat and men were carried high and dry amidst the shouts of the throng for the deliverers and for the rescued, mingled with tears and prayers of gratitude for their safety, and heartfelt pity for the poor sailors' forlorn condition. All vied with each other to see who should have the shipwrecked men. Everybody's house was nearest, most convenient, all appeared to have the best accommodation, and be best prepared. Among the women, whose tender offices are best seen on these occasions, there were, we are thankful to say, many Miss Nightingales to be found. Being much exhausted, the poor men were led up, the one by Thomson and the other by Murray, who had the greatest right to them. With these men they have ever since been well cared for, still wearing the clothes and partaking of the hospitality of these, their preservers and shelterers.

Thomson's conduct is beyond praise. Donald Lyell and James Murray, the first 57, and the other 67 years of age, are also highly deserving. They have done nobly; twice did they venture, showing the goodness of their hearts and the confidence they had in the nerve and judgment of Thomson. John Dunnet and John Nicholson are younger men, and it is pleasing to find that they did so well, and felt determined not to be behind when the lives of their fellow creatures were at stake.

On Wednesday the ship was thrown high on the rocks, and had not one of the chains caught on the upper part of the anchor at her bow, she would have been tossed on the grass opposite Ratter. As it is, she is so far up that no tide has moved her since. She is a total wreck, and although only five years old, every timber, from her stem to about midships, is broken, while the bottom is torn to rags. Every exertion was made to save as much of the material as possible by Mr. Spence, who is appointed agent, and who exerted himself well. From the nature of the cargo very little is left. At present all is in charge of the Customs, as receivers of wreck. There is much pleasure in thus seeing that so much has been done which reflects credit on these parts, first by the noble exertions of the fishermen in saving life, and then by the many who endeavoured to save property, to which we may add the praiseworthy consideration of Mr. Traill, who, though unable to leave his house through ill-health, was constantly sending directions and placing all help in his power to secure the property and add to the comfort of the rescued seanien. While thus, however, giving praise where praise is due, we are sorry to say that there is that which is grievous, though happily not to a great extent. There is, unfortunately, a tendency on the part of some to appropriate to their own use all that they possibly can. We need not remind them, that although washed in before the sea, and thrown on shore, every portion of wreck belongs to some one, and that it will be well for all parties on such occasions to have a care as to what they do. The new law of wreck which has lately come into operation is very stringent indeed, and should this warning be unheeded, they may depend upon it that the law will be enforced.

Another correspondent mentions that nothing more belonging to the wrecked vessel had come ashore, neither had any of the bodies been found, though the different goes have been diligently searched. Last week, Mr. Gunn, Ratter, accompanined by Mr. Peach, at the desire of Mr. Traill, proceeded to Castlehill with the two Russians, where they were most hospitably treated. Since then Mr. Traill has received word from the Consul at Leith, where they will be immediately sent. In the meantime they are receiving every kindness, and

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