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NAUTICAL INTELLIGENCE.

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THE BUTTERMILK CHANNEL, etc.

TO FREEMAN HUNT, ESQ., Editor of the Merchants' Magazine.

DEAR SIR-I hand you herewith the copy of a report made by Lieut. Com. David D. Porter to Hon. R. J. Walker, Secretary of the Treasury, in relation to Buttermilk Channel, which I received on the 7th instant from Professor A. D. Bache, Superintendent of the Coast Survey. I have been informed by Jonathan Goodhue, Esq., of the commercial house of Messrs. Goodhue & Co., of New York, that in June, 1776, General Washington in one of his letters to Congress stated that a British ship of war, of large class, had passed through Buttermilk Channel that month. The harbor of New York is approached from the ocean through three channels, viz: between the Battery and Governor's Island-in this channel is Diamond Reef; Buttermilk Channel, between Governor's Island and the Atlantic Dock; near this, but within the harbor of New York, is Prince's Reef; and Hurl Gate channel, through Long Island Sound. This last channel is very dangerous. An application will be made to Congress at the session soon to commence, for an appropriation to remove the rocks in Hurl Gate channel, and also Diamond and Prince's Reefs. The whole expense will not exceed one hundred thousand dollars, as estimated by Lieut. Com. Porter, of the U. S. Navy. In relation to his survey of Hurl Gate and its vicinity, I have received the following letter:

OFFICE OF SUPT. OF COAST SURVEY, Nov. 2d, 1848. Sir:-In compliance with your request, I herewith send a copy of Lieut. Com. Porter's report on Buttermilk Channel, and have requested him to furnish you such information as you may desire for immediate use, in anticipation of his report not yet received, on the soundings in Hurl Gate and its vicinity. Your application being addressed to the Secretary of the Navy, instead of the Secretary of the Treasury, or to the Supt. of the Coast Survey, has produced some delay. I hope, however, you may receive in time what you desire for present use, and will forward to you Lieut. Com. Porter's report when received, and, if desired, a tracing of his new soundings. Yours respectfully,

TO EBEN. MERIAM, Esq., New York.

A. D. BACHE,
Supt. U. S. Coast Survey.

NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 5TH, 1848. DEAR SIR-As you seemed to be anxious about the result of the examination of Buttermilk Channel, I hasten to inform you that I have finished the survey, and that the representations which have been made to you about the difficulties of the channel, are incorrect. As I expected, it has in some places deepened, and in every place there is water enough for the largest ship in the world. There is no difficulty in entering the channel, even without a pilot; it is perfectly straight, and a buoy on each side will be sufficient to take any one in. I have been very much struck with the advantages of the present location of the warehouses over every other, both in point of economy to the government and to individuals. A vessel can come direct from sea, discharge her cargo without an hour's delay, and take in another. If a vessel had to discharge on the New York side, she would likely be obliged to wait a week before she could get into the docks, owing to their crowded state. Vessels loaded with grain discharge with great ease at the present location, owing to the facility with which Pafin's elevator can be used, and can at any moment be loaded again with the same ease. The saving in insurance on property stored in the warehouses, I am told, will be one-quarter of what it would be if stored in the city of New York. The water close to the docks is deep enough for any sized vessel, and the increased velocity of the current, owing to the channel's being contracted by the docks, has a tendency to make it still deeper. I shall finish the chart immediately and send it to you through the Superintendent of the Coast Survey. The interior of the dock is yet undergoing great changes, and I find it difficult to make a very minute survey of it. Vessels of the heaviest draft go inside, but it will at present contain only thirty or forty with convenience. When finished, it will be one of the most desirable harbors I know of in

any part of the world. I have, while employed in this matter, taken notice of the ferryboat which runs from the Atlantic Dock to New York. I should say she offers every facility for the transportation of goods to the opposite side, coming and going constantly, and never to appearance so much crowded with goods, carts, &c., that more could not be put on board without the least inconvenience.

In conclusion, I would say that on the inside of the docks and in Buttermilk Channel, there is room enough for nearly all the vessels that sail out of New York to lie at anchor in perfect safety. I remain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

HON. R. J. WALKER, Secretary of the Treasury.

DAVID D. PORTER, Lieut. Com. U. S. schooner Petrel.

BUTTERMILK CHANNEL SEVENTY-TWO YEARS AGO.

"DEAR SIR:-At foot I hand you the extract which I mentioned to you from WASHINGTON'S correspondence, in which he speaks of a British ship of war passing Buttermilk Channel. I am, dear Sir, yours truly, J. GOODHUE." "EXTRACT."—" New York, September 4, 1776. On Monday night a 40 gun ship passed up the Sound between Governor's and Long Island. In her passage she received a discharge of cannon from our batteries, but without any damage, and having a favorable wind and tide soon got out of their reach."

As soon as I receive a copy of Lieut. Com. Porter's report of his survey of Hurl Gate and its vicinity, I will send it to you for publication, together with the report made by Lieut. Davis in 1847-8, of the same strait. Yours very respectfully,

November 15th, 1848.

EBEN. MERIAM

LIGHTS AND LIGHT-HOUSES ON THE COAST OF FRANCE.

CONSULATE-GENERAL DE FRANCE, Aux E1,18 Unis,

YORK, November 1848.

To FREEMAN HUNT, ESQ., Editor of the Merchants' Magazine.

DEAR SIR-The Consul-General of France has received from the Navy Department of France a Notice to Navigators (of which I enclose a copy) about five new Light-houses erected on the coast of the Department du Finistere, to be lighted every night from the 15th of October, 1848. This notice being very important to ships bound from here to France, I hope you will insert it in the next first number of your interesting publication. Respectfully, Sir, your obedient servant, L. BORG.

MINISTRY OF PUBLIC WORKS, August, 1848. Notice is hereby given to navigators, that from and after the 15th of October, 1848, five new Lights were lighted on the north and north-west coast of France,-one at Calais, and the others on the shore of the Department of Finistere.

The position and character of these Lights, and the distance at which they are visible, are as follows:

NEW LIGHT OF CALAIS.-Light changing every 4 minutes showing flashes, preceded and followed by short eclipses. From and after the 15th October next, the old eclipse Light of the tower of the city will be taken away. Instead of it a new Light will be established, changing every four minutes and showing a blaze, preceded and followed by short eclipses. The distance of the new Light from the old one is about 1,300 feet. It will be placed upon a tower lately built in one of the entrenchments of the fortification which surrounds the city, in latitude 50° 57′ 45′′ N., longitude 0° 29′ 2′′, W. from Paris.

Elevation above the ground, 167 feet; above high water, 190 feet; visible 24 miles. In ordinary times, the eclipses will only appear total at a distance of twelve marine miles and upwards.

To provide against mistakes which may arise from the number of Lights on this coast, we give the characters of those in the neighborhood of Calais.

Ostend, a Fixed Light; Dunkirk, eclipses every minute; Gravelines, a Fixed Light; Calais, (new,) varied by bright light every 4 minutes; Grinez, eclipses every half-minute; Cayeux, (entrance of the Bay of the Somme,) varied by bright light every 4 minutes.

DEPARTMENT OF FINISTERE.

1. Two Lights at the Mouth of the Odet.-1st. A Light on the Point du Coq, left bank of the Odet.

Fixed Red Light.

Latitude 47° 52' 20" N. Longitude 6° 26′ 58′′ W. from Paris.

Elevation above the ground, 31 feet; above the sea, 34 feet; visible 11 miles.
2d. Light about 870 feet to the N. 14° W.
Fixed White Light.

Elevation above the ground, 31 feet; above the sea, 58 feet; visible 11 miles. The above two Lights kept in range indicate the direction of the great channel of the mouth of the Odet.

II. Two Fixed Lights of the Harbor of Concarneau.-1st. Light in the battery of La Croix at Concarneau.

Latitude 47° 52' 11" N. Longitude 6° 15′ 21" W. from Paris.

Elevation above the ground, 31 feet; above the sea, 46 feet; visible 11 miles. 2d. Light between Concarneau and Benzec, 6,155 feet N. 28° E. from the first. Elevation above the ground, 31 feet; above the sea, 178 feet; visible 14 miles. These two Lights kept in range indicate to navigators the course to take in order to enter the little roads of Concarneau, avoiding on the west the banks of Lue Vras and the neighboring shoals, and on the east the banks of Cochon, Barzic, and Men-Fall. This course passes very near the bank of Cochon.

FLOATING LIGHTS IN THE PRINCE'S CHANNEL.

Two Floating Light Vessels have been moored near the East Tongue and Girdler Sands in the Prince's Channel, in the following positions:

The "Tongue" Light Vessel is placed in 5 fathoms at low water spring tides, three cables' lengths to the eastward of the East Tongue Buoy, and with the following compass bearings:

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The “Girdler” Light Vessel is moored in 3 fathoms at low water spring tides, onehalf cable's length to the southward of the Girdler Buoy, with the following marks and compass bearings:

The Eastern Preventive Station at St. Nicholas, its apparent width open to the westward of the west end of Cleve Wood......

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..S. S. E. E. .E. S. E., Easterly.

..E. by S. S. ...S. S. E. E.

..S. by E. E.
.N. N. W.

Mariners are to observe that on board these vessels Lights, as hereinafter described, will be first exhibited on the evening of the 1st of October next, and thenceforth continued every night from sunset to sunrise, viz:

At the East Tongue-Two Fixed Lights, one of which, at the masthead, will be White; the other will be shown at a lower elevation, and colored Red.

At the Girdler-One Bright Revolving Light will be exhibited.

Note. The East Tongue and Girdler Buoys remain at their stations for the present, but will be taken away and discontinued after a short time.

REGULATIONS FOR VESSELS ANCHORING NEAR GIBRALTAR.

GIBRALTAR, September 13th, 1848.

His Excellency, the Governor, has received the subjoined official communication from the competent authority at Algeciras.

By the roadstead of "Tunara" is meant the Spanish Beach, about two miles behind the Rock; where, sometimes, during a long westerly wind, from fifty to one hundred square-rigged vessels come to anchor, being unable to pass the Straits.

That of "Getares" is commonly known by "Sandy Bay," between Algeciras and Point Carnero. It is certainly a safe anchorage for vessels unable to pass the Straits, being the

weather side of the bay during westerly winds. Masters of vessels in quarantine must be very guarded, however, not to infringe the sanitary laws and regulations of Algeciras, or they will be subjected to very heavy fines, such as were inflicted some months ago on the barques Hope and Amana.

"As it is a very great abuse on the part of all classes of vessels, whether national or foreign, to anchor on any part of the coast under pretext of contrary winds, thus intringing the existing laws, particularly the Sanitary, by giving rise to repeated complaints by irregularities, and as I am determined not to permit that abuse in the maritime district under my command, by which danger to the public health might accrue, and upon which subject the Provincial Board of Health of this district has cominunicated to me the course it considers the most advisable to be pursued. I have, therefore, instructed the commandant of the coast guard of this station to warn the commanders of the vessels of the division under his orders to cruize to the eastward of Gibraltar, and not to permit, upon any consideration, vessels to anchor in the roadsteads of Tunara or Getares, or on any part of the coast.

"Thus vessels, prevented by contrary winds from fetching this anchorage or that of Gibraltar, may put into some authorized port to the eastward, where proper surveillance will be exercised by the established authorities, or their assistants, whereby all danger to the public health will be avoided."

NEW LIFE BOAT INVENTED.

The London Morning Chronicle furnishes a description of a valuable improvement in the construction of Life Boats, just perfected by Captain J. Keyse, by which the buoyancy of vessels of this description has been increased to an extraordinary degree. The modelboat, built under the direction of Captain Keyse, at Walworth, is only 26 feet in length, but it is calculated that it will carry 4 tons. By means of what is technically called a "watercourse," introduced just below the watermark, it is rendered perfectly impossible to upset the bark, upon the safety of which so many lives frequently depend. Another inimitable contrivance which Captain Keyse has introduced, enables the generous-hearted sailors who peril their lives for the salvation of the shipwrecked, to lower the mast on nearing a rock, for a landing bridge; and its efficiency in this respect is increased tenfold, by its being removable upon a swivel to either end of the life-bout. The model-boat, which has received the approval of the British Admiralty, has been removed to Woolwich for trial. Captain Keyse is also the inventor of a floating line, which is calculated to be the means of saving many valuable lives in cases of shipwreck, and it is anticipated will prove wonderfully serviceable in enabling an army advancing into an enemy's country to establish the communication across rivers necessary for the construction of pontoon bridges and other purposes.

CHRISTMAS ISLAND.

Christmas Island is little else than a sand bank, bounded by a coral reef, which makes off about half a cable's length from the shore and surrounds the island, with the exception of the south-west point, where the surf makes to the beach. It lies in lat. 2° North, and long. 157° 30' West. It is about 80 miles in circumference. The eastern point lies in long. 158° 40′ West, and lat. 1° 45' North. The island is low, and cannot be seen at a distance of more than 16 miles in a clear day. The north-east side of the island forms a deep bay, with a strong current setting in shore, and it is necessary to avoid getting embayed here. There is sufe anchorage for ships on the west side, opposite the entrance to the lagoon, with soundings say from 10 to 30 fathoms. The English whale ship Briton was wrecked on this island October 10th, 1836, and lately the Chilean ship Maria Helena, and Bremen whale ship Mozart.

WRECK IN HOLLESLEY BAY.

A Green Buoy, marked "Wreck," has been laid about 18 fathoms to the westward of a schooner sunk in the Western entrance to Hollesley Bay. The Buoy lies in 34 fathoms at low water spring tides, with the following marks and compass bearings:

The second Westernmost Tower at East-Lane, its width open of two remarkable poplar

trees....

Baudsey Church..

Orford High Light-house....

.N. W. by W. .W. N. W. ..N. E. by E. E.

RAILROAD, CANAL, AND STEAMBOAT STATISTICS.

THE RAILROAD SYSTEM SUGGESTED.

In the Merchants' Magazine for March, 1846, (vol. xiv., pages 249-260,) we published an interesting article entitled, " First application of Steam to Railways," furnished by J. E. Bloomfield, Esq., of New Jersey. By reference to that article it will be seen that, as far back as 1809, Col. John Stevens, of Hoboken, was the first individual in this country who conceived and defined the proportions of the locomotive, and compared "the superior capacity and advantages of a railway with those of a canal." He even predicted that steam carriages would be propelled at the rate of 40 miles per hour; a prediction which has been fulfilled on the best English railroads. A late London paper attributes the honor of suggesting the "Railway system" to Sir Richard Phillips, as will be seen by the following extract:

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A striking suggestion of the extension of railway communication into a system," as connecting lines are now called, will be found in Sir Richard Phillips' " Morning's Walk from London to Kew," published in 1813. On reaching the Surrey Iron Railway, at Wandsworth, Sir Richard records: "I found renewed delight in witnessing at this place the economy of horse labor on the iron railway; yet a heavy sigh escaped me as I thought of the inconceivable millions which have been spent about Malta, four or five of which might have been the means of extending double lines of iron railway from London to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Holyhead, Milford, Falmouth, Yarmouth, Dover and Portsmouth! A reward of a single thousand would have supplied coaches and other vehicles, of various degrees of speed, with the best tackle for readily turning out; and we might, ere this, have witnessed our mail coaches running at the rate of ten miles an hour, drawn by a single horse, or impelled fifteen miles an hour by Blenkinsop's steam-engine. Such would have been a legitimate motive for over-stepping the income of a nation; and the completion of 20 great and useful a work would have afforded rational ground for public triumph in general jubilees!" The writer of these penetrative remarks lived until 1840; so that he had the gratification of witnessing a triumph akin to his long-cherished hope.

BRITISH RAILROAD STATISTICS.

A paper by Mr. W. Harding, Manager of the Glasgow and Greenock Railway, was read at the last meeting of the British Association for the advancement of science, which affords some interesting particulars of the working of the railway system. It appears by his statements that in 1842 the average receipts per mile were £2,489, and in 1847, £2,596; that the length of railway open in Great Britain, including Wales, was in the former year 1,990 miles, and the gross receipts of traffic, £4,740,000; whereas in 1847, the miles open were 3,597, and the gross amount of traffic, £8,366,772. The receipts, therefore, were about doubled, upon a less proportionate amount of mileage, a circumstance which would tend to give confidence as regards the prospect for the great additional lengths of railway, for which acts have been passed. The length of railway sanctioned by Parliament, up to the beginning of the present year, but not opened, was 7,150 miles, a considerable portion of which is in more or less rapid progress. On the 1st of May, 1847, 5,209 miles were in progress, on which 215,792 persons were at work. It is calculated that within the next five years there will be upwards of ten thousand miles of railway open in Great Britain, which will give permanent employment at good wages to upwards of 140,000 persons, representing about 720,000 of gross population, taking five to a family. When it is considered that there are about 4,000 miles of canals, and about 30,000 miles of turnpike road in the kingdom, this 10,000 miles of railway in addition is an accession of vast importance to our internal communication. Mr. Harding states the gross receipts of traffic on the railways for the year ending June 30, 1847, at £5,366,000, which includes £3,342,000 receipts for carriage, in round numbers, of 7,000,000 tons of merchandise and goods, 8,000,000 tons of coals, 500,000 horned cattle, 1,500,000 sheep, and 100,000 horses, besides mails, parcels, &c.; leaving for passenger traffic £5,024,000. The passenger traffic constitutes, therefore, about 60 per cent of the whole receipts. Since 1842, the proportion of receipts from other sources than passengers has increased by 11

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