JOURNAL OF NAUTICAL INTELLIGENCE.

I. NEW LIGHT-HOUSES.-1. Bass Strait.-2. GULF OF ST. LAWRENCE.-8. EAST COAST OF ENGLAND. II. NEW REEFS. III. NEW WHALING GROUND. IV. NEW FOG BELL. V. LIVERPOOL Docks. VI. REBEL PIRATES. VII. STEAMERS IN CHILI. VIII. ARMING MERCHANT SHIPS.

NEW LIGHT-HOUSES.

Australia.-Bass Strait.-Fixed Light on Cape Wickham.-On and after the 1st day of November, 1861, a light will be exhibited from the light-house recently erected on the hill near Cape Wickham, at the north end of King Island, in Bass Strait, south coast of Australia. The light will be a fixed white light, and will be visible from the deck of a vessel when bearing from N. N. E. E. round by the east, to W. N. W. It is placed at an elevation of 280 feet above the mean level of the sea, and should be seen in clear weather from a distance of twenty-four miles. The illuminating apparatus is catadioptric, or by lenses of the first order. The light house is a circular stone tower, 145 feet high, and painted white. From it the west extreme of Harbinger Reef bears W. by N. N., distant four and one-half miles, and the east extreme N. W. by W., four miles; Navarino Shoal N. E. by N., two and one-half miles; and south extreme of New Year Islands S. W. S., nine miles, and north extreme S. W. W., seven and one-half miles. The position of the lighthouse is about lat. 39° 35′ S., and long. 143° 57' east of Greenwich.

Caution. The attention of mariners is called to the following extract from the report of the light-house commissioners appointed by the governments of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania : "In advising the erection of a light-house on King Island, the commissioners wish to guard themselves from affording the public any reasonable supposition that this light can be at all considered in the position of a great highway light for the navigation of Bass Strait. The south coast of New-Holland, at the western entrance of the strait, being free from danger, affords, in their opinion, the safest shore for the prudent mariner to approach, and they conceive that the light on King Island is only to be regarded as a beacon for warning navigators of danger, rather than as a leading light to a great thoroughfare." The bearings are magnetic. Variation 8° 20′ east in 1861.

Gulf of St. Lawrence.-Revolving Light on Cape George.-After the 25th day of October, 1861, a light will be exhibited from a light-house recently erected on Cape George, near the northeastern extremity of Nova Scotia, at the entrance of Northumberland Strait, Gulf of St. Lawrence. The light will be a revolving white light, attaining its greatest brilliancy every half-minute. The elevation of the light is about 400 feet above the mean level of the sea, and should be seen in clear weather from a distance of twenty-five miles. The light is only shown during the navigable season. The illuminating apparatus is dioptric, or by lenses of the second order. The tower, which is thirty-nine feet high from base to vane, is square, painted white, surmounted by a lantern, and

stands on the north side of the cape, in lat. 45° 52′ 50′′ N., long. 61° 55' west of Greenwich.

Pubnico Light.-On the 1st day of October, 1861, the light at Pubnico, on the southwest coast of Nova Scotia, was changed from red to white.

Fixed Light on Cape Sable.-Also, that on or about the 12th day of October, 1861, a fixed red light would be exhibited from a light-house recently erected on Cape Sable, near the southwestern extreme of Nova Scotia; of which no further details are known.

England.-East Coast.-Revolving Light near Outer Dowsing Shoal. -Official information has been received, that a light-vessel has been placed on the west side of Outer Dowsing Shoal, off the coast of Lincolnshire, in the North Sea. The light is a quick revolving light, showing a red face every twenty seconds. It is elevated thirty-eight feet above the level of the sea, and should be seen in clear weather from a distance of about ten miles. The light-vessel lies in nine fathoms at low water springs, with Spurnhigh light-house bearing N. W. by W. thirty-three and a half miles; Dudgeon light-vessel S. W. S., southerly thirteen and a quarter miles; Cromer light-house S. W. thirty-four miles; north extreme of the shoal N. W. five and a half miles; and the nearest shoal spot E. by N. one mile. The lat. is 53° 28' N., long. 1° 2′ 40′′ east of Greenwich. A can (watch) buoy, marked Outer Dowsing, lies threequarters of a mile E. S. E. from the light-vessel.

Girdler Light Vessel.-Also, that on or about the 1st day of November, 1861, the Girdler light-vessel, at the entrance of the Thames, would be moved about two cables length W. N. W. from her present position, into twenty feet at low water. All bearings are magnetic. Variation 21° 30' west in 1861.

NEW REEFS.

South Pacific Ocean.-Pelorus Reef-Official information has been received at this office, that H. B. M. S. PELORUS, when navigating between New Zealand and the Fiji Islands, on the 12th July, 1861, passed within a third of a mile of a reef, which appeared to be about a quarter of a mile in length, and to have not more than one or two fathoms water on its western end, at the extremity of which breakers were visible. Its position is in lat. 22° 52′ S., long. 176° 27' 50" west of Greenwich, Pylstaart Island was in sight, and bore N. by E., distant thirty-seven miles.

Also, that after dark on the evening of the same day, when steering N. W., under reduced sail, soundings were obtained with the hand lead in seven fathoms, followed by two casts in six and a half and seven fathoms respectively. The vessel was immediately brought to the wind and tacked, and the deep sea lead hove, but no soundings were obtained within sixty-three fathoms. This bank, if it exists, is in lat. 21° 43′ S., long. 176° 42′ W.

Caution. As these shoals lie directly in the track of vessels bound from New-Zealand to the windward islands of the Fiji group, the mariner is cautioned to pay great attention to the lead, and to keep a good look-out for discolored water when in this neighborhood.

The natives of the Friendly Islands, who maintain much intercourse with the Fiji group by means of their large canoes, state that they are aware of the existence of many shoals between Tongatabu and the Ono Islands to the south of the Fiji group, but are unable to define their position. The only bank of which there is any reliable information, is one of some extent, having twenty-two fathoms water on it. It was discovered in August, 1860, by three American whalers in company, and the mean of their observations place it in lat. 22° 43' S., long. 176° 11′ W. The bearings are magnetic. Variation 10° 20' E. in 1861.

NEW WHALING GROUND AND PLENTY OF WHALES. Ships NORTHERN LIGHT and SIREN QUEEN, both of which arrived at this port this forenoon, from Sir THOMAS ROWE's Welcome, Hudson Bay, lat. 65° N., lon. 90° W., report having found plenty of whales, but owing to the sickness of the crews with scurvy, the shortness of the season, and losing part of their oil by the ice, were not as successful as could have been desired. The ground visited by these ships is 1,500 miles west of Cumberland Inlet, the rendezvous of ANTELOPE, BLACK EAGLE and other ships, and has never been visited by whalers before, either American or foreign. No ships have been there since the expedition of PARRY and LYON in 1822. It was owing to the published statements of these explorers that these ships were fitted out and sent to that region, PARRY having stated that whales were to be seen every day in the open season, which is fully confirmed by Captains CHAPEL, who state that if their crews had been well they would have brought home full ships. The weather during the open season was very good, but the crews of the ships, particularly the SIREN QUEEN, suffered severely with the scurvy. The information gained by these voyages is of importance to the whaling interest, and will, no doubt, revive the energies of our merchants, who were disheartened at the unfavorable news brought by the ANTELOPE in regard to the whaling business of Cumberland Inlet.

The captains of the NORTHERN LIGHT, SIREN QUEEN and the ANSEL GIBBS, the latter in Cumberland Inlet, are brothers, belonging in NewLondon, Conn., and have visited Davis Straits on previous voyages. Captain ICHABOD HANDY, an old and experienced whaleman, late master of the barque BELLE, was also on board the NORTHERN LIGHT, after whom they named their winter quarters, Handy Harbor.-New-Bedford Standard, Oct. 11.

A NEW STYLE OF FOG-BELL.

We notice in the Portland Advertiser an account of a fog-bell now at the machine-shop of Mr. IRA WINN in that city, which, it says, appears to be free from the objections which are brought against those now in use. We quote the chief part of its description:

"The machine is simple in its construction, as all really good machines are; it works itself, and will continue to do its duty for an indefinite period, if its shafts and wheels are only kept properly oiled. The hammers are attached by rods with spiral springs to clock-work, which is kept constantly wound up by the never-ceasing motion of the sea itself.

A piece of timber, from the base of the machine, reaches out of the water, and over this beam a chain extends, holding at its extremity a large float, which rests upon the surface; this chain passes around a cylinder within the house, having at its other extremity a weight, which retains the slack caused by the rise of the float upon the water, and at the same time winds up the machine. It is estimated that a rise of the waves of four inches in the minute will suffice to keep the machine in motion. The hammers, which may vary in weight, are designed to strike on a steel bell of high tone, about once in ten or fifteen seconds, giving out a clear, sharp ring, which will not accord with the noise of the surf, and may be heard above the roar of a storm or the rush and thunder of the breakers for many miles. It would require too much space to give a detailed description of the machine; its chief merit lies in the fact that its action will continue as long as there is motion in the water, and that its simple construction renders it almost wholly self-governing; the only care it requires, as we have before observed, is attention to the shafts and cogs to prevent their chafing for the want of oil. It is not to be supposed that the ringing of the bell is necessarily without intermission; the hammers may be disconnected at will, and the machine continue running without sound, or the machine itself may be wholly stopped and again set in motion within a single minute."

CUNARD STEAMERS.

Besides the SCOTIA, which was launched under such favorable auspices, Messrs. ROBERT NAPIER & SON are making rapid progress with another first-class steamship, to be employed by the same company in their North American trade, to be called the CHINA. She is to be a screw-propeller of great power. The following details, connected with the different ships belonging to this company, cannot fail to be interesting, and we therefore give the subjoined table of the principal dimensions of paddle steam vessels built for the British and North American Royal Mail Steam Packet Company (machinery of the whole, and hulls of PERSIA and SCOTIA, by ROBERT NAPIER & SON, Glasgow.)

The report of the Select Committee appointed to inquire into the extension of Chatham Dockyard, a few months ago, went very fully into

the subject, and recommended the construction of new basins and graving docks there, at a cost of £900,000, which recommendation was approved by Parliament.

On the Liverpool side of the Mersey there is an area of dock-water space of 235 acres. The entrances to these docks vary from 30 feet to 100 feet in width, and the average depth of water at mean neap tides varies from 16 feet 3 inches to 19 feet, and at spring tides from 23 feet 3 inches to 26 feet. The area of water space of the Birkenhead Docks, now completed, or to be completed within three years, is 153 acres. Of this water space, the great float of 120 acres is now complete. The width of the entrances varies from 50 feet to 100 feet, and the depth of water on the sills at mean neap tides is 23 feet 3 inches, and at mean spring tides 30 feet 3 inches. The lock entrances into two of the Liverpool docks have been so constructed that they can be used as graving docks in case of necessity. The Canada Dock lock is 500 feet long, 100 feet wide, and has a depth of water at the sill at mean spring tides of 26 feet. The Huskisson Dock lock is 396 feet long, 80 feet wide, and has a depth of water on the sill, at mean spring tides, of 24 feet 9 inches. On the Birkenhead side there is one lock entrance 500 feet long, 85 feet wide, and a depth of water of 30 feet 3 inches at mean spring tides. This lock can also be used as a graving dock. There are 16 graving docks in Liverpool, varying in length from 300 feet to 700 feet, having a depth of water of 18 feet to 21 feet on the blocks at mean spring tides; the width of the entrances varying from 40 feet to 70 feet.

At Birkenhead three public graving docks are in course of construction, each 750 feet long; two having 50 feet entrances, and the third an entrance of 85 feet wide. The depth of water in these graving docks is 25 feet 9 inches at mean spring tides. There is another lock entrance into the Birkenhead Docks which is now 400 feet long by 100 feet wide, having a depth of water, at mean spring tides, of 30 feet 3 inches, which could also be lengthened to 500 feet, and adapted for use as a graving dock at a cost of about £15,000.

In addition to the public docks on both sides of the river above alluded to, there are ten private graving docks on the Birkenhead side; two of these are 440 feet long, and have a depth of water, at mean spring tides, of 20 feet 3 inches, and one of these is now being enlarged, and the depth of water increased to 24 feet. Two others of these docks are 380 feet long each, with a depth of water, at mean spring tides, of 19 feet 3 inches. The width of entrances to these four docks varies from 80 feet to 87 feet. The mean of spring tides is called 18 feet 3 inches on the old dock-sill datum; but the tides rise occasionally to 21 feet, which would make a depth of water on the sill of the Birkenhead Docks, at the highest tides, of 33 feet 3 inches. From the above statement it would appear that there is a large area of dock-water space now ready, or shortly to be completed, which, in case of war or any sudden emergency, would afford accommodation to some of the largest ships in her Majesty's service; and there is no doubt, from the nature of the locality, that graving-dock accommodation suitable for the largest ships of war now being constructed could be provided at a very moderate cost.