F. Fixed. Fl. Fixed and Flashing. R. Revolving. I. Intermitting. Est. Established.

(a.) 33..-The light is thus described:-A flash lasting seven seconds is preceded and followed by intervals of darkness each being of twenty seconds duration; a fixed light then appears for two minutes and thirteen seconds and is followed by the interval of darkness which precedes the flash.

A new beacon of stone, in the form of a pyramid, thirty feet high, and painted yellow, was to be erected in the place of the old one on the island of Ryvingen, near Mandel, in July last.

(b.) 37.-Pelorus Reef, South Pacific Ocean.-H.M.S. Pelorus, when between New Zealand and the Fiji Islands, on the 12th July, 1861, passed within a third of a mile of a reef, about a quarter of a mile in length, with not more than one or two fathoms water on its western end, whereon breakers were seen. Its position is in lat. 22° 52' S., long. 176° 27′ 50′′ W. from Greenwich. Pylstaart Island was in sight, and bore N.b. E. distant thirtyseven miles.

After dark on the evening of the same day, when steering N.W. under reduced sail, soundings were obtained with the hand lead in 7 fathoms, followed by two casts in 6 and 7 fathoms respectively, in lat. 21° 43′ S., long. 176° 42′ W.

THE SPANISH COAST BETWEEN ADRA AND ALMERIA.

[Her Majesty's Consul at Adra, with a becoming zeal for the safety of mercantile shipping navigating the Mediterranean, has sent home a description of the Spanish coast in his neighbourhood, with the view of preventing those wrecks which are too frequent there; and he has entered into details with which he justly considers seamen should be familiar. Such laudable exertions in a good cause deserve well, and in seconding them by reprinting his production, we may add that if the excellent example of Mr. Frederick Burr were imitated by H.M. Consuls in other parts of the world in the same masterly style,

navigators would be grateful for the information and the shipping interest would largely benefit thereby.-ED.]

It may appear almost incredible, but is yet strictly true, that within fifty leagues of the Straits of Gibraltar, and on the Spanish coast, there exists a danger to which due attention has not yet been given. I refer to a broad cape, surrounded by sands and shoals, so low as to be scarcely visible at sea and with not even a name to distinguish it, which, lying pretty much in the usual course of vessels, is a frequent cause of loss and shipwreck to all maritime nations having commerce in the Mediterranean. In proof of this, I have seen wrecked there, in less than a year and a half, and within the district of this viceconsulate of Adra, the following vessels:-four English, two French, one Russian (a steamer), one Swedish, and one Dutch.

These disasters occurred in five leagues of coast, between December, 1858, and April, 1860; and beside the above nine total wrecks, two other vessels-one French, the other American-were stranded but got off again, the former not without considerable expense.

The dangers which cause such frequent and costly disasters, if clearly pointed out, are easily avoided, and I believe I may say, that the official reports which have been made on the subject, and which have been published by some of the governments to which they were made, have already contributed to check these disasters. It is only, however, by the widest publicity possible being given to this information that it can be hoped completely to prevent the recurrence of similar misfortunes, for which purpose I shall now endeavour to condense my previous reports, adding some further remarks to enable this coast to be recognised at once by strangers.

The general features of the Mediterranean coast of Spain are wellknown, and may be seen at once by reference to a map or chart. The North and N.E. run of the coast from the straits to Malaga, its easterly direction with almost mathematical straightness from Malaga to Adra, the great semicircular indentation of the Bay of Almeria, bounded on the East by the lofty and well-known cape or promontory of the Cabo de Gata, remarkable, too, as being the point where the line of the Spanish coast entirely changes its direction, runnning from thence between North and East for about 200 leagues to the French frontier near Rosas, at the foot of the Pyrenees. All these are wellknown facts, and may be seen by a glance at the map.

But there is another fact connected with this coast which is not so well known, and which it is the principal object of this notice to point out and explain; for it is not very clearly indicated on most of the maps and charts, and is not very conspicuous or prominent even on the spot to those who are not well acquainted with the locality.

It is that between Adra and Almeria there exists a broad cape, or succession of capes, fringed with sands and rocks, stretching several miles south into the Mediterranean, and which forms the western

The charts say three miles. The dangers of the offing are, however, increased by the back land of the interior being low; thus leading the seaman

boundary of the Bay of Almeria, just as the Cabo de Gata forms its eastern boundary. The former, however, being as low and as flat as the latter is conspicuous and lofty. Thus, to the foreign mariner, when he is entering or leaving the Mediterranean, the Cabo de Gata will appear the only point by which he need direct his course with reference to the Spanish coast; whereas, in reality, before reaching it on the one hand, and after passing it on the other, there is a still more southerly cape nearly in his course. But this latter is low, flat, nameless, and almost invisible at sea; and consequently, at night, or in hazy or stormy weather, it is too frequently the scene of shipwreck and disaster.

Bearing this fact in mind, and the consequent necessity of keeping well out to sea and off the coast between Adra and Almeria, especially at night and in hazy weather, it is not too much to say that in nine cases out of ten shipwreck and disaster would be avoided.

But, in addition to the dangers arising from its position, so much in the course of vessels, the cape in question presents another danger also which it is most essential to point out and fully explain. I refer to an optical deception peculiar to the locality.

This point of land is so low as to be almost invisible at sea, and by night and in that hazy weather so common in the Mediterranean it is quite so. In that case the distant mountains, which are very high and conspicuous, often tower high above the fogs, and are mistaken for the coast itself. In taking declarations and making out protests in cases of shipwreck, I have always found that the captain and crew had no idea of being so near the coast till the vessels actually struck upon it, or upon the equally dangerous sands and rocks which surround it.

This optical deception, so fatal to mariners, I now proceed to explain, referring to the appearances as they are presented to a vessel entering the Mediterranean.

The mountains and elevated land which form the straight line of coast, extending nearly one hundred miles in length, from Malaga to Adra, are suddenly terminated at the latter place by the deep and abrupt valley of the river of Adra. Eastward of that river, the mountains take a somewhat different course, or a good deal north of east, and therefore considerably inland. Thus, at Adra the mountains come down to the coast, and also at Almeria; but in this distance of nine leagues they have receded about two leagues and a half from their former east and west line, thus giving space for the bay of Almeria, and leaving a large plain, known as the Llanos de Almeria, at their base. The projection of this plain south, into the Mediterranean, forms the dangerous line of coast in question, which commences at Adra, and extends eastward nearly as far as the roadstend of Roquetas, about six leagues distant.

Now the mountains here are very lofty, the Sierra de Gador range,

to believe that he is further from the shore than he really is,-one of the most dangerous conditions of navigation, and the cause of wreck in many other parts of the world.-ED.

which bounds the coast between Adra and Almeria, rising in its western part to 6,000 and even 7,000 feet above the Mediterranean, towards which the slope is precipitous and abrupt. The distant Sierra Nevada range, which will be seen to the westward of the Sierra de Gador, rises to the height of 12,000 feet; but this range is ten to twelve leagues inland, and not, therefore, so prominent as the coast ranges.

It will easily be understood that these elevated ranges, some of the loftiest indeed in Europe, and not far inland, will be very deceptive as regards their height and distance. To the mariner the great difficulty is that these high mountains and their precipitous slopes become blended and confounded with the plains below them. Thus the mountains, particularly at night and in hazy weather, are mistaken for the coast itself, while the intermediate flat land-which may be from two or three to eight or nine miles in breadth-is quite undistinguishable,— in fact, it cannot be seen at all.

The mountains and the coast being thus confounded together, the inexperienced mariner often believes himself leagues from the shore, when he is, in reality, close in upon it and in very shallow and dangerous waters. This, indeed, is the general cause of vessels being wrecked and stranded on this coast, the first intimation of danger being when they actually strike on the sands or rocks.

The dangerous portion of the coast in question commences at Adra, where, immediately east of the roadstead, the river has formed a low alluvial tract, projecting southward into the Mediterranean, where many disasters have occurred. At this point, too, the mountains commence to run north of east to Agua Dulce, about half way between Roquetas and Almeria, where the coast-line again comes up to them, forming cliffs and high land the remaining two leagues to Almeria. The coast from Adra to Agua Dulce (merely a small coast-guard station) is quite flat: it runs first south of east for about four leagues, to Punta de Entinas, which is its most southerly projection; thence north of east to Roquetas and Agua Dulce, about four leagues also. It is the great triangular plain thus formed, having the mountains for its base and the coast-line for its apex, which presents the deceptive appearance which has been described, the most dangerous part being for about two leagues west and the same distance east of Point Entinas, the most projecting point of this cape, and where the greatest number of wrecks occur. The whole line of coast, however, from the roadstead of Adra to that of Roquetas, a distance of six or seven leagues, is more or less dangerous and deceptive, while there is no necessity or inducement whatever to approach it very closely. This dangerous line of coast may be described as follows:—

One league and a half east of Adra, two salt lakes (the Albuferas) being intermediate, is the small village of Balerma-the houses low and a large circular tower in the middle of the place.

The coast then runs considerably to the south, and about a league distant is the dangerous point of Guardia Vieja, which may be known by the fort from which it derives its name. A mile beyond is los

Baños, a mineral spring, with a dozen low houses round it, and opposite which there is shelter for small coasting vessels.

A league further east, or rather S.E., is Point Entinas, forming the most southern point of the cape, and being about three leagues and a half east (or rather S.E.) of Adra, and one league due south of that place. This point is known by a tower and a house for the coastguard adjoining.

The coast then trends somewhat north of east for a league and a half to Point Elena and the Tower of Cerillos, all low and dangerous, and the scene of many wrecks and disasters.

The coast then runs nearly north for about a league, where, in front of Roquetas, is a spacious roadstead, which affords shelter to innumerable vessels from the prevalent westerly winds. Sometimes, indeed, I have seen a whole fleet of thirty or forty vessels anchored there.

Almeria, about three leagues further East (or rather N.E.) is in the centre of the bay, besides having a pier or breakwater not yet finished. It is thus sheltered from the westerly winds, while shelter from easterly gales is afforded by the Cabo de Gata, five and a half leagues further east, or rather S.E.

As before noticed, the greater part of the cape here minutely described as intervening between Adra and Roquetas, is fringed by hidden sandbanks, and in places by rocky shoals, which extend a long way into the Mediterranean. Thus, any vessel approaching too near the shore is almost sure of being stranded, and the result of my experience is, that in four cases out of five, she becomes a total wreck.

Another source of danger must not be overlooked-the easterly current from the straits which sweeps round this cape at two to three miles per hour, and which. if a vessel approaches too near, will always have a tendency to bring her on the sandbanks and shoals which, I should say, extend full a mile from the shore.

Such, then, are the local dangers of this coast, the combinations of which occasion such frequent wrecks and disasters either in or close adjoining the vice-consular district of Adra. It will be seen that this danger lies very nearly in the course of all vessels entering or going out of the Mediterranean, although, as the great majority of them are bound to distant ports, either within the straits or beyond them, they have no need whatever to approach so near the Spanish coast.

out.

Nothing can be more simple than the mode of avoiding these dangers, after having had their nature and existence thus clearly pointed On reaching the meridian of Adra or of Almeria, if by day, or on merely approaching such meridian if by night, according as the vessel's course may be eastward or westward, all captains, in addition to keeping a very vigilant lookout on the coast, should keep, say three or four leagues further out to sea while passing the cape in question. In fact, they should keep so far off the Spanish coast that the lofty Sierra de Gador, the principal landmark, should look sensibly lower in the horizon, instead of very lofty and prominent, as it always does when near the coast. Some judgment of the distance may be formed by considering the angle of elevation subtended by heights of