had run upon a reef about twenty-five miles to the N.W. of Cape Northumberland, and that the crew and passengers were exposed to a lingering death from starvation, having been seen for upwards of five days clinging to the wreck, which no boat could approach, and no communication could be effected with them without the aid of rockets, owing to the tremendous surf. His Excellency, therefore, at the request of a deputation from all the merchants and traders of Melbourne, called upon me-"for the cause of humanity," the requisition stated-to proceed iminediately to the assistance of these unfortunate people.

Although it was my opinion that, owing to our distance, nearly 300 miles, from the locality and the length of time that had already elapsed since the wreck took place, any assistance in my power to offer would only arrive too late, the appeal was not to be disregarded. Accordingly, availing myself of the proposal of a Captain Lawrence, an old experienced navigator in these seas, to act as pilot, thirty tons of coal and a whale-boat belonging to Sandridge were taken on board, and we started before midnight on the expedition, picking up the life-boat stationed at Shortland Bluff en pussant. By daylight we were outside the Heads, but a delay took place, owing to the impossibility of towing the life-boat astern, and we had to hoist her in, which was no easy job, and occupied a considerable time.

Besides Captain Lawrence, several other gentlemen, relatives of the unfortunate passengers in the Admella were with us. They stated that the details which had come almost hourly by telegragh from Mount Gambier were frightful,-though, as it turned out, they fell far short of the reality, and that the excitement in Melbourne had been worked up to the highest pitch-in fact, all business had been suspended. During the day the wind freshened continually from S.W., right in our teeth, and with all four boilers, burning coal at the rate of fifty tons in twenty-four hours, we made but slow progress. At 4h. p.m. we rounded Cape Otway, wind and sea steadily increasing, speed reduced to four knots. At sunset spoke the Havilah (s.s.), from Adelaide to Melbourne: she had not been to the wreck.

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Sunday, 14th.-The land was in sight at daylight, and we stood in for Portland Bay, some fifty miles short of the locality of the wreck, which is just to the westward of the Carpenter Rocks, directly opposite Lake Bonny,—intending to get the life-boat out in the smooth water, as it would have been impossible to do it with the heavy sea running outside, and tow her the rest of the way. There is a remarkable rock or islet at the western extreme of the bay, called Lawrence Rock, which makes like a castle or fortified tower, and the scenery after passing it reminded me of Torbay.

At noon we fired a gun off the settlement, which brought out the harbour-master, Mr. Fawthrop, and from him we learnt that the remnant of the Admella's crew and passengers, numbering twentyfour, out of a total of eighty-six, had been rescued (mainly by his own exertions, though he did not mention this) yesterday morning,

and were now being landed from the steamer Lady Bird, which went to the wreck with the life-boat belonging to this place.

The fate of those lost was dreadful, and the accounts given by the survivors too shocking to dwell upon, as will be evident from the case of one poor fellow, the son of one of my passengers, who in a fit of delirium, brought on by drinking salt water, threw himself overboard, and was speedily devoured by the sharks which swarmed round the wreck. Ab uno disce omnes.

Let go the anchor in seven fathoms about three-quarters of a mile from the beach, and landed, with Dr. Patrick, the Surgeon, in order to render all the assistance we could. Our services, however, were not required. Everything had been done already by the Good Samaritans of this flourishing little place to alleviate the misery that had been brought to their doors. The owner of the Lady Bird asked me, however, for a supply of coal, about ten tons,-a requisition which was immediately complied with. At 6h. 30m. p.m. we started, under sail only, on our return to Melbourne.

Before leaving Portland Bay rambled through the town with Mr. Henty, the richest proprietor and oldest inhabitant. He pointed out with no little pride the first house built in the colony of Victoria; built and occupied by himself before Melbourne was thought of or Port Phillip even discovered. In those days, some five and twenty years ago, this was a mere whaling station; now it is an important commercial mart, exporting a large quantity of wool and agricultural produce, both annually increasing. It was painful to find that much apprehension existed relative to the security of the town in the event of a war, and not without reason. There is nothing at present to hinder any privateer from sacking the place, and the contents of the banks alone, of which there are several, would be a rich booty.

We had a fine fair wind and plenty of it, and averaged fully eleven knots all night. Passed Lady Julia Percy Island, the eastern limit of Portland Bay, at 8h. p.m.; rounded Cape Otway at 4h. a.m.; but the wind tell light as we drew up to the Heads, and, being anxious to save the tide, the propeller was lowered, and at 1h. p.m. we proceeded under steam and sail, anchoring in Hobson Bay at 4h. 45m. p.m., a little over twenty-two hours from Portland.

Returned the life and whale boats to the authorities, who would not hear of paying for the thirty tons of coal we had taken on board, and would not have grudged ten times the quantity, or anything necessary to any amount, such had been the extraordinary excitement.

And now, before dismissing the subject of this dismal wreck, let it not be forgotten, and it is here duly recorded, that there can be no doubt the Admella's loss was owing to some unusual current setting from S.W. to N.E. The usual courses had been steered from the time of her leaving Adelaide, precisely the same as had been done ever since the vessel first plied on the station, so that at the time she struck she should have been fully fifteen miles off the land, or even further, as she was kept out for an hour to secure one of the lacehorses on board, which got adrift. But what is confirmatory of the

existence of this current is the narrow escape of the P. and O. Co's. steamer Bombay, the night after the Admella struck, which ought to be considered sufficient; and that it was a narrow one the following statement, made by more than one of the survivors, amply proves :

"On Saturday night, between seven and eight o'clock, it being then dark, the forty or fifty people then on the wreck observed the three lights of a steamer bearing down towards them, and in about five minutes afterwards the large black hull of the mail steamer Bombay so close, that everyone cried out, 'Oh! here's another vessel on the reef!""

The story of the Admella's loss and this dear-bought experience ought therefore to satisfy everyone navigating this coast that, under certain conditions, fifteen miles is not a sufficient offing for even a fast full-powered steamer.

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After taking leave of Sir Henry Barkly, returned to Williamstown by the government railway, the main line of which goes to Sandhurst, Ballarat, Mount Alexander, and other "diggins," with a branch to Geelong, about forty miles in length. When the government pier and breakwater are finished, this will be a formidable rival to the little Sandridge line, as vessels of the largest size may be unloaded alongside the pier, with perfect shelter from all winds and from a heavy ground swell which sets into the bay occasionally. The government boat-building establishment or dockyard is here, and there is a patent slip close by which will take up a vessel of a thousand tons.

We obtained our supplies of fresh beef from the government contractor, Mr. Bayes, the contract price being 3 d. per lb.

IN-SHORE CURRENTS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL:-Remarks by Lieutenant J. A. Heathcote, I.R.N.

[The following judicious remarks on the inshore currents of the Bay of Bengal in the S. W. monsoon, by Lieutenant Heathcote, of the Indian Navy, will be appreciated by seamen: to whom the experience of this officer in East India navigation will give them additional recommendation.-ED.]

Enfield, N., 7th January, 1862.

The

Sir,-The traffic of the Bay of Bengal, embracing as it does some of the chief places of trade in the East, is greater and more important than that of any other portion of the eastern seas. The numerous vessels of all kinds engaged in this traffic have long suffered from a want of information on the currents prevailing in this sea. subject has not hitherto received the particular attention it requires. Horsburgh has given some general account of the currents, and physical geographers of later date have adopted his statements; but these, NO. 2.-VOL. XXXI.

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in some instances, were not based on actual experience, and have not always proved correct. They have, however, served to excite a thirst for further information; for they tell that currents do prevail of such force, but especially during the S. W. monsoon, as to be a source of great danger or of great advantage, according as a knowledge of their limits and direction will enable the navigator to avoid or make use of them.

Any information on this subject will therefore, I am sure, be gladly received; and as I have been for some time engaged in gathering from reliable sources a collection of facts and observations which may tend to a more exact knowledge of the currents of the S.W. monsoon, I trust that a few remarks thereon may not be out of place in the Nautical Magazine. They may anticipate but cannot supersede the chart which I have reason to believe will shortly be published by the Admiralty Hydrographical Office.

The "northerly and north-easterly movement," which has been described as setting generally over the entire surface of the Bay of Bengal, during the S.W. monsoon has many modifications. From False Point to lat. 18° N., and nearly to Vizagapatam, within thirty miles of the coast the current sets with considerable force to the southward from 2 to 11⁄2 knot per hour; outside this line it turns gradually to the E.N.E. until it approaches the coast of Arakan, when its direction is more to the northward until, in the immediate vicinity of the land, it sets strongly along the coast to the N.N.W., sometimes as much as 2 knots an hour. This is a dangerous current for vessels making the port of Akyab, especially for those heaving to to the southward of the port during the night; in which case it will be necessary to be very careful that the vessel be not drifted too near to the Rocky Patch and Oyster Reef.

There is an important current, the limits and varying direction of which it is difficult to describe properly without a chart, which begins in lat. 18° N. and long. 90° E. and sets to the S.E. and S.S.E. from

to 12 knots per hour as far as the channels North and South of Preparis Island, where it turns to the eastward. From the eastern edge of this current the waters turn off to the eastward and northeastward until, as they approach the coast of Pegu, they become governed by the contour of the land, and take its direction to the North and N.N.W., joining eventually the current already described on the coast of Arakan. In the South Preparis Channel it is met by a current which, from long. 85° E., is carried across the bay in the parallel of 14° N., and then sets strongly towards the Gulf of Martaban. This current may be of great advantage to vessels from Calcutta to Rangoon or Moulmein, or to Penang and the Straits of Malacca, as it will materially help them to the southward against the wind. Its eastern extreme should, however, be avoided, as a vessel may there be diverted from her right course.

To the East of the Great Andaman there is a northerly current of fromto 1 knot per hour, but this does not extend more than fifty miles from the island; and to the eastward of it, again, the currents

are found to be very irregular, with high ripplings. This irregularity is probably the result of the flow of the currents round the North and South extremes of the islands, which, meeting here, cause eddies such as are always observable where water in motion meets an obstruction such as is here presented by the Andaman Islands.

Through the Mergui Archipelago and for forty to fifty miles to the westward of the islands the current sets to the South and S.E.

Between the Andamans and the Mergui Archipelago, in the middle of the sea, there is a north-easterly current of to 1 knot.

From long. 95° E. and lat. 10° N. a south-easterly current sets at the rate of to 12 knots per hour to the entrance of the Straits of Malacca.

Off the North coast of Sumatra the S. W. monsoon current sets W.N.W. and West, following the line of coast.

Between the Great Nicobar and Acheen Head there is a current setting S. W. and W.S.W., in the teeth of the monsoon, at the rate of

to 1 knots per hour. This current extends almost to 92° E., and as far South as lat. 5° N. It has hitherto been but little known, but will prove of great advantage to vessels going westward during the S.W. monsoon. On its northern edge, where it meets the ordinary N.E. current, strong ripplings are observed.

On the Coromandel coast, from Point Calymere to lat. 15° N., the current of the S.W. monsoon in the vicinity of the land sets to the northward; from lat. 15° N. it sets to the north-eastward as far as Gordemare Point, whence it trends in an easterly, and afterwards a north-easterly, direction across the bay. About thirty miles off the coast the northerly current turns to the north-eastward.

From the S.W. coast of the Indian Peninsula the current of the S.W. monsoon runs to the S.S.E. and S.E. as far as the S.W. corner of Ceylon; but on the line from Cape Comorin to Point de Galle it turns to the N.E. and North into the Gulf of Manaar and must be avoided.

Off the South coast of Ceylon it runs strongly to the eastward, sometimes as much as 2 knots an hour; but to the South of the parallel of 5° N. it takes an E.S.E. direction, which it keeps as far as 90° E., when it takes a still more southerly course.

The statement of Keith Johnson, following Horsburgh, that during the S.W. monsoon the current flows North along the East coast of Ceylon is erroneous, for a strong current is there experienced to the S.S.E., taking more or less the direction of the coast. It is felt as far as thirty-five to forty miles off the land, and runs sometimes from thirty-six to forty miles in twenty-four hours, at other times as little as twelve to fifteen miles. This current is another which, when known, may be made useful to vessels proceeding to the southward at the most unfavourable season of the year. The set from the eastern edge of this current turns again to the N.E.,-as does also from the Basses the general set of the waters across the bay. Between the parallels of 5° and 6° N. the direction is, however, less northerly, or