A BIT OF A SAILOR'S MIND.

BIT THE FIFTH.

PREVIOUS to the Indian Mutiny nothing seemed to annoy an East Indian officer more than to question the loyalty and good faith of the Sepoy army; but after the outbreak, when these same gentlemen were reminded of this, their answer was, "Heaven forgive me for the falsehood, but it was the fashion to praise them to the skies."

A correspondent of the "Standard" calls the Royal Naval Reserve a sham, and in ventilating the reality and efficiency of the force, one treads on very dangerous ground.

Not having had the honour of serving in the Royal Navy with the force, but feeling an interest in them, I scraped an acquaintance with a Coastguard man and found that he had served the Queen with them, and asking him for his opinion I found it did not tally with what was published by the friends and promoters of the movement. He said of all the "uselessest" fellows he ever saw in a man of war, they were the worst. They could hardly be got to answer their muster, let alone assisting if the watch were turned up, and told the regular crew they did not come there to work.

I was sorry to hear him speak so harshly of them, as I and many others always gave the R. N. R. the preference when engaging hands, as some will have it they are the elite of the merchant service, whatever that may be. I always found them certainly no better than others, but being better paid they can afford to be more saucy and insubordinate; and I cannot say that their outfit for sea service was one whit more efficient.

I think the taxpayer is justified in asking why, as the land volunteers are not above finding their own uniforms, this Naval Reserve, who get pay all the year round, should not be obliged to dress like sailors, seeing that their pay is equal to two-thirds of what an English soldier gets and double what a continental soldier receives. Yet it is a force that is never seen in uniform.

Surely to be efficient they should be clad properly, and I would suggest that the shipping master should insist on their coming for their pay in decent clothes, and bringing a certificate from the Sailors' Home that they have a proper sea kit; or the outdoor officers could certify this. Then we should be somewhat sure that in giving the R. N. R. the preference, the men would be all right

as far as clothing went. It is said that some of the turnpike sailors (tramps), that have increased so much since Jack has been inured to jail life, are men of the R. N. R., playing at Box and Cox with the authorities-that is, keeping two books and drawing pay in two places, working double tides, getting eightpence a-day, with £1 1s. per week when on board the drill ship, and not going to sea.

This paper reserve I hope the Government will get when they want them, which is more than the Shipping Act can do with our crews, with all its 570 clauses, as no merchant ship gets what she pays for; the crews are never up to time. Things managed themselves better in former times, when the law was short and simple. Thus said 1830-England expects every man to do his duty, or take the consequences.

[We are always glad to receive the acute and sensible remarks of our friend who occasionally favours us with a bit of his mind; but we think he is a little too hard on the R. N. R. It must be remembered that the Naval Reserve is a comparatively youthful institution, which by judicious management may eventually be made most serviceable. Of course, there are bad men amongst them, as is the case in any large body of men, but we question much whether R. N. R. men are, on the whole, worse than the rest of the merchant seamen. We are also inclined to think that the Coastguard man alluded to may have been under the influence of the "green-eyed monster."-ED. N. M.]

THE annual appearance of certain Admiralty publications, viz., The Lists of Lights of the British Islands and of the World, and the Tide Tables for British and Irish Ports,* is a source of much satisfaction to the maritime community generally. We need not say much as to their usefulness, every nautical reader knows, and no doubt appreciates, their value; but we would observe, that the 1871 editions display the usual care and completeness in their compilation, and are as much as ever deserving of the confidence of maritime men. Apart from the importance which attaches to them as official publications, the well-known names of the experienced officers who have contributed to them, would be a sufficient guarantee for the reliability and value of the information contained in the works.

* Sold by J. D. Potter, 31, Poultry, E.C.

We observe that during the past month the Shipping Gazette has published daily a Wind Chart of the British Isles. The information is supplied direct from the Meteorological Office, and must be of great value to the shipping community. The direction of the wind at various points round the coast is indicated by small arrows, the wind coming from behind the arrow; the force is represented in each case by a figure at the tail of the arrow. The chart shews at a glance the state of the wind all round the coast on each day, and will no doubt be most useful and reliable for reference.

FRENCH LIGHTS.-Notwithstanding the many reproaches that are constantly directed against England respecting the attitude maintained by her with regard to the combatants on the Continent, there is little doubt that she has expended much humane and generous sympathy upon the sufferers on both sides; sympathy which has in many ways taken the practical form of material relief. Poor incapacitated France, among her innumerable troubles, has been compelled to ask assistance in keeping her coast lights burning. Her lighthouse stores are shut up in Paris, and she piteously asks of England, "Give us of your oil." Most gladly and willingly is this request responded to, and the Trinity Board, acting for the common good of all nations whose navigation would be imperilled by the extinction of the guiding lights, are doing all in their power to prevent such a calamity. This timely aid is dictated by those universal principles of humanity which rise above questions of mere international law as between neutrals and belligerents. We are reminded of the story of the former French monarch who rebuked an overzealous officer for taking certain English lighthouse keepers prisoners, and who, in liberating the captives, observed that though he was at war with England, he was not at war with humanity. And the assistance now rendered to our neighbours in their hour of need from our full stores, may, perhaps, be regarded as a graceful recognition on our part of the noble principle involved in the royal speech.

In our next number will be published the commencement of a serial story entitled, "JAMES KENNEDY, A TALE OF THE WAR

TIME."

MONTHLY ABSTRACT OF NAUTICAL NOTICES.

No.

139

RED SEA-Bab-el-Mandeb Strait Re-establishment of revolving light.

4

5

6

AUSTRALIA-Queensland.

Priam Shoal not in existence.

Reef off Cape Palmerston.

Victoria-Port Albert... Alteration in light.

SCOTLAND West Coast-Sound of Alteration in light.
Jura-Skervuile.

AFRICA-West Coast-Gambia River Buoy and cage placed on it.
-African Knoll.

ENGLAND-East Coast-Thames- Alteration in light.

Sunk Light.

UNITED STATES-Charleston Harbour Alteration in position of light.
--Sullivan Island Light.

NOTICES.

(All bearings are Magnetic.

139 (last Number for 1870).-Red Sea-Bab-el-Mandeb Strait-Perim Island. The revolving light is re-established.

Charts affected, Nos. 2523, 8a, 10a, 748b, 6b, 2592, and 598.

1.-Red Sea-Mocha.-The shoal described as the Priam Shoal, lying W.S.W. 8 miles from the north end of Mocha, is proved not to exist, and is removed from the Charts.

Charts affected, Nos. Sa and 2523.

2.-Australia-Queensland.—A reef, 1 cable in length, called Marsh Reef, has been discovered in lat. 21° 42′ 20′′ S., long. 149° 48′ 20′′ E. The reef is awash.

Charts affected, Nos. 2759a, 2763, and 346.

Victoria-Port Albert light will, on 1st April, be changed from a red to a white fixed and flashing light, visible 11 miles. Charts affected, Nos. 2759b and 1695.

3.-Scotland-West Coast-Sound of Jura-Skervuile or Iron Rock.Speed of revolution of light to be changed, on 1st February, from every minute to a flash every half minute.

Charts affected, Nos. 1824a, 2635, 2478, and 2515.

4.-Africa-West Coast-Gambia River—African Knoll.-A black buoy with cage has been placed on the east end of the knoll in lat. 13° 34' 40" N., long. 16° 36' 50" W. Also, there is now no light vessel on the knoll. Charts affected, Nos. 608 and 599.

5.-England-East Coast-Thames Entrance-Sunk Light.-The alteration in the light has been made. It is now a revolving light showing a flash every forty-five seconds, alternately red and white, of nearly equal power; by day a half ball over the usual ball, at the mast head, is shown. Charts affected, Nos. 2902a, 2052, 1975, 1610, 1598, 2765a, 1406, 1, 2339, and 2182a.

6.-United States-South Carolina-Charleston Harbour-Sullivan Island Light has been moved to the north-west 333 yards, or a little to the eastward of Fort Moultrie.

Chart affected, No. 2806.

HYDROGRAPHIC.

THE following information is extracted from Hydrographic Notices issued from the Admiralty, the particulars being furnished by Navigating Lieutenant J. T. Gowlland, R.N., Admiralty Surveyor.

WINDS AND WEATHER ON THE COAST OF
NEW SOUTH WALES.

THE prevailing winds on the coast of New South Wales may be said to blow from the north-east between October and March, and from west to south-west between April and October, subject to variations from other quarters of short duration. The sea breeze from the north-east during summer sets in gently in the early forenoon, preceded by a calm, with a hot sultry atmosphere; it gradually freshens towards noon, and about the middle of the afternoon is at its height, blowing a stiff double-reefed topsail breeze, and accompanied by a disagreeable moisture in the atmosphere. Objects are only indistinctly seen through this haze at a distance of five or six miles.

These winds vary in strength, and are occasionally moderate, nearly always falling light about sunset, but if not, the breeze may be expected to continue till midnight, and then drop suddenly to a calm. If the barometer has been observed to fall during the previous twelve hours, they are almost certain to be followed by what is known in the colony as a "southerly burster." This heavy burst of wind must be looked out for, as it comes on frequently with a clear sky, and no atmospheric warning. Strangers should be on the alert for these sudden changes of wind to the southward in the