Sir William Symonds, I perceive, has been launching another of his sixteen gun brigs, the pilot. By the bye, I perceive Lord Ingestrie gained his point after all, the other day, in parliament. What benefit the country will gain thereby, remains to be seen, Mr. Editor. One Wise-acre, says, it will prevent the occurrence of wrecks in the merchant shipping! which, to me is wonderful: another says, it will improve naval architecture, perhaps he means marine insurance! surely that thrives well enough already! Depend on this, Mr. Editor, that it will neither improve our men-of-war, nor will it establish a marine board, and John Bull will go on as he has done, building his ships, and sailing his ships, and finding his ships, just as he pleases. But Sir Robert Peel, it appears, suggested the form of the motion, that, "Copies of any reports of the senior officers during the respective trial cruises be laid before the house;" and so the long string of returns has dwindled into this at last. The gallant surveyor would have no objection to go further, I am sure. I am sorry to inform you, that Lieutenant Ayscough has been dismissed the Barham, and placed at the bottom of the list of lieutenants, by the sentence of a court-martial. The king of the Netherlands has directed a gold medal to be presented to Captain T. Stock, the master of the Ranger, brig, for saving the crew and passengers of the brig Padang; and, before I forget it, let me tell you also, that Lieutenant Roberts who navigated the Sirius steamer to New York, has been presented with an elegant piece of plate for his good services: and this by-the-by, brings me to the Atlantic steamers! Well, Steam-navigation, I guess, goes on as swimmingly as ever. It is no matter of theory now, all downright fair play, fair going. The Great Western averaged nine miles per hour going out, and something more than ten miles per hour, coming home from New York; the thing is becoming as common as rail-road travelling, and, if I mistake not, the mails will be expedited by it, as those were on shore by the rail-roads. I mean the mail to Jamaica, via New York. The passage for a steamer to Jamaica, (north side) from New York, is but five days; hence twenty days would reach Jamaica from England! It was only the other day that her Majesty's ship, Rainbow, performed this passage in sixtythree days! nine weeks; and twelve weeks have frequently been the passage out. Indeed, thirteen weeks was the common passage for a convoy. Just imagine, Mr. Editor, the ships, graced with a green vegetable fringe, their bends mottled with white incrustations of salt, displaying visible confirmation of the dilatory slowness of their progress! Well, all this has had its day. One effect of these Atlantic vessels, is to increase the old New York liners. These fine vessels, I see, are sailing five times in the month instead of twice, as formerly. But Atlantic steam-navigation, no one doubts now, is established; and notwithstanding, Bristol is bestirring herself, and about to build three more vessels, the size of the Great Western, to be called, respectively, the President, the Great Britain, and the United States, the Bristolians must take care that Liverpool does not take the lead of them, as she has long since. Liverpool has already a steamer running to New York, called *Her dimensions,-length, 105 feet,-breadth, 33 feet,-depth of hold, 15 feet,nearly 500 tons. the Royal William, the property of the Dublin steam packet company, commanded by a lieutenant of the navy. She left this country on the 5th of July. Then there is another Atlantic company close on their heels, whose advertisement I saw in your last number, Mr. Editor, with their steamer, the Liverpool; but, if the Liverpool men bestir themselves in earnest, and with the same active energy which has raised their city to its present eminent station, they will not fail to reap their full share of reward, and assist in showing the world that the Atlantic is not that impassable gulf between the old and new world, that theorists made it out. But Liverpool must take the field in her own defence, and let me advise her not to be afraid of size and power in her vessels. Well, the British Queen has reached Glasgow, and is now taking in her engines. Great things are said of her, and greater are expected. Then again there is something said of steamers to the Brazils, touching on the coast of Portugal, Madeira, the Canaries, and Cape Verd Islands, and why not Sierra Leone? Doubtless, there is much to be done on the coast of Brazil, and a company, which I perceive is forming to navigate the extensive estuary of Bahia, similar to that of Rio Janeiro, will be followed by others of the same kind, on other parts of the coast. In fact, steam-navigation is now rapidly establishing itself by means of British capital in those parts of the world for which it is peculiarly calculated. There was a little iron vessel called the Voador, which left Liverpool for Rio Janeiro in May last, and which has found her way, I see, into Maranham. What has been the cause of her getting so far to leeward? Is it that her compass was affected? By-the-bye, that point ought to be cleared up; and I am glad to find that some experiments are going to be made by order of government on an iron vessel in the river. It is an important point in steam navigation, and so is the proper construction of boilers, Mr. Editor; at least, so John Bull thinks, if his friend Jonathan does not. Two more accidents since my last, in the United States waters, by which above a hundred persons have found a watery grave. This would not do in the river Thames, if we are to judge by the expression of feeling at the meetings of the coroner's inquest of the Victoria. This affair is not yet terminated, and we are yet to learn what will be the verdict of the jury. One or two points seem to be pretty clearly established in the evidence, for which the public stand indebted to Mr. Seaward, Mr. Penn, and Mr. John Dickson, engineers, as well as to Mr. Ewart, the government engineer of Woolwich dockyard. These gentlemen have spoken out plainly and seem to be quite agreed that the accident has arisen from "a concatenation of unfavourable circumstances in the boiler!" These, no doubt, will come out at the conclusion of the inquest, which is adjourned to the 31st of July. In the meantime, John Bull is to be assured (!) of the perfect safety of the boilers of the other Hull vessels of the same construction, from the fact of their not having yet exploded, and from the numerous instances which have been cited of certain Scotch vessels' boilers which have already exploded! Mais nous verrons, Mr. Editor, as soon as the jury terminate their laborious and unpleasant task. That ingenious gentleman, Captain Ericsson, I see, is busy trying experiments with his propeller, fitted to an iron vessel, constructed by Mr. Laird, of Birkenhead. She is called the "Robert Stockton," built for Mr. Ogden, the United States' consul. I hope, if Captain Ericsson is successful, that he will favour your readers with a description of his machine, from which I anticipate more use in river than in ocean navigation. By the bye, the logs of the first voyage of the "Great Western" have been published, with her tracks, in a very creditable form by the managing director, Lieutenant Claxton, R.N.; and afford an exciting and highly interesting account of the voyage. Here is a sample of it:"Tuesday, 10th, (they left Bristol on the 7th,) at 2 A.M., two sail in sight; a large ship abeam to windward, standing E.; a ship on weather bow, close-hauled on larboard tack; wind W.S.W. Soon discovered a black ball painted in the foretopsail of the latter, by which we knew her for a packet-ship; hoisted our colours, the American at the fore; kept the steamer up a point, and at 11 passed and spoke her; the South American, seven days out of Liverpool for New York." This overhauling of one of the liners from Liverpool on the third day after starting, was a matter of exultation and triumph, which even the log does not fail to record. The "salutations were in the courtesy of the seas," as the liner was plunging and dashing the foam about her bows, in all the misery of being close-hauled, with every inch of canvas set against a fresh breeze in her very teeth. The words exchanged by the captains were few; adieus were made; three hearty cheers were exchanged, the helm was ordered to starboard, and the "Great Western" resumed her course; her passengers, envied, no doubt, by those of the liner, stretching away out of her's on the larboard tack. By the bye, I perceive, Mr. Editor, you gave these steamers a hint in your last, in pointing out the course they should steer; they ought to see to it, and not increase their distance by running off it. Your devoted, ARGUS. P.S. You have heard, I suppose, that Sir John Herschell has been created a baronet, and I perceive that her Majesty, the Queen, has directed the royal standard to be displayed at the palace when she is in London, in the same manner as it is at Windsor, that her subjects may know whether she is in town or not, without inquiry. This is as it should be, and I am rather surprized that our late naval king did not adopt the same plan. It would not be amiss, however, if the flag was looked after and trimmed or cleared occasionally, as the eddy winds cause it to foul now and then. This is a grave offence to a nautical eye, although it might pass unobserved by a military Her Majesty's naval aid de camps know this very well, and some one should see to it. They well know such slovenly work would not be tolerated by any admiral, captain, or other officer afloat in her Majesty's navy, where every flag and pendant aloft flies clear from the truck, Mr. Editor, and so ought the standard of our country, par excellence; more particularly when it announces the presence of our much beloved Queen Victoria. As I said, such half-mast-high-work may pass muster before a landsman, but it will not do in the eyes of one. ARGUS. MENAI LIGHTHOUSE.-Notice is hereby given, that, in fulfilment of the intention expressed in the notice from this house, bearing date the 6th of April last, the light at the north-eastern entrance of the Menai Straits, will be exhibited for the first time, on the evening of Thursday, the 28th instant, and thenceforth continued every night, from sunset to sunrise. Mariners are to observe, that the light in this tower will be stationary, and of a red colour, visible from N.W. W. seaward, to S.W. W., excepting that by the intervention of Puffin Island, the light will be eclipsed to vessels upon the bearings from it of E. by N. N. to E. S. 4 N.B. Masters of vessels, and others, are hereby cautioned not to approach the lighthouse within the distance of fifty yards, on accourt of a ledge of rocks which extends under water from the base of the building. By order, J. HERBERT, Secretary. Trinity House, London, June 14th, 1838. SHOEBURY-NESS BUOY-Swin Channel.-The southern edge of the Maplin Sand having undergone some change, the Shoebury-ness buoy has been removed about 1 mile E. by S. S. from its former position, and an additional black buoy laid on a projecting spit of that sand, about two miles further eastward. The present positions of these buoys are as follow, viz. : The Shoebury-ness buoy (black) lies in 3 fathoms at low water, spring-tides, with Hamlet windmill in line with the west end of southend The east Shoebury buoy (black) lies in 5 fathoms at low water, spring-tides, with .... N.N.E. A white windmill inland in line with the third house Shoebury-ness Buoy N.W. Note. The foregoing bearings are all magnetic. Trinity House, London, 6th June, 1838. HOOK OF MARGATE BUOY-Margate Sand.-The south-west spit of Margate Sand having undergone some change, the white beacon. buoy, marked "Hook of Margate," has been removed of a mile W.S.W. from its former position, and now lies in 4 fathoms at low water, with the following marks and compass bearings, viz. : Reculver new church, in line with the south side of Reculvers old spires ENLARGED SERIES.-NO. 8.-VOL. FOR 1838. ... W. by S. S. 4 A West end of Birchington Wood, in line with Birching ton western windmill Gore Patch Buoy..... S.S.E. E. N.W. W. The Gore patch buoy has also been removed about forty fathoms in a south-western direction, and now lies at six feet at low water spring-tides, with the following marks and compass bearings, viz. : West end of Cleave Wood, in line with the Preventive Station on Birchington Cliff .... S. by E. E. East end of the miller's house at Chislet, in line with the west end of Vantepier farm buildings East last buoy .... ... S.W. The corporation has also caused a large beacon buoy of a new description to be placed experimentally nearly midway between the east and west tongue buoys. By order, Trinity House, London, 6th June, 1838. J. HERBERT, Secretary. NEW HARBOUR LIGHT OF CHERBOURG.-Notice is hereby given, that a small red-coloured fixed light will continue to be shown every night upon the little tower recently built at the extreme end of the eastern jetty of the Port de Commerce of Cherbourg. This light stands thirty-three English feet above the high-water mark at equinoctial spring-tides. In clear weather, this light may be seen at the distance of a league outside of either of the channels into Cherbourg Road. It is to be observed that a line drawn through the buoy off the western extremity of the Breakwater and the above-mentioned little tower, also passes through the Fort du Homet, so that the light is concealed by the fort from those vessels which are to the westward of that line. Hydrographic-Office, Admiralty, 7th July, 1838. ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL PREMIUMS.-We have great pleasure in recording the following address of W. R. Hamilton, Esq., president of the Royal Geographical Society, to Colonel Chesney, at the last anniversary, on the occasion of presenting him with the royal premium. "Colonel Chesney,-When, on two former occasions, it fell to my lot, in the presence of the Royal Geographical Society, to present the annual royal medals awarded by the council,-first, to Captain Sir John Ross, and afterwards to Captain Back, I congratulated them on the triumphs they had achieved over the difficulties which had met them in the regions of perpetual snow and ice, amidst inhospitable and untrodden deserts, and on tracts of land, which they had brought to light for the first time, since the world was tenanted by man. "It is now my no less pleasing duty to offer to you the warm acknowledgments of this Society, and to present to you the Royal Premium, for the equally brilliant successes which have marked your progress under the opposite extreme of temperature; in re-opening to the civilized world a large portion of those countries, which, in times of yore, were the seat of extensive monarchies, which abounded |