Lately on the Coast of Africa, Mr. Cole, Assistant Surgeon, and Mr. Barrow, Mate, both of the Scout sloop-of-war. Near Chichester, on the 18th August, sincerely and deservedly beloved and regretted, Anna Maria, wife of Lieut. Macnamara, R.N. On the 7th Sept., at Terrington, in Norfolk, in the 89th year of her age, Lady Anne Hamond, widow of the late Sir Bart., many Andrew Snape Hamond, Lately, Mrs. Bunce, relict of Joseph Bunce, Esq., Commander, R. N., Uuionstreet, Stonehouse. In Cobourg-street, Plymouth, on the 7th Sept., suddenly, Commander Henry Payne, R.N., 1814. METEOROLOGICAL REGISTER, Kept at Croom's Hill, Greenwich, by Mr. W. ROGERSON, of the Royal Observatory. AUGUST, 1838. FAHRENHEIT'S BAROMETER, In Inches and Decimals. THERMOMETER In the Shade. AUGUST-Mean height of the Barometer 29-939 inches; Mean temperature SEPTEMBER 1838. 614 degrees NOTE. The Aurora Borealis appeared conspicuously on the evenings of August 22nd, Sept. 13th, 15th, and 16th. Sept. 11th, the grass in Greenwich Park was white with hoar frost this morning at sun-rise. LONDON: T. STANLEY, PRINTER, 17, BARTLETT'S BUILDINGS, HOLBORN. ORIGINAL PAPERS. NOVEMBER, 1838. NEW SHOALS IN THE CHINA SEA, Coast of Palawan. By Capt. J. H. Brown. In several former numbers of the Nautical Magazine we have given the positions of dangerous shoals in the China sea ;* and we are now enabled, by the zealous attention of the Commander of the ship Arabian, for the safety of his brother seamen, to lay before them the positions of some new and important dangers, which we recommend them at once to transfer to their charts. Such communications as these will do much for the security of the difficult navigation of the part of the China sea in question; and we may briefly assure Capt. Brown that the information to which he alludes, respecting Palawan, will be no less welcome to the pages of the Nautical. Carton, February 1st, 1838. Sir,-Well knowing your laudable wish and endeavours, to make public the position of any new dangers, I hasten to give you the earliest information of the situation of some Coral Banks or Shoals in the China sea hitherto unknown. By insertion in your very highly esteemed publication, you will oblige a constant reader, And, Sir, On the 8th January, 1838, on our passage to China by the Palawan, standing to the northward, wind N.E., at 10h. 30m. A.M. passed close to windward of a coral patch, with apparently five or six fathoms over it, blowing fresh and a good deal of sea: could not lower a boat to determine. It lies in 10° 30′ N., 116° 39′E. Same day, laying up east on the larboard tack, at 3h. 30m. P.M. came suddenly into shoal water. Saw the coral rocks very distinctly under the ship's bottom. Hove the lead over, first cast had five fathoms, and mark five above water for a few casts. up, and ran to the southward a few minutes, until deepened to thirty fathoms, and no bottom. *See p. 224, vol. 1837, and p. 601, vol. 1836. ENLARGED SERIES. Put the helm we gradually 4 Y We appeared to be on the southern edge of an extensive coral flat, extending N.E. and N.W. of us, some miles by sight, for chronometer taken immediately we came off the shoal; this part of it lies in long. 116° 58′ E., or 4' east of the Bombay reef, which we left yesterday, and lat. 10° 35′ N., in which we observed at noon, having made a due east course. The following day, 9th, at 9 A.M., standing to the northward, with a fresh wind from N.E., and a heavy head sea; came again into shoal water: coral rocks seen very close to our keel, but before we had the lead forward passed over the ridge into twenty-eight fathoms. I must here observe that the look-out at the mast-head was, in both cases, very bad, neither shoals being announced; although from experience I know coral shoals can be seen from the mast-head at a good distance when the sun is behind, which was the case in these instances. From 9 to 11h. 30m. A.M., ran eight miles on a N.N.W. course in irregular coral soundings: least water, by the lead, eleven fathoms, but at times we apparently had much less from the proximity of the coral rocks. We entered upon this flat in lat. 10° 39′ N., long. 117° 22' E.; came off in lat. 10° 46', long. 117° 17'. The longitude computed from a series of sights, before and after noon; the latitude by a good meridian altitude, four observers, and clear weather. In passing over this bank the water appeared very shoal east and west of us : lying in ridges in that direction. January 11th, at 6 P.M., standing to the eastward, came again into shoal water saw the black rocks under the bottom. We were at this time in long. 118° 50' E., by sights taken an hour and half before; lat. 11° 7' N., (the bearings taken a short time previous). The Table land on Palawan, S.E. by E. E.: northermost land E. by N. N., and not less than thirty miles off the nearest land. Tacked and stood off, least water by the lead thirteen fathoms, deepening suddenly to 50 and 100 fathoms: no bottom. This lies further out than any of the patches found by Capt. Ross. I am confident as to the above position being correct, corroborating the latitude by stars on both sides, north and south. By reference to the chart a line through the centre of the Sea-horse bank, W. by S. S., and E. by N. N., cuts the centre of each of the above shoals or banks. I must also observe, that I made all the principal reefs on the western side of the channel, as regular as mile-stones, and as far as my abilities and good watches can determine, they are correctly laid down. But the Viper shoals do not exist as breakers in the position assigned them on the charts, as we were on the site of each at clear noon-day. Neither does the Pensylvania, as breakers, laid down N. by W., |