by a building between the bearings N. by W., and N.N.W. W. It should be seen 6 miles.

133.-ADRIATIC.-Lesina Channel.-Pecognidol Rock.-A fixed red light, elevated 76 feet above the sea, and visible 7 miles, is exhibited from a lighthouse, recently erected on this rock, as a guide to the east entrance of Lesina channel and Port Lesina. Position, lat. 43° 8' N.. long. 16° 27′ E.

134.-SULU ARCHIPELAGO.-Basilan Group.-A rock has been discovered in the passage between the Basilan and Sulu groups.

The Wilhelmina Rock is partially covered with sand, and is awash at high water, with no bottom at 30 fathoms near it. Position, lat 6° 25′ N., long. 121° 22′ E.

135. SULU ARCHIPELAGO.-Pangutarang Group.-Teomabal Island. -It is said that this island lies N. by E. 7 miles from the position assigned to it on the chart, and that the reefs on the north side of the island extend 12 miles in a N.N.E. direction.

136.-SOUTH AMERICA.-West Coast.-Messier Channel, Indian Reach. -The French steam frigate Vaudreuil has discovered a rock in the Indian reach of the Messier channel.

The rock, Vaudreuil rock, is nearly awash, with from 4 to 7 fathoms on the edge of the kelp round. it. It is a northerly extension of a group of islets and dangers lying mid-channel in the reach, southward of the Gorgon reef. Position of Vaudreuil rock, lat. 49° 13′ S., long. 74° 22′ 50′′ W.

Note. To avoid this danger, vessels should keep near the shore of Wellington island.

137.-WEST INDIA.-Virgin Islands.-St. Thomas Harbour.-A new harbour light is now exhibited from an iron lighthouse on Mohlenfels point. The light is a fifth order light, 118 feet above the sea, and should be seen 12 miles.

138.-NORWAY.-Christiania Fiord.-At the close of the summer a fixed white light with two red flashes following each other in quick succession, of the third order, will be exhibited on Torbiörnskiæer, east side of the entrance of the fiord. Further information is promised.

139.-UNITED STATES.-Long Island Sound.-Little Gull Island.— The fog signal at the lighthouse will in future be a "siren," which will sound blasts of five seconds duration, with intervals of forty seconds.

140.-UNITED STATES.-Long Island Sound.-Falkner Island.—A fog bell, struck by machinery at intervals of fifteen seconds, has been established at the lighthouse, and will be sounded during thick and foggy weather.

141.-UNITED STATES.-Lake Huron.-Detour Lighthouse.-A steam fog whistle has been established which in thick or foggy weather will sound a blast of ten seconds duration with intervals of fifty seconds.

142.-ST. LAWRENCE GULF.-Chaleur Bay.-Carleton Point.—A fixed red light, elevated 32 feet, and visible 12 miles, is now exhibited. Lighthouse white, and 28 feet high. Position, lat. 48° 5' N., long. 66° 7′ W.

143.-CALIFORNIA.-Point Anó Nuevo.-A steam fog-whistle has been established on the island off the point. In thick weather it will sound fifteen seconds with intervals of forty-five seconds. Position, lat. 37° 6 1⁄2 N., long. 122° 19' W.

144.-CALIFORNIA.-Point Bonita Lighthouse.-A steam fog-signal, a siren, has been established; it will sound blasts of four seconds duration, with intervals of thirty-five seconds.

145.-AUSTRALIA.-Gulf of Carpentaria.-Limmen's Bight.-Maria Island.—A reef, Meikleham reef, lying in the track of vessels bound to Roper river, has been discovered north-east of Maria island. The bearings given place the reef in lat. 14° 46′ S., long. 136° 3′ E.

146.-AUSTRALIA.-Cape Howe.-Gabo Island Light.-The western limit of this light has been altered from S.S.W. to S.W. by S., so as to clear, when in sight, Cape Howe and the dangers to the southward.

CHANNEL STEAMERS.-The South Eastern Railway Company have at length taken a step in the right direction. They have put a covering over the deck of the Albert Edward. The object of this covering is to protect deck passengers from the weather and sea. In fine weather there is nothing more charming than a cruise across the channel in one of the small steamers now employed in the service between Dover and Calais and Folkestone and Boulogne, but when bad weather comes on then the little vessels become lively and the passengers the reverse. The new covering deck will protect the passengers from the spray and rain, but will afford them plenty of air. The covering will not, of course, in any way reduce sea sickness, but it will afford deck shelter, so that passengers on deck need not get wet as well as ill. The gigantic scheme of a railway ship stops the door against improvements in other directions but there is no doubt that by improving the present ships, or rather improving on them and making larger ships with covered decks, ships capable of being steered at either end, the more ambitions scheme would fall through of itself. A ship only 50 feet longer than the present ships, would be a near approach to all that can reasonably be expected, at any rate for some years, and there is no reason why its construction should be delayed.

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SOCIETIES-MEETINGS, ETC.

ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY, June 24. Major-General Sir Henry C. Rawlinson, K.C.B., President, in the chair.

THE paper read was "Central Asia in 1872," by Mr. R. B. Shaw, the enterprising traveller, who was the first Englishman in modern times to face the dangers of a journey in Eastern Turkistan, and visit its new ruler at Kashgar in the winter of 1868-9. Mr. Shaw made a second journey as far as Yarkand in 1870, this time in an official capacity, as a member of Mr. Forsyth's mission to the Atalik Ghazi, or Sultan of these fertile provinces, recently detached from the Chinese Empire. In his paper Mr. Shaw gave a brief and graphic outline of the physical configu ration of the country, followed by a description of its present political condition and relations to the British and Russian Empires. The country formed a vast basin, or depression in the mountainous centre of Asia, elevated from 3,000 to 5,000 feet above the sea level, and surrounded on the south, west, and north by ranges of the loftiest moun tains in the world, whose peaks rose to beyond 20,000 feet, and the passes over which were seldom lower than 17,000 feet high. He showed the error of Humboldt's conception of these mountain systemsviz., that they formed, on the south, two ranges (Kuen Lun and Himalaya), and on the north one (Thian Shan), lying in an easterly and westerly direction, with another range (the Bolor) lying north and south, and connecting the Thian Shan with the Himalaya. Recent surveys had shown that the so-called Bolor was only the continuation of the great Himalaya system, which thus formed a broad belt of lofty land lying nearly north-west and south-east, and extending from the extremity of Assam to the upper course of the Jaxartes, and that the Kuen Lun was not a distinct range. The Atalik Ghazi, in 1870, was engaged in a war with the Tunganis beyond the north-eastern extremity of his dominions, the result of which was the conquest of the town of Turfan. But he was recalled from his expedition by a movement of Russian troops; and Mr. Shaw remarked that a depression in the height of the Thian Shan towards the east opens a ready passage from the Russian provinces into Eastern Turkistan. Mr. Shaw stated that our friendly relations still continued, and that other opportunities would soon arise for further exploration of this region.

The President stated that if dispatches from Dr. Livingstone arrived, as was expected, in the course of a few days, a special meeting would be called to hear them read; due notice of which would be given by advertisement in the daily papers.

A vote of thanks to the Chancellor and Senate of the University of London, for the use of their Hall during the past Session, was responded to with great warmth and unanimity by the meeting.

GENERAL.

Spitzbergen.—We learn from our correspondent at Stockholm that the proposal of the Government of Sweden and Norway to annex the islands of Spitzbergen has fallen through, and that, instead of annexation, colonisation will be effected. The establishment of an orderly Government of Swedes at Spitzbergen, with something approaching to organised communication with Europe will be of advantage. We do not see why an agent for Lloyds and for the Salvage Association should not be appointed there. With improved arrangements also we have no doubt that more accurate reports of wrecks of British ships will be forwarded to the Board of Trade from high latitudes.

TRADE IN NEGROES-WEST COAST OF AFRICA.-Advices reach us from the West Coast of Africa, to the effect that a large trade is carried on in Negroes used for labourers called Kroomen. The trade cannot be very bad, as we learn that the young men of the tribe called Greebees, which supplies most of the Kroomen, are desirous of leaving their homes and taking up the service of labourers, and they strive to do so notwithstanding that they know that many of their countrymen never return. These men do all they can to get service in British ships and factories, but object to be employed by other foreigners. Altogether they are fairly well off, in fact they are much better off than can be by remaining with their tribe.

JAHRBUCHER FUR DIE DEUTSCHE ARMEE UND MARINE.-In an article entitled, "Survey of Maritime Concerns," there is what purports to be a current report on latest occurrences and matters in connection with the Marine (it would appear chiefly, if not exclusively, War Marine) of different countries. The article first refers to the German Marine, noticing the recent creation of an Imperial Admiralty, and the intended (since revoked) dispatch of a German squadron of evolution to some distant parts. Passing to France, the article points out the renewed activity of late observable in the French arsenals and dockyards of the State, and the composition of the "school" and evolution squadrons recently formed; also notices a critical review of the Moniteur de la Flotte on the " organization plan" of the German fleet. Turning to England, the reviewer asserts that, in consequence of the late war having demonstrated the importance of Heligoland as a naval station, greater attention is beginning to be bestowed in England upon that island, as evinced by some recent articles on the subject in the public press, as well as the fact of some ordnance having lately been sent to the island, &c. Then the article refers to the Megara case, and the tunnel project across the Channel. Reverting to Austria, the article gives a succinct analysis of the contents of the "Year Book" for 1871, and the

"Archives for Maritime Matters," lately published. Lastly, the War Marine of Italy is briefly adverted to as being in want of a more efficient corps of officers. And, finally, the projected piercing of the Isthmus of Panama by the Government of the United States is briefly noticed. aritcle is interesting and uniformly well written.

The

THE LIVERPOOL COUNTY COURT AND THE Court of Common Pleas.— THE "MADGE WILDFIRE."-In this case, Simson and another v. Blues and another, an application was made to the Court of Common Pleas, for a prohibition to the County Court of Lancashire, from further proceedings in a suit in that Court for £41 damages against the Madge Wildfire, arising out of alleged breach of charter-party and deficiency of cargo. The ship had been arrested under section 2 of Mr. Norwood's Act, the "County Court Admiralty Jurisdiction Amendment Act, 1869." The Common Pleas decided that the County Court had no jurisdiction to entertain the suit or to detain the ship, and that a writ of prohibition ought to issue. It was observed that even assuming that the construction of the Act appeared to give jurisdiction to the Admiralty side of the County Court in such a claim as the present, it must be borne in mind that no statute had conferred on the High Court of Admiralty, any jurisdiction to entertain any claim for breach of charter-party; and that had the claim exceeded £300 (the limit of the County Court Jurisdiction), neither the High Court of Admiralty nor the County Court would have power to entertain it. That the object of the County Court's Admiralty Jurisdiction Amendment Act, 1869, was not to create a new jurisdiction for the High Court of Admiralty which it never before possessed, and that the exercise of such powers by the County Court would press most unfairly upon small shipowners and charterers, whilst the owners of large vessels and charterers of valuable cargo would be unaffected by them. We gather from this decision that the Court of Common Pleas has snuffed out the County Courts Admiralty Jurisdiction Act, 1869, for it has laid down a rule that the County Court is only competent to deal with cases, under a limited amount, which could previously have been dealt with by the High Court of Admiralty.

CONSULAR.-The Queen has been graciously pleased to appoint for the Provinces of Malaga, Almeria, Granada, and Jaen, to reside at Malaga, Richard Wilkinson, Esq., now Her Majesty's Consul at Salonica. Also to approve for His Majesty the King of Spain, Don Jose Fronsky as ViceConsul for the British Possessions in North America, to reside at St. John's, Newfoundland. For the United States of America, Mr. Wilson King as Consul at Dublin. For the German Empire, Mr. Paul Stromer as Consul for Hull, Scarborough, Bridlington, and Goole. For His Majesty the King of Spain, of Don Jose Modesto Blanco as Vice-Consul at Quebec.