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240
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(MAT, 1902.
the little Coco and distant three leagues there is so little as 12 fm. but by recrossing several times, I could find nothing less than that depth.
Directions for Ships bound to Port Cornwallis during the 8 w Monsoon. - I shall close this Report with the following Observations, which may prove useful to Ships bound for Port Cornwallis, during the South west monsoon This Stormy season generally Commences in May, with Cloudy squally weather attended with heavy rain. The first and latter parts are the most violent. July and August have frequent intervals of two or three days good weather.
Ships from the Coast of Coromandel Should gain the paralel of 13° 39 which is the Late of the North extremity of Land fall island and on a near approach Should keep in 13° 43 but not to northward. In this last paralel (as will be observed by a Reference to the Chart) Ships may Cross the Bank with Safety. If there should be a mistake in the latitude and it prove to be the southward even as much as six or seven miles, it will be attended with no danger and little inconvenience, provided dae attention be paid If the land should be seen before soundings are obtained (which will always be the case in the day with clear weather) Nothing more will be necessary, than to bear up, to that Course, which may be a point and a half to Northward of the most Northerly land seen, and round land-fall island at the distance directed. When Approaching this land in the night It will be necessary to have the Ship under such sail as to admit of sounding with 25 or 30 fms of line, and to be prepared instantly to bear up on having ground Should the night be good and the weather so clear as to see three or four miles After Sounding 30 or 25 fms, Ships in such cases might (with caution) cross the Bank But Should the weather prove dark and Squally it would be necessary on having ground immediately to bear up and haul by the wind to Northwest after deepening the water to 50 fm. or loosing soundings, the Ship might be put on the other tack, and by short boards keeped nearly stationary till day light.
In such cases as the preceding it would be of great Utility were there a light house on the north extremity of landfall isld. The northern point is obtuse with a Small eminence that Appenrs to me an Admirable situation.
Utility of a Light house on the North extremity of Landfall 1.- A Light house errected on this Spot would be an excellent Mark to make the land and to avoid those dangerous Coral ledges to eastward, Calcutta
I am &c. May 27th 1793.
(Signed) Archibald Blair. Ordered that the General Chart furnished by Captain Blair of the Andamans be transmitted to the Honble Court of Directors by the next dispatch, and that, in the mean time, an Accurate Copy be made of it in the Surveyor Generals Office to be pres.rved in this Country:
1793. - No. XXXI. The following Letter has been written to the Governor in Council at Bombay. To the Governor in Council at Bombay.
Honble Sir, Captain Arohibald Blair being soon to leave Bengal in Order to resumo his Station in the Marine at your Presidency we should do him Injastioe if we did not assure you that his attention and Abilities in the management of our first Establishment at the Andamans have Olaimed our warmest Approbation. He had the direction of that Settlement for some years, and acquitted himself invariably as a discreet and zealous Officer, highly qualified for the duty entrosted to him. Considering him, as we do, to be a most useful Servant of the Company, we cannot recommend him too Strongly to your Notice and after doing so, we think it hardly necessary to say
Here follow 6 pages of astronomical observations. ]
