The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-05-19 00:00:00

CAPTAIN DENHAM'S PUBLICATION.

We feel pleasure in submitting to our maritime readers the I
foll Owing extracts from Captain Denham's Work on the
" Mersey and Dee Navigation. ' They contain much useful
information, and the suggestions are truly valuable.
"TIDAL STREAM.—The following abstract of a series of
tests should be considered on approaching Liverpool Bay :
At a 9-mile offing N. of the high land over ' Point of Air,'
Flintshire, in 10 fathoms water, (sand and shells,) both Flood
and Ebb set direct to and from the New Channel E. by S.
and W. by N. at 2i knots on Springs and 1 knot upon Neaps;
the flood-stream ceasing 20 minutes earlier, and the ebb
draining 30 minutes later than the time of rising or falling
upon the contiguous shore. This Mersey-influence upon the I
stream predominates whilst your off-shore distance is not
less than five miles, nor your soundings less than six fathoms.
When, however, you have advanced Eastward, so as to bring
Formby Point S. E. at 5 miles distance and 6 or 7 fathoms
(muddy bottom.) act so as to avert the Ribble indraught,
which here sets East, at the rate of 21 knots on springs, and
11 upon neaps ; the stream slacking 1 hour becore it is high
water at Liverpool docks. The masking Crosby Light at
night indicates your being in the Ribble influence. It is most
important in thick weather, that if bound to Liverpool, you
do not shoal your water below four fathoms, whilst running
or turning up between Ormshead and the Eastern high shoul-
der of Flintshire forming the Dee entrance, or you will risk
being entangled with the Chester Flats and West Hoyle Split,
under the influence of the Dee indraught, particularly from
low-water to half-flood drawing S.E."
" SHIPPING PILOTS.—It would much facilitate this opera-
tion, and not only save immediate valuable time to both plr-
ties, but, in case of boisterous weather secure the pilot board-
ing before nightfall separates boat and ship (to the cutting
off, perhaps, of even leading-in,) if the following hints were
attended to. You observe a Liverpool Pilot-boat (described
page 4 ;) if her Blue Peter is flying, she has disposable pilots
—your pilot jack is up and clear to view ;—take notice on
which side the pilot-boat's fenders are; that tells you which
she intends to board you upon—brace your afteryards by, so
as to reduce way, but not to stop it ;—if, as she nears you,
her flag is lowered, the Master-pilot considers you have too
much way—brace up your head yards ; understanding he
is satisfied when his flag is close up again. It may happen,
however, that he perceives you drawing into shoal water, or
there may be some advantage in your being on the other
tack ; this will be indicated by his shifting fenders over to
the other side ; when you shall act accordingly, by wearing
or tacking."
" REMARKS AND PROPOSITIONS RESPECTING STEAMERS'
LIGHTS, AND PASSING EACH OTHER; OR IN REFERENCE
TO SAILING VESSELS.—NO general system of lights exists
at Liverpool; some carry three lii;hts one at foremast head,
and one at the fore part of each paddle-box ; some carry the
upper light at the fore part of the vessel ; some carry a red
light on starboard paddle-box, and a plain light at the oppo-
site paddle-box and mast-head ; some carry lights on their
quarters ; some a middle light at the bowsprit end : all, how-
ever, attend to one rule, and that is, in passing each other on
their starboard sides ; but I understand the reverse is ob-
served at other ports, which has naturally been attended with
collision when a Liverpool vessel gets amongst them. Now
it is to be wished that a compulsory general rule were intro-
duced • and I submit that three plain, lights, one on the fore-
mast head, and one at the fore part of each paddle-box, (not
to throw any light abaft the beam,) cannot fail to indicate the
position of the vessel. And as it is most important to know
when the rule should be departed from (as in the case of two
steamers suddenly' discovering each other in rounding a point
of land, or closing in a fog,) I propose that the starboard pad-
dle-box light should be masked, so as to cross the line of
keel direction, at an angle of 17 degrees, towards the larboard
how. It would then be simply thus; if you ever perceive the
three lights of a steamer, (which must be in a vertical triangle,
if ever seen at all,) on your larboard bow, then you must star-
board your helms and cross to the right side, until respec-
tively on the starboard bow of each other. If, however, you
db not see the three lights. it is certain you have so advanced
on each other's forward track, as to have shut in the star-
board light; 'and if you attempt to recover the right side by
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it should be imperative that the sailing vessel show a light
over her quarter towards the approaching steamer; of course,
the showing the lantern in time depends on the look-out on
board sailing vessels ; a fixed light on each quarter of sailing
vessels would be well when in pilot waters. This is a point
not at all settled, as regards Livery ol ; vessels at anchor,
however, are expected to keep a light up at the fore-stay."

OYSTERS.—The oysters of the British coasts have long
been admitted to be the best procurable in Europe. The
Romans paid great prices for them, although it is not likely
that they would then be taken to Italy in a fresh state. Of
the British coasts the districts most famous for their oysters
are the shores of Kent and Essex. Those found near Milton,
in Kent, and usually called the " native" oysterg, are perhaps
the very best •white, with
thin shells, which' are easily opened. The oysters found in
they are small, round, plump, and
the river Coln, on which stands the city of Colchester, in
Essex, are also of excellent quality, and are renowned over
the whole island. Massinger has made them classical, by
causing Justice Greedy in A New Way to Pay Old Debts,
to say that he, had nothing to speak of this morning before
breakfast, except a barrel of Colchester oysters. The Coln,
near that town, forms a great many arms and creeks exceed-
ingly well suited for the formation of oyster banks. The
Dorsetshire. oysters rank next in estimation to those of Essex.
Those of Poole, especially hold a high reputation, as do those
also of Faversham, in Kent, of the Isle of Wight, and of
Tenby, on the coast of South Wales. Vast quantities are
carried to the Continent from Kent. Several hundred ves-
sels were at one time employed annually in this trade alone.
In London, during the proper season, the trade in oysters is
very considerable, both for exportation into the country and
native consumption. The dealers bestow great pains in pre-
servingandf
andeeding
oatmeal. Besides
rsßiteistiudbess, containing infusionEngiish
of
fsa waterlt
shores, oyster banks are common on the northern coasts of
Ireland. The Scottish capital has been, till a recent period;
plentifully supplied
vliediewinitihty. Nearlygoodoyste prsofproomsitte to LeithheFrithof,Ftohrethre,
in its immediate
was a large depot of them, formed around or near the Islet of
lnchkeith. Local poets speak with rapture of the delicious
caller (that is, fresh) oysters which were to be had in Edin-
burgh for evening festivities. From mismanagement, or
some other cause, thendEtdhiteibtuorwgnhhoeysseteornssehq e
de-
generated in quality; e
of its objects of attraction. Dublin is supplied from Arklow,
a little to the east, and oysters are conveyed to artificial beds,
near the capital, on the northern side. At Sutton, Polebeg,
and Daltrey, places but a short way from Dublin, additional
supplies are procured for the tables of the Irish metropoli-
tans.—London aritriell•