The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-01-22

USirED STATES yIcE CONSULATE
Alra Dec. Z, 1855
DEAR R beg to forward you the following communication
win that the subject referred
though of interest qptering Straits Gibraltar Of
especial the shipping United States gene
rally Of greater burden and requires geor depth Of than the
the Mediterranean while the American sup.
posed possess intimate knowledge o this those
shall future time have tue pleasure fscndng you
tailed report the coast within this vice consulate and
much greater extent but il will require much
revisit all the localities with The above object and acquire the
requisite with degree accuracy precision
able such now proceed to the and me
diato object of this communication -
ginning the month has knowledge
English vessel was totally lost on or near The "puna dc los sennas
within The vice consulate of Adra the saving themselves the
that another vessel believed be Engish aground the
Of the coast but OF without assistance from tho
and, it Is believed without serious damage;
distance three leagues
Grla VIVA Puna de los sentnos, Punta erchccs
exceedingly dangerous
memora been the Of the sipwrecks
British vessels within The vice consulate
my duty you following facts regards the dangers
question: and the mode in which they be avoided greatly
The Of the "puuta dc los sentnas FOR
leagues cas-, and west forms sort Of cape projecting several miles
the bay Amcr in the same manner as tho lofty omontory
the Cbo do Gata' bounds IT on the eastern side Eastward
point affords, Roguctos
anchorage shipping during the prevalence of strong westerly
gerous coming Gibraltar or any
Spanish port 'olin The struts and for tue following reasons
elevation bat stretches long into the Mediterranean
places roy 8 hat vessels approaching within milo or two Of tho
very strike the latter with certainty
OF total loss.
ID There singular optical deception h cost which, COM
the small depth water
Tho mountains In the interior Of elevation
l7rra de aadon which tho range from
1900 5000 900 height betwoeA this
there Is however slip OF low ana nearly fiat country, which
ma breadth
which totally ilciiJis from he uksf u become
di tA ne cast Consequently deceived by this appearance
ceuca4 often boleSes himself many
the when he reality close upon the shore
shallow aud dangerous
I'd The 'ToTe de los senna white situated the
rene southern point OF the Cape has often been mistaken especially
night loggy weather, for pnd credibiy informed
that this mistake been the
tho captains cndeayorng hey magnc) qiH the sup
posed salt and thus running the slip directly upon the rocks
see therefore how desirable foregoing
continued danger other shipping entering the
should be made officially known clearly marked upon
charts Of this Instead Of keeping close shore
being the
explained should be II the danger and that
keep-7say least fdur ave leapuer-ou
The he Span map III my places the point
of CLOS Seninas latitude " 80 deg Al and longitude
Madrid deg 81 u min That H. the Mediterranean
about ~ nautical Mules ther south than the wcknown
Gaaa most important rece the navigation OF this
shown older maps.
the magnetic variation has remained without correction fer
years which circumstance dlone
this and this particularly vessels
entering the Straits Of Gibraltar beg therefore add for
the further Information OF American shipping tho owug data The
variation ports da very nearly 10 deg
II w. and In Anoria deg MINI and IL aTproiehia9
passing ports that tho peeulnre 81 the coast
here noticed particularly required from captains Of vessels
entering ihe Straits Of Gibraltar especially those bound 'oHny port
on Spanish
pm dear slr, respectfully yoar obedent serysu,
FREDERICK BURR
Acting United States Consular Agent
JorS sonsRs ssIn, Esq
United states consul Malaga,
Jan 2o-3W