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PACIFIC OCEAN.

We find in the London Nautical Magazine the following reports of shoals, important to navigators.

The first is as follows, lying to the north of Isabel Island, the principal of the Solomon Group, dangerous to shipping and new to the chart under the name of the Lass Shoal.

The brig Wailua, Lass, October 11th, 1861, discovered a shoal in lat 7° 45' S., long. 159° 54′ E., about half a mile wide, and in length as far as could be seen from the mast-head; it stands N.W. and S.E. We passed over it and found 11 fathoms water. About one and-a-half miles trom where we were, the water had a milky appearance, and think that a vessel passing over there would be likely to strike. Did not find this shoal on any of my charts, therefore ships passing that way will require to keep a sharp look out. At the place where we went over, the rocks were plainly visible under the vessel.

The next by the same vessel is off the N.E. coast of New Guinea. The account says:

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October 28th, lat. 5° 40' S., long. 146° 18' E., during the night we discovered another shoal, not down on our charts. It is situated between Rooke and Lotten Islands, and is about half a mile in circumference, and is covered with trees.

The position given places it near the Astrolabe Gulf, but just within the coast line about Point Iris. We therefore preserve the record for future reference. The Lotten Island is Dampier's Rocky Island, called Lottin by D'URVILLE. The charts of these parts, however, are yet in a very imperfect condition, and especially that portion bounded by the Admiralty Islands, New Ireland, New Britain, and New Guinea, that appears to abound in detached shoals and small islands, of the positions and contour of which we are yet very uncertain. The following from the same vessel as the preceding is also new to the chart, and must have presented an interesting spectacle to the crew of the Wailua. The account says:

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November 5th, discovered another shoal to the westward of New Britain, N.W. of Nord Island, five miles off shore. This shoal is about half a mile wide, and five miles long, having the appearance of a half We lowered a boat and examined it, finding about 10 feet water thereon. On approaching this shoal the man at the mast-head cried,— "There she blows!" but on nearing it we discovered it to be a boiling spring, constantly emitting water about 150 feet in the air, and on first sighting this it had just the appearance of a whale spouting. This spring can be seen about twenty miles off.

Such scenes are highly interesting, but are to be expected in a sea over a volcanic bed that will throw up a cone like Lottin Island, above 3,000 feet in height, in which the volcanic principle is evidently at work by the emission of smoke, and a large hollow on its N.E. side, the remains of an ancient crater. There is abundance of work here for the nautical surveyor.

NOVA SCOTIA, SOUTH-EAST COAST.

The following description of shoals recently discovered in Shelburne Harbor, on the S.E. coast of Nova Scotia, is by Captain Shortland, R.N.,

1862.

Middle Rock, in the channel approaching Shelburne, is a small rocky patch of 2 fathoms, low water springs, with the remarkable boulder on Surf Point bearing W.b.N. N., six cables, and Sand Point N.b.W. rather less than a mile. It is about half way between the North end of MacNutt's Island and Sand Point northward of it, a 3 fathom shoal extending out to it half a mile from the eastern shore, the rock forming its outer extreme. The depth at a cable west from the rock is 5 fathoms.

Hero Shoal is a small rocky patch of 24 fathoms (replaced on the chart by H.M.S. Hero in 1862), S.W., rather more than half a mile from the southermost wharf of Shelburne, and about one-third across from the western to the eastern shore, with the tower of the northernmost church in Shelburne on with a white house on the high land northeastward of the town, bearing N.E. N. At a cable eastward of the shoal there are 6 between the shoal and the western shore 3 and 4

fathoms water, and fathoms.

The tower of the southermost church in Shelburne on with the white house on the high land N.E. of the town, bearing N.E. † N. leads a cable eastward of the shoal.

NOTICES TO MARINERS BY SUPERINTENDENT A. D. BACHE.

The following Notices to Mariners have been given by the Superintendent of the U.S.C. survey, A. D. BACHE.

In the approaches to Newport Harbor, Rhode Island, two rocks have been discovered by HENRY MITCHELL, Assistant U.S. Coast Survey.

No. 1. Is about 700 yards west from the Poor House on Coaster's Harbor Island, and 375 yards N.b.E. from red buoy No. 6. It is about one acre in extent, with 17 feet shoalest at mean low water. At the low

est spring tides there will probably not be less than 15 feet over it. It is nearly mid channel in the northern passage. To clear it, hug closely the bold shore of Coaster's Harbor Island.

2. Is nearly on the line between the Rose Island Spindle, about 325 yards from it, and Goat Island Lighthouse. It has two sharp peaks N.W. and S.E., 144 feet on the outer at mean low water. West of this rock the depth is 5 fathoms; to the northward, 7 fathoms; to the eastward, 8 fathoms; and to the southward, 7 fathoms water. It is outside of the line from Rose Island Spindle to buoy No. 3. To clear it keep the Goat Island side of the channel.

Shoal on the Coast of Maryland.-The Baltic, drawing 18 feet water, Captain J. J. COMSTOCK, is reported to have run aground on a shoal about two and-a-half miles due East from Winter Quarter Shoal, about eleven miles from the coast of Maryland. It is not laid down on the charts, but will be surveyed as soon as possible.

APPLIANCES FOR SAVING LIFE FROM SHIPWRECK ON THE COASTS OF

DENMARK.

A notice to mariners by the Danish government states that at various places on the coast of North Jutland and on the island of Bornholm, life

boats are stationed for the saving of lives from shipwreck, furnished with the necessary apparatus for the purpose. The stations are the following, viz.:

I. On the western coast of North Jutland.

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Svaniket
Snogebæk**

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If communication with a stranded vessel in no other way can be effected, a nine yarn line will be thrown to the shipwrecked men by the aid of a rocket apparatus; hauling on board this line, a 3 inch hawser will follow, at the end of which a block is made fast, in which is the bight of a thin line. Both ends of this line are made fast on the lifechair, that with its thimble travels on the 3 inch hawser. The hawser must be made fast on board the ship as high as possible, in order that the chair, if possible, may clear the surf. By the aid of the thin line, that passes through the block, made fast on the hawser on board, the chair can be hauled to and fro from the beach, and thus the communication for the saving of the crew is effected.

FIRST CARGO OF TEA FROM JAPAN.

The bark Benefactor, Captain BERRY, which arrived the past month, from Yokohama (Bay of Yeddo), brings the first cargo of teas imported into New York from Japan since the opening of trade with that country. Hitherto the teas and silks of Japan have found their way to the Atlantic States via China, where the teas have been refired and repacked. The Benefactor's cargo has been prepared in Yokohama, with special reference to its sale in the American market, the firing and repacking being superintended by Chinese, sent to Japan for the purpose. The tea of Japan resembles the finest green tea of China, known as Moyune, differing chiefly in this, that it is perfectly pure and free from all coloring mat ter. While the Japan tea is not deficient in strength, it has a delicacy and softness of flavor which has already made it very popular.

The Benefactor and cargo are consigned to Messrs. A. A. Low & Brothers, and the teas will be offered for sale in a few days. She has besides a quantity of raw silk, said to be of the finest quality.

Two pheasants, put on board by the American minister at Japan, and intended for the Central Park, died the other side of Cape of Good Hope.

*Lifeboat.

Rocket apparatus for carrying a line.

MERCANTILE MISCELLANIES.

ECONOMY AND LIBERALITY.

THERE is scarcely any virtue that requires more strength of character for its practice than systematic economy. To spend money is the easiest thing in the world, and even a fool can throw it away. But always to count the cost before a purchase is made, so that both ends may meet at the close of the year, (often called by the spendthrift meanness,) is really the best evi dence of honesty and true bravery. Yet we have seen men even laugh at the idea of trying to save a dollar; were you however to follow these same individuals through the year, you would find nine out of every ten cheating "the butcher, the baker, and the candle-stick maker" out of the amounts they justly owed them. Set it down then as a fixed fact that no man except the very few of independent fortunes can promptly pay his honest debts without being frugal and saving.

But the particular idea we wished at this time to enforce was, that, among men in ordinary circumstances, there can be no true liberality without proper economy. This proposition is as clear as noon-day, and yet the world's judgment is not regulated by it. We see a man give a hundred, five hundred, or a thousand dollars to some charitable object and call it liberality, while another refuses to give and we set that down as meanness, without in either instance inquiring into the facts or circumstances. In the one case the five hundred dollars may be given by the spendthrift who never meets an obligation promptly, but likes the show and reputation of giving, while in the other case systematic charity in an unostentatious way may be the rule of life. Show liberality we think is a very cheap commodity. The money given does good, (and so far we like it,) but there is no heart, no self-denial, no true liberality in it.

The mere fact then that one gives largely, or has the reputation of doing so, is no proof that he is truly liberal or generous, any more than is the fact that a man practises strict economy, and only gives when he can afford to, proof of his meanness. Always remember this, that it is only the prudent who can afford to give, and distrust therefore the liberality of one who is not frugal and saving. To be free with others money, to give largely out of what one needs to pay one's debts, is neither generous nor Christian.

We would say then to all, do not be afraid to economize, or to have it known that you are economical; for that fear only exists in the mind of the snob or the swindler. And further, if you meet 'one who ridicules the idea of practising economy, and yet has the reputation of being a generous fellow, avoid him as you would a pestilence, for ten to one he will cheat you; perhaps borrow and forget to return it, and abuse you unmercifully when you request him to refund. A man who will not economize will not pay his debts; and a man who will not economize cannot afford to be liberal.

HUMAN HAIR AS AN ARTICLE OF TRAFFIC.

Few persons are probably aware of the extent to which the traffic in human hair is carried. It has been ascertained that the London hairmerchants alone import annually no less a quantity than five tons. But

the market would be very inadequately supplied if dependence were solely placed on chance clippings. There must be a regular harvest, which can be looked forward to at a particular time; and as there are different markets for black tea and green tea, for pale brandy and brown brandy, so is there a light-haired market distinct from the dark-haired.

The light hair is exclusively a German product. It is collected by the agents of a Dutch company who visit England yearly for orders. Until about fifty years ago, light bair was esteemed above all others. One peculiar golden tint was so supremely prized, that the dealers only produced it to favorite customers, to whom it was sold at eight shillings an qunce, or nearly double the price of silver. The rich and silk-like texture of this treasured article had its attractions for poets and artists as well as traders. "Shakspeare especially," says one of our authorities, seems to have delighted in golden hair." "Her sunny locks hung on her temples like the golden fleece;" as Bassanio describes Portia in the Merchant of Venice. Again, in the Two Gentlemen of Verona, Julia says of Sylvia and herself; "Her hair is auburn, mine is perfect yellow.".... Black hair he only mentions twice throughout his entire plays, clearly showing that he imagined light hair to be the peculiar attribute of soft and delicate women.

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A similar partiality for this color, touched with the sun, runs, however, through the great majority of the poets, old Homer himself for one; and the best painters have seized, with the same instinct, upon golden tresses. A walk through any gallery of old masters will instantly settle this point. There is not a single female head in the National Gallery, beginning with those glorious studies of heads, the highest ideal of female beauty by such an idealist as Correggio, and ending with the full-blown blondes of the prodigal Rubens-there is not a single black haired female head amongst them.

But all this has passed away; the dark brown hair of France now rules the market. It is the opinion of those who have the best right to offer one on such a subject, that the color of the hair of the English people has deepened in tint within the last fifty years, and that this change is owing to the more frequent intermarriages, since the Napoleonic wars, with nations nearer to the sunny south. Whether dark or light, however, the hair purchased by the dealer is so closely scrutinized, that he can discriminate between German and the French article by the smell alone; nay, he even claims the power, "when his nose is in," of distinguishing accurately between the English, the Welsh, the Irish, and the Scotch commodities. The French dealers are said to be able to detect the difference between the hair" raised" in two districts of Central France, not many miles apart, by tokens so slight as would baffle the most learned of our naturalists and physiologists.

Black hair is imported chiefly from Brittany and the south of France, where it is annually collected by the agents of a few wholesale Parisian houses. The average crops-we scorn the imputation of a pun-harvested by these firms, amount yearly to upwards of two hundred thousand pounds' weight. The price paid for each head of hair ranges from one to five francs, according to it weight and beauty; the former seldom rising above a pound, and seldom falling below twelve onces. The itinerant dealers are always provided with an extensive assortment of ribbons, silks, laces, haberdashery, and cheap jewelry of various kinds, with which

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