THE RIVER MERSTEY. 31 



was driven from her moorings and brought into port. Two New York 

 packets, outward bound, were lost upon the North Bank (part of the Great 

 Burbo, in the Rock Channel). The ' Brighton,' from Bombay, was wrecked 

 near the Middle Patch Buoy, in the same channel. The ' Harvest Home,' 

 from St. Thomas, was lost on Mad Wharf. 



Northern Channel. 1846. — Between the years ISiO and 1846 consider- 

 able changes had occurred, though, on the whole, less remarkable than those 

 which took place between the years 1837 and 1840. 



Crosby Channel. — That portion between the Rock Lighthouse and the 

 Crosby Light-vessel had not undergone much change ; its direction had been 

 altered by removing the light-vessel nearly 200 yards to tlie eastward ; the 

 average depth had remained nearly stationary at 30 feet. The average area 

 had slightly increased from 18,000 yards in 1840 to 18,840 yards in 1846. 



That portion between the light-vessels had undergone greater change. 

 Its length had been increased about 400 yards, the average depth reduced 

 to 26 feet; the average area increased about 1000 yards. 



Notwithstanding the change in the position of the Crosby Light-vessel 

 above-mentioned, and the removal of the Formby Light-vessel nearly 400 

 yards to the northward, the direction of the channel in 1846 was parallel to 

 its direction in 1840. 



The average of the whole channel from the Rock Lighthouse to Formby 

 Light-vessel is a depth diminished from 29 feet to 28^ feet, and an area in- 

 creased nearly 700 yards. 



Victoria Channel. — The direction of this channel had been altered by the 

 change in the position of the Formby Light-vessel above-mentioned, and by 

 removing the Bell Buoy about 500 yards westward. The average depth of 

 water on the bar had slightly increased, the various soundings having been 

 10 feet, 11 feet, and 12 feet. 



Zebra Channel. — The minimum depth on the fairway track through this 

 channel had been increased from 3 feet to 6 feet. 



Formby Bank. — The area of this bank had been slightly enlarged, and 

 the elevation very considerably increased, the volume having been nearly 

 13,000,000 yards 'in 1846, against rather more than 6,500,000 yards in 1840. 

 The position had been nearly stationary ; there had been a slight elongation 

 northwards and a slight movement eastwards. 



Mad Wharf. — This bank had sustained considerable loss of area by 

 abrasion on the north-western margin ; but this loss had been partially com- 

 pensated by increase of elevation, the change in which had been very great. 

 The volume in 1846 had been nearly 5,750,000 yards, against 6,500,000 

 yards in 1840. 



Great Burbo. — The area of this bank appears to have been unaltered, 

 taken as a whole, though there had been considerable local changes. The 

 elevation had been a good deal reduced, and, consequently, the volume ; the 

 difiFerence is represented by 59,750,000 yards in 1846, instead of 62,000,000 

 yards in 1840. 



Western Channel. — The eastern portion, or Rock Channel, had recovered 

 300 yards of its length in 1837 ; the average depth had been stationary, and 

 the average area slightly increased. The soundings at the bar had been un- 

 altered. In the Horse Channel East Hoyle Bank had advanced towards the 

 north-east, and the North-west Light-vessel had been moored about 300 

 yards to the westward. 



East Hoyle. — In area this bank had remained pretty stationary, but the 

 loss in elevation had reduced the volume from upwards of 73,500,000 yards 

 to under 72,000,000 yards. 



