478 PASSAGES OVER THE ATLANTIC. 



what would have been the advantage had Cape Clear been the starting 

 place instead of Falmouth, the desideratum being of course the safe 

 weathering of Ushant and Cape Finisterre. Of course this was previous 

 to the Steam Mail Service, and when the Falmouth Packets were in a 

 high state of efficiency, that is, from 1826 to 1830. Sir Francis Beaufort 

 constructed the diagrams by laying off the tracks of the vessels from Cape 

 Clear as if sailing with the same wind aS that experienced by them in 

 sailing from Falmouth. The average time occupied by the 30 outward 

 packets from Falmouth to lat. 42° 40', off Cape Finisterre, was 9 days 12 

 hours, varying from 12 days to 6 days. Had the packets started from 

 Cape Clear, they could have arrived at the same parallel in a mean time 

 of 4 days and 21 hours, thus showing a saving of 4 days 11 hours, or 

 nearly one-half. In the homeward route, the same mode of calculation 

 showed that 4 days 9 hours may be saved in the same manner. Now, as 

 Cape Clear is about the same distance from Madeira as the Land's End, 

 it is evident that a vessel is in no worse a position by approaching it. 

 Crookhaven, or some of the harbours on the S.W. coast of Ireland, will 

 afford her shelter as well as those on the S.W. coast of England. 



This is said in case the vessel encounters strong head winds which will 

 not allow her to make Southing, which, after all, is the grand object, in 

 order to quickly gain the N.E. Trades. If the ship will not lay better 

 than N.W. on the port tack, perhaps it is better to make a short board 

 until the wind veers a little either way. If you are well to the Westward 

 of Ushant, and the weather moderate, supposing the ship will lay South 

 or S. by W., you may safely stand on to the Southward; but should the 

 weather be threatening, and a Westerly gale apprehended, it will be 

 prudent to keep the Channel open, rather than by beating to windward, 

 you get past Ushant, and may thus get embayed on the dangerous French 

 coast, where also the wind is liable to shift close inshore. By keeping the 

 English Channel under your lee, should you not be able to maintain your 

 course, you may t,hen run for some shelter. 



From recent French Government researches Westward of Ushant, it is 

 found that for many miles Westward of the meridian of the outer dangers 

 off that island, the bottom is so generally level, with numberless local 

 irregularities, that no attempt can be made to judge the distance from 

 shore by the lead alone. A vessel bound North will, however, pass well 

 clear of Ushant by keeping in a depth exceeding 60 fathoms, making due 

 allowing for the range of tide, which near Ushant exceeds 3 fathoms at 

 springs. A little over 4 miles N.W. of Ushant is a remarkable depression, 

 7 miles long N.E. by E. and S.W. by W., by 1^ mile across, with depths 

 of 70 *o 105 fathoms. 



2. Passage to Madeiba. 



When the ship is sufficiently to windward of Ushant or Cape Finisterre, 

 there can be no difficulty in making for Madeira, so as to pass to the 

 Westward and within sight of it. 



Cape Finisterre should be passed at a considerable distance, or, at least, 

 the course should be so shaped to do so, for fear of the prevalent drift 



