^ SAILING DIRECTIONS AND NAUTICAL REMARKS, 



BY 



OFFICERS OF THE LATE UNITED STATES NAVAL EXPEDITION TO JAPAN, 



Japan Expedition Office, 



New York, May 22, 1857. 

 Sir : I have the honor herewith to send the sailing directions and nautical remarks, compiled 

 from the various reports and observations, made by the officers of the late Japan Expedition. 



It is due to Lieutenant Bent to state, that the general remarks and directions were mainly 

 written by him before his detachment from the office. 



I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, 



WM. L. MAURY, 

 Lieutenant United States Navy. 

 Commodore M. C. Perry, 



United States Navy, New York, 



Horsburg and the China Pilot No. 1, afford good sailing directions for the south and east coasts 

 of China. If bound to Lew Chew, from Hong Kong, pass through the Formosa channel during 

 the southwest monsoon, giving Agincourt, Crag, and Pinnacle islands, off the north end of 

 Formosa, a safe berth, as there are said to be reefs among them not laid down on the charts^ 

 and the currents are strong and variable in the vicinity. Thence, shape a course so as to pass 

 to the northward of Hoa-pin-san,* Tia-usu, and Raleigh Rock, after which haul to the eastward, 

 sight Koomisang, and pass either to the northward or southward of it, Karuma, and the small 

 islet near the latter, but not between them, as reefs are said to have been seen there. If to the 

 northward, give Tusima,| a small rocky islet, a good berth ; pass the southward of Agenhu, 

 which may be readily recognized by its bold south point and wedge-shaped appearance. The 

 Amakirrima group will be seen to the south-southeastward, Lew Chew visible on the eastern 

 horizon, and in a short time the reef islets will heave in sight to the southward and eastward. 

 These latter are low and sandy, slightly covered with vegetation, and surrounded by coral reefs. 



During the northeast monsoon, double the south end of Formosa, and, with the strong current 



* The position of Hoa-pin-san as given by Horsburgh, latitude 25° 47' N., longitude 123° 26' E., is correct, but it is errone- 

 ously laid down on the French chart of 1647 : " Carte des Isles Mariannes, &c," as also upon the " Admiralty chart of 1840, 

 corrected to 1849." 



t Lieutenant Commanding H. K. Stevens, of the late North Pacific Surveying Expedition; says : " Tusima is a rocky islet, one 

 quarter of a mile in extent, with a reef projecting li mile towards the northward, and one-fourth that distance in other direc- 

 tions. It is about 80 feet high, much broken, and lies 13J; miles N. 15° E. from the northernmost peak of Koomisang, and N 

 80° W. from the centre of Agenbn. 



