350 Eighth Memoir on the [No. 137. 



At 4-30, the Barometer indicated a rise, when the wind shifted to 

 E. by S. and E. S. E. At 7, the Barometer had risen nearly one- 

 tenth. At 8, it was at 29.84, the wind then S. E. and at 10, the weather 

 cleared up, the moon rose about 10-30, and from that time till mid- 

 night we had moderate breezes from S. E. to S. S. E. and fair weather. 

 I kept an anxious look-out on the Emerald, saw a light on board of her 

 occasionally, and at 1 a. m. being well satisfied that she was safe, I 

 left my office. You will observe by the logs of the respective vessels 

 which slipped from the roads, how critically several of them were situ- 

 ated ; for instance, the Repulse, General Kyd, and the Amelia Mul- 

 holland. I attribute their perilous situation to the want of due atten- 

 tion to those precautions which are laid down in clause 10 of our 

 revised Port Regulations, copy of which I forward you. 



The vessels named in the margin,* were wrecked between Cove- 

 long and the Seven Pagodas. The Barque Highlander lost her rudder, 

 the Arethusa and Ganges were too light, and were thrown on their beam 

 ends, and it may be said, they literally drove on shore ; but I am of 

 opinion that the ship Frances Smith might have gained a sufficient 

 offing to insure her safety if sail had been set and carried when she 

 stood to sea; but unfortunately her courses were not bent, which 

 might have been reefed, and carried the whole of the gale, whereas 

 she split her fore topsail about noon, and under a treble reefed main 

 topsail and a trysail, she was little better than lying to, and drifted 

 fast to the Southward. The first cast of the lead at 7 or ^ past 7, 

 shewed the imminent danger of her position, and the accompanying 

 deposition of an able seaman, who was one amongst the number 

 saved from this unfortunate vessel, will shew what followed. 



(Signed) C. Biden. 



The following are the official communications from the Observatory , 

 fo7'ivarded by Capt. Biden. 



24th October.— At 8 a. m. Bar. Wind N. N. W. 

 10 „ .... N.byW. 



Noon 29.78 N. to N. by E. 



2 p.m. 29.72 N. N. E. 



* Frances Smith, Highlander, Ganges, Ten, and Arethusa. 



