new Nautical Almanac will be found Right Honorable Lord Ashley, Right Reverend Bishop of Cloyne, J. W. Lubbock, Esq. • Members who formed the sub-committee. Have since received the honour of Knight Companion of the Guelphic Order. I Since appointed astronomer at the Cape of Good Hope Observatory. The late Captain Henry Foster.His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, the President of the Royal NO. I.-VOL. I. Society, at the last anniversary meeting of that body, noticed the loss of the late Captain Foster in the following terms: "Captain Henry Foster was a member of the profession which, under all circumstances, is so justly celebrated for activity and enterprise, and which, when wanting the stimulus of war, has on many occasions lately distinguished itself by the zealous and successful cultivation of those studies, and the practice of those observations, which are so essentially connected with the improvement of navigation. He accompanied Captain Basil Hall, in the Conway, in his well-known voyage to South America, and assisted him materially in his pendulum and other observations. He afterwards joined Captain Parry in the second of his celebrated voyages; and at Port Bowen, and other stations within the Arctic Circle, he made, with the assistance of Captain Parry and others, a most valuable and extensive series of observations upon the diurnal variation, diurnal intensity and dip of the magnetic needle, and upon other objects connected with terrestrial magnetism and astronomical refractions, which formed an entire fourth part of our Transactions for 1826, and was printed at the especial expense of the Board of Longitude. For these papers he received the Copley Medal; and the Lords of the Admiralty acknowledged their sense of the honour which was thus conferred upon the profession to which he belonged, by immediately raising him to the rank of Commander, and by appointing him to the command of the Chanticleer, upon a voyage of discovery and observation in the South Seas. It was during the latter part of this voyage that he perished by an unfortunate accident; but I am happy to say, that the public is not likely to lose altogether the benefit of his labours, and that he has left behind him an immense mass of observations of various kinds, which the Lords of the Admi. ralty have confided partly to this Society, and partly to the Astronomical Society, with a view to their publica tion in such a form as may best serve the interests of science, and may most tend to establish the character and fame of their lamented author." Royal Naval College: Prize Medals. At the examination of the students of the Royal Naval College, previous to the last winter vacation, the first medal was awarded to Mr. Leopold George Heath, and the second to Mr. Frederick Thomas, for their progress in mathematics. The medals were presented to the young gentlemen on the 20th December, in the presence of Admiral Sir Thomas Foley, G. C. B., Commissioner Sir Michael Seymour, Captain W. Loring, R.N., the Lieutenant-Governor, and Captain P. Rainier of His Majesty Sloop Britannia. Light Houses.-The Elder Brethren of the Trinity House have given a proof of the high sense they entertain of Lieutenant Denham's services in the present survey of the Bristol Channel. Lieut. Denham is conducting a minute trigonometrical survey of that dangerous channel, by the direction of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty; and, in the course of his operations, has made several valuable suggestions for the improvement of its navigation; among which are those of determining the site of the intended lights on Nash Point, and improving the lights of the Bridgewater entrance. In testimony of their approbation of Lieut. Den. ham's judicious arrangements of these lights, and for the encouragement of similar proposals towards perfecting the navigation of our coasts, which is their peculiar care, the Elder Brethren of the Trinity House have presented him with a handsome piece of plate of the value of 30 guineas. Captain Graah. On the 3d of Nov. Captain Graah, of the Danish Royal Navy, returned to Copenhagen from his second voyage along the coast of Greenland, without having passed much fur. ther to the northward of the limits of his former journey, but having made much interesting discovery. The Royal Antiquarian Society of Denmark, with a view of promoting discovery in Greenland, has directed an annual sum, to be bestowed on those who already have, or hereafter may, find any ruins in that country. It is not unlikely that this resolution of the society may be attended with some interesting results. The Geographical Society of Paris has presented Captain Graah with their gold medal, accompanied by their diploma, for his indefatigable attempts in penetrating along the coast of Greenland. New Light at Guernsey.-A new light has been placed on the Round House, in the principal harbour of this island, for the security of vessels entering the harbour from either of the Russel passages. The whole particulars of this light will appear in our next number. Detonating Lock.-Mr. N. Waterbury, of 26, New Castle-street, Strand, has invented a new lock on the detonating principle, intended for firing ships cannon. This machine is comprised in a small brass case, which is readily attached to the priming field, and is fired by a lanyard, in the same manner as practised on board of His Majesty's Ships, without interfering with the line of sight. The lever by which the detonating powder is fired, is very powerful, and, as it falls immediately over the touchhole of the gun, the inventor has given it a slight horizontal motion, by which it slips aside after falling, leaving the vent free to be stopped. One of the principal merits of this invention consists in the application of small paper cases, for containing the detonating powder, and which may be used with the common priming tube, or with powder alone. This lock is applicable to artillery of all descriptions, and, should it be contemplated to introduce the detonating principle into the government service, Mr. Waterbury's invention is well worthy of consideration. The figures express the number of guns mounted.-S.V. signifies steam vessel. Actæon, 26-Hon. F. W. Grey, 20th Oct. Adriatic. Etna, 6-Com. E. Belcher, 28th Dec. sailed for Gambia. African, S.V. 1-Lt. J. Harvey, Med. Alban, S.V.-Lieut. H. Walker, (a) 29th Dec. Marseilles. Alert, 18-Com. J. C. Fitzgerald, Sheerness. Alfred, 50--Capt. R. Maunsell, 1st Dec. at Malta. Alligator, 28-Capt. G. R. Lambert 26th Nov. Sailed for Rio. Algerine, 10-Com. Hon. J. F. F. De Roos, 15th Nov. Left Cape for Mauritius. Arachne,18-Com.W.G.Agar,20 Oct. Sailed from Madeira for Teneriffe. Ariadne, 28-Capt. C. Phillips, 18th Nov. at Barbadoes. Asia, 84-Capt. P. Richards. Flag of Adml. Parker, 11th Jan. Tagus. Astrea, 8-Capt. W. King, Falmouth. Badger, 10-Com. G. F. Stowe, Nov. at Mauritius. Barham, 50-Capt. H. Pigot, 3d Jan. at Malta. Beagle, 10-Com. R. Fitz-Roy, 27th Briton, 46-Capt. J. D. Markland, Challenger, 28-Capt. C. H. Free- Columbine, 18-Com. O. Love, 20th Nov. Jamaica. Comet, 18-Com. A. A. Sandilands, New South Wales. Comet, S.V.-Woolwich. Conflict, 12-Lieut. G.Smithers, Sept. at Ascension. Conway, 28-Capt. Eden, Chatham. Cordelia, 10-Com. C. Hotham, Jan. at Tripoli. Cracker-1st Lieut. J. P. Roepel, Feb. Portsmouth. Crocodile, 28-Capt. J. W. Montagu, Sept. Madras. Cruizer, 18-Com. J. Parker, July, Swan River. Curaçoa, 26-Capt. D. Dunn, 7th Jan. Sailed for East Indies. Curlew, 10-Com. H. D. Trotter, Oct. at Mauritius. Dispatch, 18-Com. E. A. Frankland, Feb. Sheerness. Donegal, 50-Capt. J. Dick, 8th Nov. Dryad, 42-Capt. J. Hayes, C.B. Dublin, 50--Capt. Right Hon. Lord Firefly, 2-Lieut. J. M'Donnell, 7th Firebrand, S.V. Lt. T.Baldock, Medit. Ganges, 84-Capt. G. Burdett, Nov. Gannet, 18--Com. M. H. Sweney, Nov. Barbadoes. Harrier, 18-Com. H. L. S. Vassal, Hyacinth, 18-Com. W. Oldrey, 21st Isis, 50-Capt. J. Polkinghorne, 26th Kangaroo, 3-Lieut. J. Hookey, 31st Leveret, 10-Lieut. W. F. Lapidge, coast of England. Lightning, 18-Com. T. Dickinson, Cape Frio. Lightning, S.V. Confiance, S.V. 2—Lieut. H. F. Bel- Madagascar, 46-Capt. E. Lyons, 7th son, 17th Feb. Thames. Feb. Sailed for Mediterranean Magicienne, 24-Capt. J. H. Plumridge, 12th Nov. Sailed for Rio. Magnificent, 4; Lt.J.Paget, Port Royal Maidstone, 42-Capt. C. M. Schom berg, Nov. Simon's Bay. Flag-ship. Mastiff, 6-Lieut. J. Wolf, Morea. Melville, 74-Capt. H. Hart, 27th Jan. Sailed for East Indies. Flagship. V.-Adm. Sir J. Gore, K.C.B. Messenger, S.V.-Lieut. B. Aplin, Woolwich. Meteor8-Com. R.C.Copeland, Morea. Meteor, S.V. 2-Lt. W. H. Symons, Woolwich. Minx, 3-Lt. J. Simpson, Port Royal. Nautilus, 10-Com. Rt. Hon. Lord G. Paulett, Feb.10. Sailed for Oporto. Nimble, 5-Lieut. J. M. Potbury, Bahama Islands. Nimrod, 20--Com. S. Radford, Plym. Ocean, 80-Capt. S. Chambers. Flagship, Sheerness. V.-Adm. Sir J. P. Beresford, Bt. K.C.B. Onyx, 10-Lt. A. B. Howe, Cork. Orestes, 18-Com. W. N. Glasscock, Cork. Pallas, 42-Capt. M.H.Dickson, 5th Dec. at Barbadoes. Pearl, 20-Com. R. Gordon, Portsm. Pelorus, 18-Com. R. Meredith, 2d Plumper, 12-Lieut. T. Creser, Dec. Pluto, S.V.--Lieut.G.Buchanan,25th Procris, 10-Com. J.T.Talbot, Malta. Raleigh, 18-Com. A. M. Hawkins, Ranger, 28-Capt. W. Walpole, Dec. at Barbadoes. Rapid, 10-Com. C. H. Swinburne, Adriatic. Rattlesnake, 28-Capt. C. Graham, 2d Dec. Sailed from Rio. Raven, 4-Lieut. W. Arlett, Africa. Recruit, 10-Lt. T. Hodges, N. Sea. Revenge, 78-Capt. D. H. Mackay, Jan. Tagus. Rose, 18-Com. E. W. Pilkington, St. Vincent, 120-Capt. H. F. Sen- Sapphire, 28-Capt. Hon. W. Wellesley, 29th Nov. at Bermuda. Scylla, 18-Com. Hon. G. Grey, Dec. at Malta. Seringapatam, 46-Capt. Hon. W. Waldegrave, Oct. at Coquimbo. Skipjack, 5-Lieut. W. Shortland, Bahamas. Southampton, 52-Capt. J. M. Laws, Sparrowhawk, 18-Com. D. Mayne, Sulphur, 8-Com. W. T. Dance, Aus tralia, King George Sound. Swan, 10-Lieut. J. E. Lane, N. Sea. Sylvia, 1-Lieut. T. Spark, N. Sea. Talavera, 74-Capt. S.Brown, Sheerness. Guardship. Talbot, 28-Capt. R. Dickinson, Jan. Sailed for West Indies. Tyne, 28-Capt. C. Hope, 4th Dec. off Pernambuco. Undaunted, 46-Capt. E. Harvey, Oct. at Mauritius. Victor, 18-Com. R. Russell, Jan. Lisbon. Victory,104-Capt.H.Parker. Flagship. Admiral Sir T.Foley,G.C.B. Portsmouthe Viper, 6-Lieut. H.James, 20th Feb. Sailed for Jersey. Volage, 28-Capt. Right Hon. Lord Warspite, 76-Capt. C. Talbot. Flag- Wolf, 18-Com. W. Hamley, 25th Zebra, 18-Com. D. De Saumarez, July, at Madras. |