Shoal Off Beachy Head.
East Cowes, April 18,1824. Sir,-It may probably be of service to the shipping interest in ge- neral to acquaint you, that the Royal Sovereign shoal off Beacriv- head has grown up very much within these late years; so much so, that it ought to be avoided even by the smallest merchant-vessel, exceCt at tide times. In 1806, when cruising off there in his Mla- jesty s ship Leveret, -I had an opportunity of surveying it, and could not find less than three tathoms on it, with Beachy-head W. by N., and Fairleigh E. by N.: last Friday, the 16th inst, I was returning from Amsterdam in a merchant-ship, drawing 13 feet, with the wind frors the eastward, and the water tolerably smooth, at half-past seven in the evening, going at the rate of 8 knots: to my great sur- prise the shin strucl, on the said shoal, but did not xtop, only whilst grinding over the bank, instead of going 8, she went about 5 knots ; and after going about a cable's length over the bank she was afloat again, witbout any injury. At the same thne an English bark crossed the shoal a little to the eastward of us, but did not observe her strike. It was an hour and a half after lowv water, so that there cannot be more than 10.; feet at low water spring tides, wvith Beachv- head WV. brN. j N., and Fairleigh E. N. E. or E. bY N. j R. The shoal is mucn larger than is generally laid dowr in charts, and I have no doubt that this shoal contains the Horse of Willingdoa and Pemsey shoal._I am, Sir, your most obedient servant, JOHIN BATES iulaster of the Royal Navy, and King's Pilot for the North and Baltic Seas. John Bennett, Esq., Secretary, Lloyd's. SHIOAL OFF BPACHY HEAD.