80 STOKES. [May 12, 1856. 



On clearing Prince of Wales Channel, the course lies north-easterly between 

 Travers Island and Double Island (7 miles apart), in the direction of Mount 

 Ernest, which is above 750 feet high. Thence it takes a more easterly course, 

 passing midway between Saddle Island and Ninepin Rock, where the channel 

 narrows to 3^ miles at a distance of 40 miles from the western entrance. The 

 track continues nearly in the same direction, passing close to the north side of Bet 

 Island, and midway between Dove Island, Cocoa-Nut Island, and Village Island ; 

 then it passes west of Arden Island and Rennell Island, between Dalrymple and 

 Campbell. Six miles N.E. of the last named lies Stevens Island, at a distance of 

 about 100 miles from Prince of Wales Channel. From abreast of this island day- 

 light is no longer necessary, the passage lying through Bligh's entrance, between 

 Bramble Cay and the tidal reef south of it, leaving a width of 13 miles and a depth 

 of 22 to 26 fathoms. It is proposed, if thought desirable, to mark this entrance by 

 a light on Bramble Cay, and a buoy near the tidal reef. The track continues 

 eastward, passing outside Portlock Reef and the Eastern Fields, when the sea is 

 open in the direction of Sydney. The islets which dot this part of the Strait, are 

 so bold, that they, of themselves, quite beacon the passage. Sail may be carried 

 through the greater part of it in either monsoon. In making the eastern entrance 

 of Torres Strait, the lofty mountains of New Guinea may be seen forming a safe 

 landfall ; and the greatest comfort to the navigator is the singular shelving nature 

 of the bottom fronting Bligh's entrance. Throughout the Strait the direction of the 

 track ranges only between E. and N.E., or W. and S.W., without any sharp turn. 

 The streams of tide set fair along it, with a moderate and even depth of water 

 throughout, and the navigation is the easiest that it is possible to imagine through 

 a coral sea. For 100 miles only is daylight at all necessary. 



As it will be requisite to have a coal dep6t in Torres Strait, the. party in charge 

 might supei'intend the lights, buoys, and also the pilotage that may become de- 

 sirable. The coal may be conveyed from the mines near Sydney to this depot, with 

 a degree of ease and economy that can never be attained on the southern route ; 

 this is owing to the number of ships which proceed from Sydney in ballast, through 

 Torres Strait to India. 



Sm R. MuBCHisoN, f.r.g.s., having briefly alluded to the first portion of the 

 able memoir of Captain Stokes on the capability of navigating through Torres 

 Strait by steam packets, begged to say that he (Sir R. M.) took the deepest 

 interest in the other object of the author, viz., the establishment of a colony 

 at the head of the Gulf of Carpentaria. He had formerly X)ressed the con- 

 sideration of this measure upon the attention of H. M. Colonial Secretary, the 

 Duke of Newcastle. He felt certain that the settlers in New South Wales 

 (who had already stretched far to the north of Moreton Bay) would, ere many 

 years, reach the Gulf of Carpentaria ; and if, in the mean time, a settlement 

 and port were formed there by convict labour, we should thence have a safe 

 and certain route to the Indian Seas, avoiding the risks of Torres Strait, and 

 rendering a number of worthless men useful in connecting the interests of our 

 distant colonies. 



Mr. Crawfurd, f.r.g.s., could not see any objection to the route proposed by 

 Captain Stokes, and thought it the best that could be adopted. The interest 

 of Australia was as completely identified with India and the Indian Archipe- 

 lago as with England itself, independent of the great population of British 

 India and of China and the countries between. There was within the Strait 

 of Malacca and close to Australia a population of 250,000 persons. The 

 imports and exports of these alone already amounted to 10,000,000?. sterling. 

 Java had 10,000,000 of inhabitants, and trade might be indefinitely extended 

 in this direction. The route by Torres Strait is that desired not only by the 

 majority of the Australian colonies, but by all parties in India. It may or 

 may not be, by a few days, longer than some others, but it is unquestionably 

 that which will pay best, be most cheaply kept up, and confer the most im- 

 mediate and largest benefit. 



He had, however, serious objections to make to some statements in Cap- 

 tain Stokes' paper. He thought the French would have great difficulty 



