May 26, 185G.] ADMIRALTY SURVEYS. 143 



medied, and at small expense, by extending Mr. Maclear's arc of 

 meridian triangles (tlie last of whicli terminates near the Breede 

 Eiver) along the coast to Cape Eecife, and it is to be hoped that the 

 colony, under the ml6 of its present enlightened Governor, Sir 

 George Grey, will perform this necessary duty for its own benefit. 

 A surveying vessel might then find ample field for laborious, but 

 highly useful, employment in these seas. 



Indian Ocean. — A chart of the Indian Ocean in two sheets has 

 been recently published by the Admiralty, in which the curves of 

 equal variation have been carefully laid down for the year 1855, by 

 Mr. Frederick J. Evans, chief of the Compass Observatory. It 

 forms a valuable contribution to physical geography. A similar 

 chart of the Pacific Ocean is in progress. 



Siam. — A tolerably accurate chart of the Gulf of Siam has lately 

 been published by the Admiralty, in which some of the grosser 

 errors of former maps and charts are corrected. It is still, however, 

 very imperfect ; but Messrs. Eichards and Inskip, surveying officers 

 on the China station, have been despatched to Siam; and there 

 seems ground for hope, not only from their labours, but from the 

 facilities offered by the present enlightened King of that country, that 

 in the course of the present year the chart of the Gulf will be rendered 

 sufficiently accurate for all the common purposes of navigation. 



Japan. — The accidents of the late war have led to a slight im- 

 provement in our acquaintance with the coasts of the islands of 

 Niphon and Yesso, and especially as to the Strait of Matsumae, or 

 Tsugar (hitherto improperly named Sangar in all our maps and 

 charts), which lies between them. This Strait has been examined 

 by Mr. Eichards, as well as a portion of the west coast of Niphon, 

 which proves to be laid down in all our charts some 10 miles to the 

 eastward of its true position. 



Tartary. — Farther north, in the Gulf of Tartary — a quarter not 

 visited by any ship of war since Broughton, in 1797 — our cruisers 

 have, during the last year, partially traced the western shore of the 

 island of Saghalin, where coal in situ and fallen timber, from the 

 wooded land above, are to be found in abundance along the shores. 

 They have examined Castries Bay on the mainland, and traced a 

 deep-water channel, carrying 3 fathoms throughout, towards, but 

 not into the mouth of the Amur. Farther to the south-west, in the 

 parallel of 43° N., bays, harbours, and gulfs, which have received 

 the names of Yictoria, Eugenie, Napoleon, and D'Anville, have been 

 explored and surveyed by the officers of the Allied squadrons, and 







