May 25, 1857.] ADMIRALTY SURVEYS— AMERICA— W. INDIES. 407 



useful labours in tlie south-western Pacific. During tlie past year 

 he has surveyed several islands of the Fiji group, as Angau, Matuka, 

 Mbatiki, Moala, and has swept from the charts the imaginary Under- 

 wood and Kosaretta reefs. Assistant-Surgeon Macdonald of the 

 Herald has made a journey into the interior of the island Viti Levu, 

 which, with a track chart of the route, has been communicated to 

 the Society by the Admiralty. Various views of headlands and 

 characteristic sketches of the scenery and of the natives have been 

 made by Mr. Glen Wilson, artist to the expedition. 



A chart of the Pacific Ocean, in 12 sheets, on the scale of -j^oths 

 of an inch to a degree, has recently been published by the Ad- 

 miralty, in which the curves of equal variation have been carefully 

 laid down for the year 1855, by Mr. Frederick J. O. Evans, chief of 

 the Compass Observatory. The whole forms a valuable contribution 

 to hydrography, and physical geography. 



America. — Pursuing our imaginary eastern route, we have the 

 gratification to announce that a well organized expedition, under 

 the command of Captain George Eichards, e.n., favourably known 

 as a fellow-labourer with Captain Stokes in the survey of New 

 Zealand, has sailed for Vancouver Island, to determine, in con- 

 junction with the United States Commissioners, the boundary, as 

 laid down by treaty, between the British and American possessions. 

 This expedition cannot but be productive of a good harvest of geo- 

 graphical information. 



In the Eio de la Plata, Lieut. Sidney, with slight means at his 

 command, has fixed the position of the north edge of the English 

 Bank, lying some 10 miles south of Monte Video ; he has com- 

 pleted a detailed plan of the river and outer roadstead of Buenos 

 Ayres, and has partially examined the lower course of the Uruguay. 



On the coast of Brazil, Lieut. Parish, r.n., has furnished plans of 

 several small harbours and otherwise improved our charts, while a 

 more complete Sailing Directory, founded on the labours of Baron 

 Eoussin, is in course of preparation by Eear- Admiral FitzEoy. 



West Indies. — The additions to geography in the West Indies con- 

 sist in a survey of the island of Santa Cruz, and the harbour of 

 Christianstadt, by Messrs. Parsons and Dillon; a re-examination 

 of the harbour of Grey Town by Mr. Scott, master of H.M.S. 

 Imperieuse, and some new coral patches discovered among the 

 Pearl Cays. 



Nova Scotia. — In the Bay of Fundy, Commander Shortland, with 

 Lieut. Scott and Mr. Scarnell, has completed the soundings in the 



