332 SIR RODERICK I. MURCHISON'S ADDRESS— WEST INDIES. [May 23, 1859. 



the remarkable physical changes constantly produced by the action 

 of the currents. The historical portion of Lieutenant Page's book 

 has been drawn up apparently from the best authorities ; the work 

 of one of our former Vice-Presidents, Sir Woodbine Parish, having 

 been amongst others very freely used. 



I take this opportunity of recording with satisfaction that wo 

 have received a translation of Sir Woodbine Parish's work into 

 Spanish, which has been published at Buenos Ayres, containing 

 some later statistics and additional information respecting the 

 interior provinces of La Plata, and collected by order of the local 

 governments. This translation will add to the A^alue of the work 

 as the best book of reference on those countries. 



West Indies. 



Phosphatic Eocks of the AnguUla Islands. — A curious and important 

 discovery has been made in the Anguilla Islands, which lie to the 

 north of St. Kitts. The captain of an American trader being becalmed 

 off a rock called " Sombrero," which lies between the British 

 possessions of the Anguillas on the east and Anegada on the west, 

 took away certain specimens of the rock, apparently a bone-breccia. 

 On analysis, these proved to be richly impregnated with phosphate 

 of lime, and a cargo subsequently imported was sold at New York 

 at from 3Z. 10s. to 6Z. IO5. per ton, to renovate the worn out soils of 

 Virginia. 



Seeing that 30,000 tons of material removed from a little rock in 

 the wide ocean, which no one had cared to claim, had realized 

 100,000Z. in the New York market, the inhabitants of the Anguillas 

 were led to believe that some of the detached rocks or " keys," which 

 lie to the north of the chief island, and at no great distance from 

 Sombrero, might be of the same composition as that rock. They 

 accordingly induced the Governor of St. Kitts, Mr.* Hercules 

 Eobinson, to transmit specimens for analysis to London. These 

 specimens having been sent to me by my eminent friend Sir 

 William Hooker have been analysed in the laboratory of the School 

 of Mines, and have been found to contain a notable quantity of 

 phosphate of lime. Hence, when they are properly surveyed and 

 opened out, there is every reason to hope, that these rocky islets 

 will afford a supply of renovating material which may render the 



* Now Sir Hercules Robinson. — June 30, 1859. 



