the practice of great circle sailing available iu cases in M'hich it would 

 not otherwise have been employed ; and so much did he value those 

 tables that he supplied the ships of the United States navy with them. 

 Connected with these tables was a sailing which Mr. Towson had 

 designated ' composite sailing,' by which he had enabled the mariner to 

 take the nearest practical route when gi-eat circle sailing is not 

 available. Now, it so happened, that during the last year, in examining 

 the winds and currents, he came to the conclusion that the sailing 

 directions of the British Admiralty did not inform the mariner of the 

 best Australian route, and he strongly recommended another. This 

 track, since he arrived in Liverpool, he found to correspond with that 

 which Liverpool vessels take iu their route, founded on ' composite 

 sailing.' This happened to be the best for winds as well as distance, 

 and it was on that account he proposed this route ; but he now finds 

 that Liverpool captains have a route of their own, by which they save 

 20 per cent, in respect of time." 



In claiming for myself that which I believe to be my due, I am 

 anxious that I may not be the means of doing an injustice to those 

 who, in practically carrying out the principles of ' composite sailing,' 

 have rendered themselves deserving of our highest consideration. 

 Nothing has given me more pain than occasional remarks tliat have 

 fallen from some of my injudicious friends, who have spoken lightly of 

 the talent displayed by various captains who have made splendid 

 voyages, because they have adopted ' composite sailing' — as if the credit 

 were due to me and not to them, or that navigation were so simple a 

 science that any one could accompUsh one of the most stupendous 

 voyages by means of a set of tables. Little can such persons have 

 thouglit of an Australian A'oyage, of the skill and appliances requu'ed 

 for the accomplishment of such a feat of art. Navigation, truly, has 

 dra^vn extensively on every science, but it detracts not from the merit 

 of the modem mariner that he has so largely availed himself of the 

 skill of scientific men. We think not the less of the mariner because 

 hs uses the chronometer which Harrison and Arnold have brought to 

 a practical state of excellence, nor because he uses the logarithms which 

 Napier has invented, nor the sextant of Rarasden, nor the meridianal 

 parts of Mercator or "Wright, nor the lunar tables of Mayer. The 

 reverse is the case ; that maiiner who employs the greater number of 

 the aids which science has submitted for liis use, is deemed the most 

 worthy of distinction. On the other hand, I have equal cause of com- 

 plaint when the accident or the en'ors of the navigator are laid to my 

 charge, because he has used my tables, or adopted 'composite sailing.' 



