218 New South Wales. 
combined, and the heating by completing the combination must 
have caused the flame which was developed. Jodine is rarely 
found without an admixture of idious acid. The iodous acid is 
perhaps iodate or idionate of iodic acid, and the sulphurous 
acid, perhaps sulphate of sulphur. 
NEW SOUTH WALES. 
We have been favoured with the following official account of 
the most recent topographical surveys of the above important 
British colony. 
“© Government and General Orders. 
“ Governinent-LHouse, Syduey, June 10, 1815. 
“CIVIL DEPARTMENT. 
“¢ The Governor desires to communicate, for the information 
of the public, the result of his late tour over the Western or Blue 
Mountains, undertaken for the purpose of being enabled per- 
-sonally to appreciate the importance of the tract of country ly- 
ing westward of them; which had been explored in the latter 
end of the year 1813 and beginning of 1814 by Mr. George 
William Evans, deputy surveyor of lands. 
<< To those who know how very limited a tract of country has 
been hitherto occupied by the colonists of New South Wales, 
extending along the eastern coast to the north and south of 
Port Jackson only $0 miles, and westward about 40 miles to the 
foot of that chain of mountains in the interior which forms its 
-western boundary, it must be a subject of astonishment and re- 
gret, that amongst so large a population no one appeared within 
the first 25 years of the establishment of this settlement possessed 
of sufficient energy of mind to induce him fully to explore a pas- 
sage over these mountains :—but, when it is considered that for 
the greater part of that time even this circumscribed portion of 
country afforded sufficient produce for the wants of the people, 
whilst on the other hand the whole surface of the country be- 
yond those limits was a thick and in many places nearly an im- 
penetrable forest, the surprise at the want of effort to surmount 
such difficulties must abate very considerably. 
‘‘ The records of the colony only afford two instances of any 
bold attempt having been made to discover the country to the 
westward of the Blue Mountains.—The first was by Mr. Bass, 
and the other by Mr. Caley, and both ended in disappointment— 
a circumstance which will not be much wondered at by those 
who have lately crossed those mountains. 
<* To Gregory Blaxland and William Wentworth, esquires, and 
Lieutenant Lawson, of the Royal Veteran Company, the merit 
is 
