A RECOLLECTION OF THE FALKLAND ISLANDS. 
Be J. D. Lawrence Seconp Assistant InsPFcToR oF SOHOOLS. 
INTRODUCTORY. 
Before beginning a description of the Falkland Islands, as I remem- 
ber them, I wish to say that I am indebted for some statistical and other in- 
formation to an article in this journal (“ United Empire’). The article in ques- 
tion is by W. L. Allardyce, C.M.G., the present Governor of the Islands, and 
was originally a lecture delivered at a meeting of the Royal Colonial Insti- 
tute in March last. The lecture was, I understand, illustrated by lantern 
slides. Iam sorry that I have no slides, or pictures of any kind to show you— 
not even a picture post card! Such cards were not so common twelve or fifteen 
years ago, and I am not sure if any may be obtained of the Falklands even now. 
However, we will do our best to get on without the illustrations. 
DISCOVERY. 
2. The Falkland Islands were first discovered in 1592 by Davis, an English 
navigator, and so would appear to be British by right of discovery, though 
there is reason to believe they were seen before this by some unknown naviga- 
tor. Anyway, they changed hands several times between the French, the 
Spaniards, and the British, before they were finally settled by Britain, and it is 
said that the Argentines claim them even to this day. They have also had 
different names applied to them at different times—Mr. Allardyce gives no less 
than ten, which I need not trouble you with here. The islands were ultimately 
settled as a Crown Colony in 1843 under the name they now bear. 
PosItTIon. 
3. The Falklands lie in the South Atlantic, about 500 miles north-east of 
Cape Horn, the southern extremity of this continent. Their latitude is about 
50° South, and their longitude about 60° West, that is to say, they lie nearly 
3,500 miles due south from Georgetown. This question of distance “as the 
crow flies *”’ may interest us more when flying machines become more common. 
At present no one here, I presume, contemplates a visit to the Falklands by 
sliding down the 60th meridian in a monoplane. 
EXTENT. 
4. The group consists of the East Falkland and the West Falkland, and very 
many smaller islands. The two main islands are nearly equal in extent, and 
each of them is much larger than Trinidad, the total area of the group being 
given as 6500 square miles. The ‘‘ West ”’ is separated from the ‘“ Hast ’’ by 
the Sound, which is not more than 3 miles wide at its narrowest part, ifso much. 
I speak here from recollection of the distance across the Sound, and of the judg- 
ment I formed of it, when, in travelling over the mountains of the ‘‘ West,” 
I now and then had a view of the “ Hast.”’. And I may add that it is the western 
island, and one or two of the smaller ones adjoining it, that I am best acquaint- 
