exlyi 
that steps may then be taken to obviate the hazard that to me appears 
imminent. We are living in the expectation that at a very near date 
the majority of the Australian colonies—may we not hope all ? —will 
become federated, and assumea higher position before the world in the 
dignity and strength that unity confers. Under what title, what 
cognomen, shall weclaim our place among the nations of the earth ? 
At the first glance, the query mightto many appear trivial, and they 
would probably feel inclined to waive it as one on which 
they are in no way called upon to decide, whilst they might 
also consider it will doubtless be satisfactorily dealt with by the Federal 
Council at its first session. But Iam sure that our Society will agree 
with me that every individual in these lands is or should be interested 
in the question of our future style and title, and that it shall be both 
euphonious and correct, and if I can show that a great risk does 
exist of our being made to appear under a designation every way in- 
appropriate, I think the Royal Society will not hesitate to call public 
attention to the fact, and bring the weight of its opinion to bear upon 
the same. I doubt not it will have been noticed by many that in the 
numerous despatches and telegrams that of late have been passing 
between the Imperial Government and the Australian Governments 
relative to federation, two werds constantly appear as designating this 
portion of the globe ‘‘ Australia” and ‘‘ Australasia,” and they seem to 
be used by all parties alike as convertible terms, frequently pre- 
senting themselves in the same document as, if so used, for the pur- 
pose of avoiding tautology. A little reflection, however, will show that 
these terms are by no means one and the same. Their signification 
differs 7x toto. ‘‘ Australia,” whilst musical and pleasing to the ear, 
places at once before the mind the idea of a large and noble southern 
land, and therefore may be regarded as adequately representing 
this great portion of Her Majesty’s dominions. ‘‘ Australasia,” on 
the other hand, whilst it might reasonably be applied to Burmah, Siam, 
Cochin-China, cr even India, has in reality no true geographical sig- 
nificance in connection with our great island continents and its 
sister isles of Tasmania and New Guinea. Let it be remembered that 
Australia (I cling to that term) is separated from Asia and _ its 
islands by an ocean of soundings so deep as effectually to prohibit 
chance intercourse, and so nature has, in her own unmistakable lan- 
guage, proclaimed these countries by their peculiar fauna and ficra to 
be a distinct region. Why, then, should we in any way, in name at 
least, allow ourselves to be looked upon as a species of dependency or 
excresence of Asia? Poor relations, perhaps. Whilst our real and 
only debt to that quarter of the world is limited probably to a few 
stray coccanuts, drifted by wind and tide to our northern shores. 
There would be more reason exhibited in calling Africa Austral- 
Europe” than in denominating these colonies ‘‘ Australasia,” for a 
reference to the map will at once show that the meridians of longi- 
tude within which Australia is comprised are those that mark only 
the extreme eastern portion of Asia, so that, strictly speaking, Austral 
doesnotaccurately describe our position in respect to that continent. I 
will not enlarge further on these points. The little I have said will, 
I think, suffice to prove that ‘‘ Australia” is alone the befitting title 
for this great division of the British realm; and, hoping that the 
meeting may fully concur in this opinion, I will conclude my note by 
begging the chairman and members to take immediate action thereon, 
for if anything is to be done it should be done promptly. A draft 
of a Federal Council Adoption Bill, prepared by the Premier of 
Queensland, has been received by the Cabinet, and will no doubt be 
speedily submitted to Parliament. Whether that bill contains any 
generic term for our federated provinces I can only conjecture, but 
