Art. I. — Some Facts determining the rate of the Upheaval of 

 the South Coast of the Australian Continent. By Ludwig 

 Becker, Esq. 



[Read before the Institute, March 24th, 1858.] 



In October, 1855, I had the honor to read before the Philo- 

 sophical Institute a paper containing some remarks on the 

 changes in Australia, by upheavals. I then called attention 

 to the fact that the land is still gradually rising, and expressed 

 a hope that, with the assistance of tide-gauges, results might 

 be gained, telling us how much the ground has risen in a 

 given time. 



Since that paper was read, I directed my attention more 

 closely to this subject, gathering as many observations as pos- 

 sible concerning these upheavals; and the result of these ob- 

 servations made by myself and others, here and elsewhere, I 

 have now the honor to lay before the Philosophical Institute. 



The bottom of Hobson's Bay rose, in twelve months, four 

 inches, according to the lines drawn on sheets of paper by 

 the self-registering tide-gauge at Williamstown. These papers 

 were kindly placed before me by Mr. Ellery, the talented 

 superintendent of the Williamstown Observatory. That gen- 

 tleman also told me, that, five years ago, he noticed many 

 times that the foot of the old Williamstown flag-staff, which 

 was only a little lower than the present one, was washed by 

 high water, whde, at present, the whole space surrounding is 

 covered with a green vegetation, and tents and other dwell- 

 ings are now built on ground which was, a few years back, 

 periodically flooded by the waters of Hobson's Bay. Between 

 the old pier and the lighthouse, as is well known, a foot be- 

 low the road, the ground consists almost entirely of dead 

 shells, deposited there by the sea. I find embedded between 

 the horizontal layers of these shells the skulls of sheep and 

 bullocks, filled with clayey matter containing dead shells. 

 The spot where these bones are still to be seen is at least four 

 feet above the average level of the Bay. These remnants 

 were not deposited there lately by human hands, but thrown 



