444 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 
at least equal to that of the Asiatic plateau, never reaches to a 
distance from the coast than 450 miles, and that only at one point. It is 
bounded on the east by the Great Barrier Reef which rises abruptly from 
the depths of the Pacific,—on the north by New Guinea, the Aru Islands 
and Timor Laut,—and on the northwest by Timor and by an irregular 
line extending from that island to the Northwest Cape of Australia. The 
Barrier Reef which forms the eastern boundary, is a natural sea-wall of 
ocean. The general character of the islands included within the area of 
at this, its narrowest, part. This space will have to be sounded before a 
telegraph eable can be laid down with safety, for although I am of opinion, 
taking as a criterion the slope of the land on each side of the channels 
between the islands, that the depth of water will never exceed 10 
fathoms, it may possibly be considerably more. : 
The map is omitted. A boundary line marking the limits of the 
Asiatic plateau extends eastward from the northeast cape of Java to 
ving Floris and other islands east of Java in the deep sea 
south. From Kalatoa, it bends northward to Celebes. The boundary 
line of the Australian plateau passes around Timor so as to include it, 
and then westward and northward just north of Timor Laut, to New 
Guinea at the parallel of 5°.—Eps. 
_ 5. Alum in China; by Dr. Maceowan.—About eleven hundred 
tons of alum have been exported within a short period, chiefly to India. 
This mineral is largely employed by the Chinese in dyeing. and to 
some extent in -making as with us. Surgeons apply it variously 
: ing it of its water of crystallization, and in domestic life it 
- 
