COMMERCE THROUGH TORRES STRAIT. 303 



which has been formed at Port Essington. The 

 reader, perhaps, will hardly be able fully to perceive 

 the bearings of the case until he has read the two 

 following chapters ; but I will here briefly give my 

 reasons for proposing such an establishment. Any 

 one who casts his eye over the chart attached 

 to this work will perceive that all vessels passing 

 through Torres Strait will be compelled to come 

 within sight of Cape York. Most vessels come up 

 along shore from the southward, and go either 

 through Endeavour Strait or the Wednesday Island 

 Passage, when they must, of course, pass within a 

 mile or two of the Cape. Even, however, if they 

 enter Torres Strait by Bligh's Entrance, between 

 Anchor Key and Bramble Key, the wide-spread 

 mass of reefs that stretch off the south coast of New 

 Guinea will compel them to keep to the southward, 

 either to Wednesday Island or the entrance of En- 

 deavour Strait. Since the survey of these latter 

 straits they have been shewn to be by far the best 

 exit from Torres Strait to the westward, and the 

 only one to be recommended to large vessels. If, 

 therefore, a post were established either at Cape 

 York, or near the entrance of Endeavour Strait, a 

 communication might be had with all shipping 

 passing through, without causing them any deten- 

 tion, or deflecting them from their route a single 

 yard. Now, as the entire trade of the South Paci- 

 fic, with the whole of the Indian Ocean, must pass 

 through Torres Strait, as the shortest and most 



