234 H. C. RUSSELL. 



coast, i.e., the shortest way to Tuggerah beach, its drift was only- 

 half a mile per day. But there is a more probable route, and 

 that one it no doubt followed, that is, like No. 229 it drifted 

 away eastward on the journey, got into the current setting north" 

 wards in the eastern parts of Tasman sea (indicated by dotted 

 line on the chart) and travelled in this current until it reached 

 the branch of the great equatorial currents which sets past the 

 south end of New Caledonia on to the coast of Australia, and 

 thence went down the coast to Tuggerah beach. The daily drift 

 necessary to accomplish such a journey is only four miles per day, 

 nearly the same rate, 3-6 miles per day, as No. 229 made on its 

 direct course to New Zealand. 



It is of course impossible to prove which way these papers go 

 by following them over the sea, but I may mention two other 

 papers which seem to support the assumed track : No. 275 was 

 thrown over by Capt. G. W. Atkinson, of the R.M.S. Valetta, when 

 passing Gabo, and it was found on the Belefo Island, north of 

 New Caledonia, having on the shortest track travelled 1,510 

 miles at the rate of 4'6 miles per day. No. 339 was thrown over 

 in the latitude of Gabo Island but 7° east of it ; this one found 

 its way to one of the New Hebrides at a rate of 1*6 miles per 

 day; probably it laid on the beach for a long time before it was 

 found. 



It is true that to reach their landing places they must have 

 crossed the equatorial current setting westward, but they may 

 have done so under the influence of southerly gales of which a 

 number passed over Tasman sea during the period of the drifting 

 of these papers. I do not press the matter, but with the well 

 known southerly current on our coast it seems more probable 

 that the current papers make their northing by the round about 

 way than by facing a strong current. 



Another paper bearing on this question is very interesting : 

 No. 345 was set afloat in Lat. 46° 18' S. and Long. 127° 50' E., 

 and it was found on the coast of New South Wales almost on the 



