146 H. C. RUSSELL. 



THE "PERTHSHIRE." 



The suggestion made in list No. 3, that papers thrown over on 

 the east coast, especially south of Sydney, drifted first to the east 

 in Tasman Sea, and then northwards until they reached the great 

 current from the east which passes south of New Caledonia on to 

 the Australasian coast is again supported by several current 

 papers herein recorded, and also in a very remarkable way by the 

 drift of the Perthshire after she was disabled in Tasman Sea ; 

 her general direction for six hundred and forty miles was north- 

 east by north, traversed in forty-seven days, and the average daily 

 rate in that direction was 13-6 miles. The effect of the wind 

 causing deviations from the mean direction, seems to have balanced 

 itself. Towards the end of the drift the Perthshire travelled 

 rapidly to the west as if she had got into the great oceanic current 

 setting on to the coast of Australia. Three weeks before the 

 Perthshire was picked up I expressed the opinion to a reporter 

 that she would pass about midway between Lord Howe and 

 Norfolk Islands, a statement which is confirmed by the actual 

 track, which shews that she passed that point between June 1st 

 and 2nd. The daily positions of the Perthshire have been plotted 

 on the chart and connected by lines. The positions as supplied 

 by the Captain of the Perthshire will be found in tabular form at 

 the end of this pamphlet. The direction of the drift of the 

 Waikato is also in accordance with the tracks shewn by bottle 

 papers, but I regret that my application for a copy of the log has 

 not yet been granted. 



REMARKABLE RAPID DRIFT. 



Five current papers floated on the east coast of Australia : Nos. 

 384, 405, 406, 431, and 442, indicate by the rapidity of their 

 drift to the north, the force of the southerly winds during the 

 Winter and Spring of 1899. 



In the following list of rates, the usual assumption, viz., that 

 current papers take a straight course, has been made : — 

 No. 384 put over April 27, found Aug. 6 ; rate per day 9*3 miles 

 „ 405 „ April 17, „ Aug. 25; „ 5-2 „ 



