596 



RESOURCES IN PACIFIC. 



Dec, 



be a much more serious affair than a similar accident happen- 

 ing to a smaller vessel : and, by obliging her to return to 

 England, or go to an East-Indian dockyard, would upset all 

 plans and expose Polynesia to greater irregularities and less 

 control than ever, until new arrangements could be made. 



To the ' risk of getting ashore,' I answer : large ships are 

 in general more efficiently officered and manned than small 

 ones, and they are less likely to get into danger, because they 

 are consequently more carefully managed. The Pacific is, 

 technically speaking, a 'deep water ocean : all its coral reefs 

 are ' steep-to.' Sand or mud banks are unknown, except near 

 the shores of continents, and even there they are rare, unless 

 on the Japanese and Chinese shores. Small ships attempt to 

 sail in intricate passages, and get ashore : — large vessels use 

 warps, or await very favourable opportunities, and are not 

 risked. Secondly: supplies may now be obtained in any quan- 

 tity on the coast of South America, as well as in Australia ; 

 and fresh provisions can be obtained by regular, reasonable 

 purchase, at the principal islands. New Zealand, Norfolk 

 Island, the north-west coast of America and other places, are 

 stocked with the finest spars : and lastly : a large ship, well 

 provided, has the resources of a small dock-yard within her- 

 self. 



An East-India trader of eight hundred tons, was hove 

 down by her own crew, and the natives, at Otaheite. Cook 

 laid his ship ashore for repair in Endeavour River, on the 

 north-east coast of New Holland ; where the rise and fall of 

 tide is very great. Sydney is an excellent place for heaving 

 down and repairing a ship of any size. Guayaquil has a great 

 rise and fall of tide. Lima, or rather Callao, — and Coquimbo, 

 are good places for a ship to refit in. But Sydney is superior 

 to all as a rendezvous, and any repairs may be effected there. 



Large ships are able to do all their own work, while small 

 vessels are frequently obliged to ask for the lielp of their 

 neighbours, when they get into difficulty, or want repairs. 

 These considerations, however, should not prevent a frigate 

 from having a good tender, for much risk would then be 



