CRUISE OF H.M.S. EGERIA.

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 288, 4 December 1889, Page 5

CRUISE OF H.M.S. EGERIA.

SURVEYING IN THE PACIFIC.

THE PROPOSED PACIFIC CABLE ROUTE.

Considerable interest is attached to the cruise of H.M.s. Egeria in consequence of her having been engaged surveying the proposed Pacific cable route. The Egeria returned to Sydney last Tuesday after an absence of seven months. The Egeria returns to be recommissioued, her present crew, with the exception of Commander Oldhani and one of tho lieutenants, being " homeward bound, ,, their term of service having expired. A relief crew for the ship is now en route to Sydney by the 5.3. Port Victor, expected on the 12th instant. The little ship and her crew, as will be seen by the following report, have got through some really excellent work on the cruise.

The Egeria lefb Sydney on April 24th and proceeded bo Auckland, soundingebeing taken en route. The greatest depth reached was 2,800 fathoms in lab. 33deg. 40min. south and long. 156cieg. 45min. east, and the least 496 fathoms, in lat. 33deg. 36min. south and long, loldog. 25Ainin. easb. Auckland was reached on JMay 3rd, and after coaling the vessel Jeffc on May Bth tor the islands. Tho first point made for was that marked on the chart as Edith or Somrne Bank, and afterwards fche ship went to the Floyenger Shoal, *Syhere breakers were reported as seen. sounding obtained about the former place ranged from 1,881 to 2,9.yl fathoms, and near the latter place from 2,582 to 2,400 fathoms, so it was evident that no such shoals existed either on the position assigned on the chart to them or anywhere in tho vicinity, as a thorough search was made extending over several days. A course was then shaped for Minerva Reef—the islands being , visited en route — and astronomical observations were taken to ascertain if any material difference existed between the position obtained by the Egeria and those already taken, but no change appears to have taken place either in the islands or the reefs themselves. Tonga was reached on May 23rd, and the ship remained there until June 3rd, leaving on that date for Pago Pago, in the island of Tubuila. During; this cruiso the deepest known sounding obtained by an English ship was taken— namely, 4,530 fathoms, in lat. 17<leg. 4min. south and 172deg. 14J,min. west. Pago Pago was reached on the 9bh, and a departure made on tho following day for Apia, which was reached on the 11th.

Alter coaling she proceeded to Quiros Island, a plan of which was taken and a course shaped for the Union Group. A protectorate was here proclaimed, after which the Egeria visited Sydney, Phoenix, Birnie.Hull, Enderbury and Can ton Islands, all forming part of the Phoenix Group, the whole of which, with tho exception of tho last two, were annexed. Surveys were made of Sydney, Phoenix and Canton Islands, and plans of the anchorages off Sydney and Canton Islands. Sectional surveys were also obtained off several of the islands to ascertain the slope of the coral reefs to the bed of the ocean.

Samoa was reached on July 18tb, and after coaling she remained until the 25tb, when she was again headed for Pago Pago to meet the Admiral. Sho was hero met by a schooner from Tonga, bringing the news of the departure of the Orlando some days previously for Sydney. She left acjain on August 3rd for Apia with full bunkers, and from thence proceeded to Takaofu, one of tho Union Group, where a survey was made and sectional sounding , lines taken, which occupied ho? until the 20th.

A course was then shaped tor Fiji along the proposed cable route, soundings being taken every 50 miles. The greatest depth obtained was 2,606 fathoms on a chocolate clay bottom in lab. 15deg. south and long. 171deg. 35min. west, and the least 839 fathoms in a volcanic bottom in lat. lldeg. 30soc. south and 172deg. B£min. east. Suva was reached on the 28th, and a stay made till September 11th, during wbioh time the ship underwent a partial retit, and leave was granted to the men. Leaving on the 11th the ship wassteeredtothesouthward of the Alfred Reef, of which no sign was seen, a depth of 1,876 fathoms being obtained on the charted position. Thence she proceeded to Calmon Reef, which was reported awash. The soundings round this reef varied from 1,076 to 1,392 fathoms, so that these dangers appear to be non-existent. A little to the eastward of Calmon Reef and due north of the Ono Islands a small volcanic bank was found with some 260 fathoms on it.

Nukualofa was reached on the 21st, the ship remaining there until September 2nd, when she left for Falcon Island, which was thrown up by a volcanic eruption in November, 1885, and is now gradually disappearing. It is now practically nothing but a cinder heap, and still of a warm temperature. A landing was the astronomical position accurately fixed, and cairns built at fixed distances in a line across the greatest diameter, so that any ship visiting the island could easily ascertain the amount washed away. Soundings of 100 fathoms were obtained all round the island, and three cocoanuts of about Ift high were found growing. Nomuka, one of the southern islandsof theHaapai Group, was then visited and a plan made and soundings taken between there and Tonga. Tonga was ultimately reached on November 4th, where the Egeria awaited the arrival of the Lubeck, which brought orders to proceed to Sydney and pay off.