EXTRACTS. The New Governor. (From the London " New Zealand Journal.")

Daily Southern Cross, Volume I, Issue 23, 23 September 1843, Page 3

EXTRACTS. The New Governor. (From the London " New Zealand Journal.")

A new Governor has been chosen for New Zealand in the person of Captain Robert Fitzroy, of the Royal Navy, lately Member for the city of Durham. We hail this appointment with satisfaction. Captain Fitzroy has already not only distinguished himself as a seaman of skill and science, (mattei s which go but a little way to constitute a claim to act the diplomatist in a community of various interests, or the guide and leader of a colony,) but, in the nautical narratives which he has put forth to the world, he has exhibited much judgement, a wide view of the commercial and political relations of the countries he has explored, and not a little earnestness in suggesting measures of policy and improvement. In 1826 Captain Fitzroy accompanied the Adventure and Beagle, under Captain Phillip King, to survey th& coasts of South America. On his return, in command of tho Beagle, he brought home, at his own expense and risk, four natives of Tierra del Fuego, whom he made some endeavour to educate, in order that returning to their own country, they might be of use in improving the character of their ignorant countrymen. Feeling himself bound to fulfil the obligation he had imposed on himself in regard to these Fuegians, Captain Fitzroy was on the point of taking out a passage for himself and his proteges in a private vessel for South America, when ho was appointed by tho Admiralty, (in July, 1831,) to the command of the Beagle, to proceed to Madeira, the Cape de Verdo Islands, Fernando Noronha, and the South American station ; where, after determining, in the first place, the exact longitude of Rio de Janeiro, from which all meridian, distances in South America are measured, he was directed to report minutely upon the physical character of the coast, and on the rivers and harbours, from the Rio de Plata to the Straits of Magalhaen, and from thence to Valparaiso ; and finally, to proceed on his return home by Polynesia and tho South Seas, completing tho voyage round the world. Tho principle laid down by the Admiralty for the guidance of Capt. Fitzroy was, that "whatever was now done should be finally done," and tho minuteness of the reports furnished by the Commander, amply proved his capacity to fulfil directions, based upon the confidence reposed in his seamanship and general qualities. While his attention was directed to matters more especially falling under his province as a seaman and surveyor, the examination of the tides and currents, the periods and limits of the monsoons' and trade winds, the reefs and shoals iv his track, and» generally, to the physical geography of the countries he visited, his narrative embraces interesting views of tho political and moral conditon of the aboriginal inhabitants of America and Polynesia ; and, the scientific researches of

the naturalist, Mr. Charles Darwin, who accompanied the expedition, have resulted in a valuable contribution to the zoology of one of the most interesting districts of the world— the Pampas and' the provinces bordering on the Rio de la Plata— the country of the .Megatherium and. the Mastodon. In the course of his voyage, Captain Fitzroy visited, in December, 1835, the northern part of New Zealand— the Bay of Islands, and various missionary settlements at Rangihoua, Waimate, &o. The •conduct of the missionaries is discussed in a fair and liberal spirit, and the general character of those portions of the country he visited, as well as the disposition of the .natives, and the capabilities of New Zealand for colonizaton, - are dwelt upon in a manner which evinced that he was fully impressed ■•with the prospective value of the colony to Great Britain. The two chapters devoted to New Zealand are worthy of attentive con- ■ sideration even at this time. The contrast j of the savage character of the native New Zealander, with that of the ancient Briton as described by Sir James Mackintosh, and •of the missions of Mr. Marsden and his followers, with those of St. Augustine to our | own country in the sixth century, afford a fair specimen of the character of the author's mind, and of the wide views ho seems, on all ] occasions, disposed to take of social progress. A suggestion which he makes as to the necessity for a vigilant survey and superintendence of all the Polynesian group, by the British Government, though-written in 1835, may be quoted even now with advantage — ♦' A great deal of prudence, and good management, is required in the commander of a man-of-war, who has any business of ■consequence to transact with the natives of Polynesia, or who has to deal with his own c >untrvmsn in that distant region. A single ship, assisted perhaps by tenders, might, if W3ll commanded, do more good in a few years among the islands of the Pacific, than •can now easily be imagined. But then she must be stationary ; not that she should remain in one place — far from it — her wings should seldom rest ; I mean only that she should stay in the Pacific during three or four years. In that time so much information might be gained, and so much dhTused among the natives ; such a system of vigilant inspection might be established, and so much respect for, and confidence in the British nation, be secured— that our future intercourse with Polynesia would, for a length of time, be rendered easier and infinitely more secure, as well as creditable. " The few ships of war which have remained during any length of time among the islands, have been occupied by exploring and surveying, to an extent that has interfered with the earnest consideration of other matters. But in a ship employed as I have described, a surveyor might be embarked, who would have ample opportunities of increasing our knowledge of that ocean. And if a sensible man, whose natural ability had been improved by an education unattainable by sailors, could be tempted to bear the trials and losses of a long sea voyage, in a busily employed ship, how much might science profit by the labours of three or four such years ?" We have thought it fitting to confine ourselves, on this occasion, to a brief consideration of what the newly appointed Governor lias done. We believe that Captain Fitzroy, even without the beacon of past experience in New Zealand, to warn him off the shoals, will judge for himself, without prejudice, and with duo deliberation, as to what is now required of him in relation to New Zealand. A golden opportunity presents itself for him to make New Zealand what popular opinion seems to presage of it — a second Great Britain. 'Present to the Turkish Sultan. — A most superb and elaborately finished specimen of English manufacture, intended as a present from Ali Effendi, the Turkish Ambassador, to the Sultan, was yesterday morning inspected by her Majesty and hisj Royal Highness Prince Albert, at Buckingham Palace. This costly present, which was manufactured by Mr. Taunton, of Norfolk-street, Islington, at a cost of 500 guineas, is an umbrella of little more than the ordinary size, covered with rich bro--caded crimson satin, manufactured in Spital- • fields, expressly for the. purpose. The whole of the metal of which it is composed is of pure gold. The handle, which opens with a secret spring, contains a gold chronometer, the dial of which is about an inch and a half in diameter. The part containing the chro- ! nometer unscrews, and beneath is a sun-dial and compass (the plate of gold), set with a brilliant of the first water ; and upon this portion of the handle being unscrewed the following articles are arranged in six compartments : — A thermometer, a pencil case and watch-key, a knife >with two blades, the star and crescent engraved on each side 4)f the handle, a comb, a toothpick, and an

1 ornamented circular case containing (in three divisions) 25 leads for the gold pencil-holder. In the next compartment of the handle is a mirror, set in a bordering of chased gold. The tube, which is of gold, highly engraved, with a design of scroll-work and flowers, (when divested of the handle and ferrule, the latter of which contains a powerful microscope, richly ornamented and carved in j gold) is so ingeniously contrived as to form a telescope, with a_2o miles' range, having a sliding tube to adapt it to various sights and distances. The whole is enclosed in a red morocco case, lined with green velvet and white satin, with the star and crescent emblazoned at the four corners, and in the centre. The two massive handles, and the locks, keys, and hinges are of solid gold. Her Majesty and his Royal Highness Prince Albert, after minutely inspecting this elaborate piece of workmanship, expressed themselves in terms of the highest approbation of the taste and ingenuity displayed in its manufacture. We believe Mr. Taunton is the inventor of the ingenious telescope umbrella, which has recently attracted much attention, and received considerable public patronage.