A correspondence relating to the discovery of gold in Australia.

  • Earl, George Windsor.
Date:
1853
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A correspondence relating to the discovery of gold in Australia. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    “ niiles of each oilier, the question naturally arises as to whether “ these continents were ever united. This inquiry, however, “ would lead to details of too extensive a nature to be admissible “ in a paper of this description, and which would belong rather “ to geology than geography, but it is well deserving of being “ followed up, since it possesses an interest beyond that which “ attaches to geographical matters generally; for if it is found “ that the mountain ranges of Australia are a continuation of “ those of eastern Asia, we may expect that they will also afford “ the mineral wealth for which the latter are so celebrated. Our “ colonies in Australia are now in a condition which would render “ the discovery of valuable minerals of the very highest import- “ anc6. The amount of agricultural produce raised in these “ colonies is considerably above that required for the consumption “ of the inhabitants, who are now anxiously looking about the “ world for a market for their surplus produce, and such a market “ would be afforded by a population employed in mining opera- “ tions. We may reasonably expect that mineral wealth is not “ confined to the district of South Australia. The great range “ extending the entire length of the N. E. coast is of a very “ promising description, as is also the range which abuts on the “ N. coast near the new settlement at Port Essington, and “ which, if it preserves the same direction which is observed in “ the other Australian ranges, may be connected with that of “ South Australia. The Liverpool, Adelaide, and Alligator rivers, “ the largest yet discovered in Australia, appear to have their “ sources in this range.”—(Journal of the Royal Geographical Society, Vol. XV. p. 3t>4.) Your Lordship will remember, that when the paper was read at the general meeting of the Society, the correctness of the conclu- sions I had arrived at was disputed by Mr. (now Sir R. I.) Murchison, (to whom, as a member of the Council, my paper had been previously submitted,) on the ground that had a connection ever existed between Asia and Australia, the fossil remains of mammals in the latter continent would have been found to corre- spond with those of the old world. The Baron Von Buch, an eminent Prussian geologist who attended the meeting, coincided in this opinion, and the combined judgment of these high authori- ties was held conclusive against my theory. The result was reported in the London Athenaeum, to which Journal 1 refer your