PROPOSED COLONISATION OF THE ANTARCTIC ISLANDS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1341, 14 September 1886, Page 3

PROPOSED COLONISATION OF THE ANTARCTIC ISLANDS.

Captain Armstrong, of Sydney, has received the following latter from Baron Von Mueller, dated Melbourne Avgust 87th

“ You may be aware, dear Captain Armstrong, that I have urged, in my last presidential address to the Victorian branch of the Australian Geographical Society, the colonisation o f the antarctic Islands—or rather of Auckland Islands, •Campbell Island and Macquarie Islands ; and now it 4 occusa to my mind, that tor your great professional ti'ent and your remarkable spirit of enterprise, a new career congenial to yonr taste might thus be opened: Perhaps you are acquainted with some leading colonist in New Zealand who could for you ascertain from the New Zealand Government whether your highly valuable services could be rendered available for initiating such a project. In the committee f>r antarctic research formed here, I proposed that domesticated animals, game, and trout and eels should be taken to the three islands me- tinned particularly, a'ao to Macquarie Islands, ao that when a dep t is formed there for antarctic rosearh, at once advantage would accrne from these Introductions; Dr Hector has just atnf me bis very elaborate roport on the fi-hes suitable for food occurring on the New Zealand coast, and marked on this document those kinds which extend ti the Auckland Islands It would thus appear that & very promising opening for the fishing interest exists on these islands, end if goats were liberated, soon sm-e clearing would be effected in the dente scrubs, while hardy pastoral grasses, clovers, and some fodder herbs could be aowh. It seems a great pity thst these Islands are left almost unutilised when the Shetland Islands and Hebrides are getting over-populated. In any scheme of yours for tfae occupation of the islands, I shall take a very profound scientific interest Indeed. If you called at the Geographical Society in Sydney, yon could see the print of my last annual address, »nd could read what I said on the Antarctic Islands. —Regardfully years, “ (Signed) Fhed vox Mueller.”