NISW GUINEA MOUNTAINS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2174, 16 July 1889, Page 3

NISW GUINEA MOUNTAINS

Mr.H. O. Forbes, Curator of the Ohrlstehuroh Museum, who Is well known as an explorer of New Guinea, writes as follows to the "Preu"':— While offering to felr William Maogregor on his sno eenful feat of crowning Mount Owen Stanley my warmest congratulations, not 1 unmixed with pride that be is a fellow shire* man, and strangely enough ac'assfellow, I desire you to allow me a few lines to point out that I trust there la some mistake la tbe telegram frcm Brisbane, published In this morning's paper, that Sir William has named the highest peak Mount Viotoria, If the Mag&zloe of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society for tho past year, nr tbe report of the year 1888 of BM. Special Oommisßiooer for the protected territory In New Guinea, be oonaultt d, a map will be there fnnnd of the region* explored by me In 1886. In whloh • position baa beeu given to the highest aommit «{ tbe block, and also the name of Hoxiey Pitntcle. Even though tht-re should tutn ont some discrepancy m my assigned position compared with that obtained by tin Admiols rator'o better equipped party, it does not invalidate the names I have already bestowed on the several peaks. If m geographical or In Z ologlcal solenoe the designation given and published by a worker or Investigator of s species or geographical position, even if not very appropriate, oan be at all Identified, tbat designation or appellation is considered inviolable, for every worker, howevdr humble, Is entitled to the credit of good and earnest work. Ths axiom bas been fully recognised m all branches of science, otherwise the most dire confusion would result. I feel sure that it will not be disregarded by Sir William Msogregor, who can afbrd to allow tt< the present writer the satisfaction and honor, barren oom pared with his, of having named the altitudes, wbiob he earnestly strove, In vain against the Fates, to attain. Tbat the appellation I have bei towel on the obief summit Is distinctly appropriate will be admitted when I state that It was Professor Huxley, who, when Surgeon In H.M.S Eattlesnake, named it after his command log officer, the late Oaptatu Owen Stanley, the same, by the way, who raised the Queen's Standard at Akaroa, and to whose memory stands the beautifol font In onr Cathedral, erected by his brother, the late Daan of Westminster.