THE FALKLAND ISLANDS. BY CAPTATN SULIVAN, R.N.

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 410, 20 March 1850, Page 3

THE FALKLAND ISLANDS. BY CAPTATN SULIVAN, R. N.

Pew peop'e know more about the Falkland Islandi than that they exist somewhere in the South Atlantic Ocean, at no great distance from the American coast ; and many are scarcely even aware that Great Britain, claims them as her own, and that on their shores a British colony has already been planted. A glance at a map of the world will show the very important position they hold on its surface as a resting place to all ships rounding the Horn from the western coaits of the .New World, the islands of the Pacific, China, and our rapidly increasing colonies of Auitralaiia.— Whatever may be their drawbacks from soil or climate they must ultimately, as the commerce of the world increases, become important, and wealthy, and I trust before long to see them affording a home and support to thousands of the Anglo-Saxon race, who now pine in the land of their birth in indigence and wretchednesi. The Falkhnd Islands are litunted between the latitudes 51° and 52£' S., and longitude 57j° aud 61£' W. They consist of two large islands and numerous smaller ones, which vary in size from a few miles in length and breadth, to a few yards across — being in that respect very similar to the Bermudas. The whole group is about 150 miles long from east to west and 80 from north to south. The two largest islands are called East and Wcit I Falkland. They are separated by Falkland Sound ; this sound varies in width from 3 to 20 miles ; but the channel in some places is dotted with small island** which considerably contract in size. East Falkland is about 90 miles long and 55 broad, but its mean breadth is not more than 35 miki. It ia also deeply indentated by fine harbours, navigable by the largest ships, and ia this respect it is unequalled by any of our other colonies. Every rock and shoal is clearly marked in them by buoys paced there by the hand of nature, composed of "kelp," a long sea weed, which, floating on the surface, is seen at a great distance. Two of these harbours are on oppoiite shorei of the island, and divide it into two peninsulas, connected by an isthmus about a mile wide. The northern peninsula is the largest. It is very hilly, and the central range is about 2000 feet high. It contains about 1300 square miles, or above 830,000 acres. Of this about 180,000 is low land— fit either for pasture or cultivation. About 300,000 is hilly, but afioiding good pasture, and the remaining 350,000 consists either of mountains, rocks, or peat-bog— of little value except for supplying fuel and some pasture in the summer. The southern peninsula contains about 900 square miles, or above 570,000 acres. The whole of it ii low and undulating, well watered, with scarcely any useless land ; but this fine tract has recently been sold to Mr,. Lafarce, the English merchant at MonteVideo. Not only has the land been sold to him, but the right for six years over all the wild cattle found on it, amounting to upwards of 1 00,000 horned beasts and about 2000 horses. At present, about half the cattle are on the northern peninsula, but Mr. Lafarce has the right of driving, by any meaus he candevise, all the animals away from that district en to his land during these six years, at the end of which time they are to become his property. The cattle are very fine, the pasture being excellent, and that, with the climate so well suited to them, thut they are more than one-Gfth larger than those of the, River Platt provinces, from whence the original stock was brought. The rich Tussac grass, of which they are very fond, and which is equally valuable both at a winter aud summer food — is nearly destroyed on East Falkland by the caltle themselves, from their tearing up the roots and eating them. It is however abundant on the smaller islands, many of which are close to the shores of East Falkland, and contain about 45,000 acrei of land, but ihe greater part of these have olio beea sold to Mr. Lafaice. The West Falkland is about 80 miles long and 45 broad in tome places, but its mean breadth is not more than 15 miles. It it very hilly, and the highest range* reach to about 2100 feet above the sea. They surround a large central valley well watered by several fine streams. The area of this island is about 1300 square miles, or above 830,000 acres. Of this, probably not more than 200,000 is low land fit for cultivation—about 250,000, besides, may be good billy paature land, and the remainder is composed of broken

ground, rocks, or peat-bog:- These calculations I wish to be considered mcioly as a ioiigU approximation to tlie truth. I made them iv my walks over the islnnd, every part of which I have overlooked from the lulls, ami the summits of which I have climbed. Thp smaller islands near the West Falkland contain about 80,000 acres, of which the greater part is hilly and of little value ; but some of the soil is good— and nll the shores of these, as well os of the West Falkland, are covered with Tussac grass. There are enly a few cattle on it, which have recently been placed there. The soil on the low land is generally a dark ami black earth, move 01 less peaty, ('torn one to two feet deep, with a subsoil of day. On Uio skies of the hills it is more peaty, but it is firm, and fiom two to tbiee feet under the «irfacc the clay is found. On the higher parts of the hill's and on level land, if elevated several hundred fpet above the sea, the surface is either stony or confeisting of a bed of peat many feet thick— generally dry and passable duiini* the summer, but wet in tl.e winter. The hills aio all composed of a compart qnavtzose sandstone, bo much acted on. by heat in some places as to become a pure quartz lock. Jt is on this formation that the peat lipcls are found, and also the laige patches or streamo of stoned, whicu in some places extend from the voy summits of the hills to the valleys below. Nearly all the low land rests on fine samUtonc or clay-plate, but generally the former. The climate of the Falkland Islands is in no way so tevete as is generally supposed. The winters aie about as cold as those in the south of England, but the sum. mers are certainly not so warm U 3 in the south—piobjibly they more use ruble those, in the north of Scotland. They aie very dry, and there is comparatively veiy Idle cloudy wenfher between October and March.— Strong winds pre prevalent, and gales frequent, though they rarely blow through the nights, which are usually calm and cloudless. In winter there are fewer gales, hut the weather is much damper; yet, on the whole, much less rain falls during the year than in England. The prevailing wet wind at sea, in the neighbourhood of Cape Horn, ia the north-west 5 but as this wind at the Falkland Islands blows directly from the chy plains of Patagonia, it is therefoie very dry. As this is the prevailing wind, it is probably the cause of the unusual good health enjoyed by those who live on the island*. Though few of the inhabitants tlvrolt under wind ana-water-tight roofs, no <a*al rase of sickness lnd occurled out of a population of 150 persons, du<m? the teu years that the islands bad been settled prioi to the yeBr 1845, and several childtcn had also been born.' The only deaths which had taken place weic from accidents or excessive intemperance. Coughs are almost unknown, and persons subject; to them have perfectly recovered after spending a summer on the islands. Easterly and noith- easterly winds always bring rain, but they arc me, awl seldom last through the day. South-easteily winds bring sleet and hail showers in Mimmer and snow in winter, hut they Beldora occur with the wird from tho^ south to the west, which wind is ulso prevalent. Though there are heavy showera in summer, as the evapoiation is very great, they scarcely are sufficient to keep the ground moist. Such is a brief and dry, but faithful description of these import-ant islands; and those who know the less cultivated portions of the Highlands of Scotland, where trees have not been planted, may have a tolerably correct idea of the scenery. I now come to the numerous advantages they offer to the nation at large, and to the settlera in particular. First, their position, ai I have pointed out, halfway between Australia and England— as well as affording a stopphc p'nee to all ships engaged in the Pacific trade. Thus, as soon as regular supplies can be obtained, those Bbips carrying passengers will, without toil, call there to replenish their stock of fiesh provisions and water. By this means they will gain many tons of stowage for freight, and will save the loss of a large portion of live stock, besides enabling the passengers to drink good water throughout the voyage. In the second place, they are most important as a place of refuge to vessels of all nations which may meet with damage on their passage round Cape Horn. Many of them now put into the River Plate, or into some port on the Brazilian coast, much out of their way, and often exposed to a ruinous expense for repairs. The British Government, howexer intend sending- our a patent slip to Stanley, Poit William, which when it is completed, ?v><3 the mums are afforded of repairing ships at a moilcuite (.\pciifc, will bring numerous vessels there, which aie compelled at present to go elsewhere, or to vcntuie home in an unseawoithy condition. At present, indeed, few masters of vessels are aware even that such a settlement as Stanley exists. Stanley will some day become, I trust, an important place. It is so situated on the lee side of the islands, that there is no danger in approaching it, and the anchorage is excellent. The only thing required to make it perfectly safe for a stranger to enter by night as well ai by day, is a lighthouse— which should be erected on the point at the northern entrance, or on the rocky islets which lay off it, A good chait ot the group and a large plan of Port William are now published, and no vcpsel going round Cape Horn should be without them. They cost but 2s or 3s. Thirdly, the islands possess an advantage to settlers seldom found m a new colony — a profuse supply of fine cattle, the flesh of which they may purchase at 2d. per lb., and an abundance of fish, labbits, and wild fowl, which they may catch as they can. Fourthly, there is on their surface a large extent of pasture land both for sheep and cattle, and the Tussac grass affords a fattening food for them during the winter. Fifthly, as the land is dear of trees, there is no expense (as in New Zealand and North America) in clearing it, while there is an abundance of good peat for fuel ; and for all purposes for which wood is required it can be imported at a less cost than that at which it could be piepared if it grew on the land. And lastly, the islands are only half the distance of the Austialiau colouics from England, by which the cost of the passage is reduced, and often the most boisterous part saved. Indeed, if people are satisfied with a healthy climate, and do not care about the want of trees and beauty of scenpry, they may be vtty happy and prosperous in Ibe Falkland Islands. Little has, however, hitherto been done to piomote their colonization, beyond the appointment of Government officers and the expenses of some money in surveying and marking out town, suburban, and country allotmenti, and in making a good road and two piers along the shore of the intended town, as well as in erecting some Government buildings. All thete works have been well done, and will prove of great advantage to those who may settle there. The erection of the patent sltpt will also be of the greatest benefit to the settlement ; and indeed not a moment ought to be lost about it. In Stanley, about 15 town allotments, at half-an-acre each, and thice or four subuiban ones of 25 acres each, have been sold at the upset price of £bO. Country lands are to be sold in lots of 320 ncrcb each, at Bs. per acre. This price, if com is found to ripen well, will probably be given without much objection, though it is high j but as own lm «et a? yet been tried, it is

difficult to say whether it will succeed. If the land is found on a large scale to be fit only for grazing purposes, the price must, I think be reduced, as the greater part of the best land has been sold to Mr. Lafarce at a pi ice which, allowing for the value of the cattle, cannot be more than 2s. per acre. I have, however, great hopes that com \>'i\\ succeed v\ ell, as there is plenty of sunshine to ripen it, and the tcm. peroture in summer is sufficiently high. Should H fail, it will, I think, be owing to a want of moisture in the ipring. Barley was once tried, and it ripened, but the season was dry, and both stalk and ear were stunted for want of rain. Another year will ferve more fully to develop the capabilities of the Falkland Islands. On their pioduelivenets much depends whether they become thickly populated, and serve as a field towards which British emigration may be taught to flow; but at all events their very position makes them valuable, and they must ultimately prove an important entrepot for the commerce of the southern worli'i The writer of the present paper has proved his own conviction of their importance and of their salubrity by going there, with all his family, at the end of last yeai —at the same time, he does not recommend laboureis to emigrate thither unless men of capital go out, to afford them employment.