THE SUPPOSED CASTA WAYS ON THE CROZETS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1645, 11 October 1887, Page 3

THE SUPPOSED CASTA WAYS ON THE CROZETS.

The Australian Shipping News regards the story of castaways on the Crozets as a probable hoax. It points out in connection with the story of the albatross that there are two points on which doubt and suspicion are at once aroused: first, there is no name of a vessel given—(and what message from the sea but what, as the first and as the most important part, gives the name of the vessel to which the survivors belonged ?) next, there is the exceeding improbability of the message being conveyed within the time. The Crozet Islands are situated in lat. 46.27 S., long. 62.14 E., and are situated in a direct line 3123 miles from the spot where the albatross ended his mission and his life. From August 4th to September 18 th is 45 days, so that it would require a continuous journey, without intermission and without deviation, of 69i miles per day to accomplish it. It is of course well known that the albatross could if it wished, travel at an infinitely greater speed than this; but without reason or instinct to urge it to continue its flight in the same direction, it could never have been done. It would be going too far perhaps to say positively there were no shipwrecked men on the Crozets at the time who adopted this means of acquainting the rest of the world with their hapless plight, but the presumption is all the other way. In reference to the supposed shipwreck on the Crozet Islands, Sir Henry Parkes stated, in reply to Mr Dibbs, in the New South Wale Parliament recently, that he had requested Lord Carington to communicate with the Home Government. He suggested that a message should be sent to the Admiralty advising that pome ship leaving England may be directed to call at the islands, which would be more convenient than sending a ship from here.