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To the Right Honble Sir Joseph Banks Bart. K.B. &.&.& -
H.M.S. Reliance - Spithead
Sept. 6. 1800
Having returned from a station on the east coast of New South Wales, where some material discoveries have been made in small vessels during the intervals of service in which the Reliance lay at Port Jackson, I presume to adress Sir Joseph Banks upon the subject; and hope, that the interest which Sir Joseph is known to take in the promotion of geographical knowledge and of the sciences in general, will plead my excuse for troubling him with a short account of the charts of those discoveries, as also of some few observations that may arise from it. I am further encouraged by understanding, that His Excellency governor Hunter has written home upon this subject, and transmitted copies of the chart which I had the honour of presenting to him. This latter circumstance makes it unnecessary to speak of the discovery, form, or extent of Van Diemens Land, or of Bass' Strait by which it is seperated [separated] from New Holland; but it may be proper to remark, that a recalculation of some observations for the longitude, has induced me to make an alteration in the distance between the Karne Head and Cape Howe, which affects those parts lying to the northward of the cape; and also, that in an otherwise similar chart, all the discoveries upon the coast, from Twofold Bay to Port Jackson, are interwoven into the coastline as laid down by the great captain Cook, and placed in a side slip upon the same chart. This chart, therefore, now includes the navigation from the south cape to Port Jackson.
As an appendage to this general chart, are particular sketches or surveys of Port Dalrymple, the southernmost of Furneauxs Islands and the anchorages amongst them, and also of Twofold Bay, upon sufficient scales to notice everything material. These three large scales are comprised in one convenient chart.
In addition to the above, I was by governor Hunters order to that purpose, sent in the same sloop Norfolk to explore those large openings called by captain Cook Glass-house Bay and Herveys Bay; of the result of this expedition, I believe the governor has also spoken, and the circumstance is mentioned as an
[Written at side] Sept 10