Observations upon the Marine Barometer, made during the Examination of the Coasts of New Holland and New South Wales, in the years 1801, 1802, and 1803.

"FLINDERS, MATTHEW. - THE NAMING OF AUSTRALIA.

About this Item

London, The Author, 1807. 8vo. Contemp. calf, rebacked with brown buckram. Title- and tomelabels with gilt lettering. Corners bumped. In: "A Journal of Natural Philosophy, Chemistry, and the Arts. By William Nicholson." Vol. XVI. - VIII,392,(8) pp. a. 8 engraved plates. (Entire volume offered). Flinders letter: pp. 107-118 a. pp. 173-182. Internally clean. Second printing of this important paper relating Flinder's observations on the ship "Investigator" when exploring the coast of Australia. IN THE PAPER THE NAME "AUSTRALIA" APPEARS PROBABLY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A SCIENTIFIC MEMOIR (here p. 118). The letter was first printed in Philosophical Transactions, late in 1806 (read to the Royal Society March 27). Nicholson reprinted it here in the February issue of the offered volume 16. (1807).The name Australia was popularised by Matthew Flinders, who pushed for the name to be formally adopted as early as 1804. When preparing his manuscript and charts for his 1814 A Voyage to Terra Australis, he was persuaded by his patron, Sir Joseph Banks, to use the term Terra Australis as this was the name most familiar to the public. Flinders did so, but allowed himself the footnote:"Had I permitted myself any innovation on the original term, it would have been to convert it to Australia" as being more agreeable to the ear, and an assimilation to the names of the other great portions of the earth." In the paper offered he used the name "Australia" as early as 1806."Captain Matthew Flinders RN (16 March 1774 - 19 July 1814) was one of the most successful navigators and cartographers of his age. In a career that spanned just over twenty years, he sailed with Captain William Bligh, circumnavigated Australia and encouraged the use of that name for the continent, which had previously been known as New Holland. He survived shipwreck and disaster only to be imprisoned for violating the terms of his scientific passport by changing ships and carrying prohibited papers. He identified and corrected the effect upon compass readings of iron components and equipment on board wooden ships and he wrote what may be the first work on early Australian exploration A Voyage to Terra Australis."(Wikepedia).

Seller Inventory # 47325

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Observations upon the Marine Barometer, made during the Examination of the Coasts of New Holland and New South Wales, in the years 1801, 1802, and 1803.
• Binding: Soft cover
• Seller catalogs:
  • Travel & Voyages