The Portland daily press., 1867-06-29

The ssWi. Esisss,esed 1sinah is the
ssaesHg.

II will be remembered that an Island has re.
Gently been discovered nearly on the line of the
steamship route between California and Japan
and China. Nothing could be more opportune;
for the great obstacle TO the success Of the en-
terprise, which is CT infinite Importance in es-
tablisbing commercial relations with Asia, is
the difficulty which attends carrying SO large
q quantity ofcoal as is necessary for the steam
ers to consume. But this island, situated about
midway between the termipi OF the route, will
afford e. ooaling station ct the exact point
where il is most desilsble that there should be
one. The Alta Californian ofthe 9th ult con-
tains the following account Of the discovery of
this gew island in the North Pacific, already
bris fly reported by telegraph:
The story goes that the captain of the barque
Washington, being on voyage from the
Sandwich islands, bound to the Northern
coast, when in about forty degrees north lati-
tude, found, while running in a fog, that the
water had changed color, but there not being
strike him at first that he was on soundings.-
After a time he ordered out the lead and
found deep water, but as he sailed along and
sounded, he found the water shoaling until he
got in to ten tathoms, when he commenced to
look for land, and, after awhile, discovered
through the fog An island, along which he
coasted Tor some forty miles. The land as
dotted with birds, and the water alive with
seals and sea-elephants
The island was not lad down on his chayt and
on inquiry, after his arrival here, he could not
find that any one else knew OF land there.
shouts. The latitude of the reported discover
ed land is forty degrees and thirty minutes
north and the longitude one hundred and hfty-
one degrees west, or about 1900 miles in a due
westerly line from Cape Mendocino The
Captain did not land and take possession OF
the island, but report states that the fedora
authorities have telegraphed the facts to
Washington, and asked for instruction AZ to
sending national vessel in search Of the re-
ported dispOyery. .5l5 ausi-,.-
Tho same paper of the 26th ult. gives addi.
tional particulars, as follows: a-ll st....-
From gentleman who has been trading OF
the Pacific Ocean since 1870 we learn that
years ago this land was known to him to exist
He had seen land birds in about the latitude
and longitude named for the Island; and AZ
old sea dog, who sailed on the Pacific ut the
same time, reported that he had sailed wholt
day along the coast of an island, and that ht
had seen it a second time, but after that hi
gave it a wide berth, as he was not inclined Il
find a new land by piling Lis craft upon the
rocks. H -1l4aI- -i-f-I-tt-'t i-.--s-- -'-.. ~
Its existence has been vouched for by sew
eral parties, and lying as 1t does in the tract
of the China steamers on the hOmeward vOy
age, it will, if found, be valuable coaling sta
ton for those vessels. The fisheries in it
bounds will probably be found valuable, to SAY
nothing Of It's worth to our people in view o
its being a convenient calling place on voy
ages from Distant ports on the Pacific to oul
| Russian territory. --4-u r.rIr5rl.s. .,