(Australia) publishes a list of all the arrivals at that port from Europe and America from December 31st, 1853, to July 7th, 1854, by which it appears that the average passage of all vessels without the charts was one hundred and twenty four days, while the average of those (from the same ports) using the charts was ninety seven days.
"The migratory habits of whales, pursuing from season to season their food through the ocean, have long been known; and the logs of Mr. Maury's corps of observers have enabled him to show, at a glance, upon his Whaling Charts those parts of the ocean where, at any season of the year, whales (sperm or right) may be found. The observations of one whaleman must, necessarily, be limited by a few voyages and localities; but this arrangement of Mr. Maury's enables him to benefit by the experience of others.
"The most gratifying evidence as to the value and importance of these charts to the practical navigator continues daily to be received from all parts of the world. They lessen the dangers of navigation, and, by showing at a glance the prevailing winds and currents for each part of the ocean and for every month of the year, they enable the navigator to come and go with dispatch; and thus, by shortening passages from port to port, they have brought remote parts of the world, particularly the markets of the northern hemisphere, India, China, and the Pacific shores of America, nearer together by many days' sail.
"The Government of the United States having invited the cooperation of the maritime nations in this great work, a plan of mutual assistance has been adopted, embracing not less than nine-tenths of the shipping of the world; and we may reasonably anticipate the speedy solution of some of the most mysterious problems in the economy of nature from thus reticulating the entire surface of the great deep by systematic and multitudinous observations.
