of
good materials for its construction.

It became my official duty in London, a few years ago, to apply to the
British Government for an authentic statement of their claim to
jurisdiction over New Zealand. The official _Gazette_ for the 2d of
October, 1840, was sent me from the Foreign Office, as affording the
desired information. This number of the _Gazette_ contained the
proclamations issued by the Lieutenant Governor of New Zealand, "in
pursuance of the instructions he received from the Marquis of Normanby,
one of Her Majesty's principal Secretaries of State," asserting the
jurisdiction of his government over the islands of New Zealand, and
declaring them to extend "from 34 degrees 30 minutes North to 47 degrees
10 minutes South latitude." It is scarcely necessary to say that south
latitude was intended in both instances. This error of 69 degrees of
latitude, which would have extended the claim of British jurisdiction
over the whole breadth of the Pacific, had, apparently, escaped the
notice of that government.

COMMERCE AND NAVIGATION.

It would be easy to multiply illustrations in proof of the great
practical importance of accurate scientific designations, drawn from
astronomical observations, in various relations connected with
boundaries, surveys, and other geographical purposes; but I must hasten
to

3. A third important department, in which the services rendered by
astronomy are equally conspicuous. I refer to commerce and navigation.
It is mainly owing to the results of astronomical observation, that
modern commerce has attained such a vast expansion, compared with that
of the ancient world. I have already reminded you that accurate ideas in
this respect contributed materially to the conception in the mind of
Columbus of his immortal enterprise, and to the practical success with
which it was conducted. It was mainly his skill in the use of
astronomical instruments--imperfect as they were--which enabled him, in
spite of the bewildering variation of the compass, to find his way
across the ocean.

With the progress of the true system of the universe toward general
adoption, the problem of finding the longitude at sea presented itself.
This was the avowed object of the foundation of the observatory at
Greenwich;[A] and no one subject has received more of the attention of
astronomers, than those investigations of the lunar theory on which the
requisite tables of the navigator are f