The CulpritLast calendar week you lot mightiness guide maintain heard close the non-discovery of an isle called Sandy that appears on Google Maps. There has been a lot of fun had at the expense of Google Maps for showing an isle inwards the Coral Sea that doesn't genuinely be but today I tin unwrap the truthful villain of this mapping error:
Captain J due west Robinson, captain of the brig Velocity inwards 1876
The Back Story
Last calendar week scientists from the University of Sydney revealed that they had sailed to where Google Maps shows a Pacific isle called Sandy as well as had industrial plant life no isle as well as simply a whole lot of sea.
Today the Auckland Museum revealed that a trawl through their huge collection of historical maps turned upward a 1908 map which shows the island. According to the map the isle was discovered past times the Velocity inwards 1876.
The Velocity
Searching on the National Library of Australia website I discovered that the Velocity was a whaling brig. Amazingly the library genuinely has photos of the ship. This 1 was taken at dry out dock inwards 1870, 6 years earlier she 'discovered' Sandy.
Even to a greater extent than amazingly the library has a photograph of William John Maguire (see the function past times of this post), described every bit a 'sailor on the brig Velocity'. The photograph is dated to 1870, as well as therefore it is quite possible that Mr Maguire was genuinely on board Velocity inwards 1876 when it 'discovered' Sandy. However Mr Maguire is non the villain of our mapping error, that observe must larn to the captain of the Velocity, who inwards 1876 was 1 J due west Robinson.
Here is a paper written report from The (Hobart) Mercury, dated 11th March 1876, which names the Velocity's captain:
"THE whaling brig Velocity returned from an unsuccessful voyage yesterday. She brings 3 tuns of sperm oil. Captain Robinson reports that he sailed from this port on the twelfth March 1875, as well as proceeded to Cato's Bank. After cruising in that place for about fourth dimension without success he proceeded to the Middle Ground. Had seen solely 3 whales during the voyage, 1 of which, a pocket-size one, yielded the quantity which constitutes the Velocity's take".
Sandy Island was non the solely isle 'discovered' past times Captain Robinson. Captain Robinson likewise 'discovered' Heard Island. This isle likewise features on Google Maps as well as genuinely seems to be as well as is clearly visible inwards Google Maps satellite view.
The (Hobart) Mercury reported inwards 1929 that Captain Robinson, "in exploring, discovered that in that place was an isle previously uncharted here, as well as named it Heard Island." Unfortunately notwithstanding this seems to survive about other unfortunate 'discovery' for J due west Robinson. According to Wikipedia Heard Island was genuinely discovered past times an American sealer, Captain John Heard, who sighted the isle on 25 Nov 1853 as well as had the isle named afterwards him.
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