The Voyage of Governor Phillip to Botany Bay | Page 8

of a great
continent cannot, in the nature of things, produce a complete
information respecting its inhabitants, productions, soil, or climate: all
which when contemplated by resident observers, in every possible
circumstance of variation, though they should be viewed with less
philosophical acuteness, must yet gradually become more fully known:
Errors, sometimes inseparable from hasty observation, will then be
corrected by infallible experience; and many objects will present
themselves to view, which before had escaped notice, or had happened
to be so situated that they could not be observed.
The full discovery of the extent of New Holland, by our illustrious
navigator, Capt. Cook, has formed a singular epocha in geography; a
doubt having arisen from it, whether to a land of such magnitude the
name of island or that of continent may more properly be applied. To
this question it may be answered, that though the etymology of the
word island,* and of others synonymous to it, points out only a land
surrounded by the sea, or by any water, (in which sense the term is
applicable even to the largest portions of the habitable globe) yet it is
certain that, in the usual acceptation, an island is conceived to signify a
land of only moderate extent, surrounded by the sea.** To define at
what point of magnitude precisely, a country so situated shall begin to
be a continent, could not answer any purpose of utility; but the best and
clearest rule for removing the doubt appears to be the following: As
long as the peculiar advantages of an insular situation can be enjoyed
by the inhabitants of such a country, let it have the title of an island;
when it exceeds those limits let it be considered as a continent. Now the
first and principal advantage of an island, is that of being capable of a
convenient union under one government, and of deriving thence a

security from all external attacks, except by sea. In lands of very great
magnitude such an union is difficult, if not impracticable, and a
distinction founded on this circumstance, is therefore sufficient for
convenience at least, if*** not for speculative accuracy. If we suppose
this extent to be something about one thousand miles each way, without,
however, affecting much rigour in the limitation, the claim of New
Holland to be called a continent, will be indisputable: The greatest
extent of that vast country being, from East to West, about two
thousand four hundred English miles, and, from North to South, not
less than two thousand three hundred.****
[* Insula, from which island is derived, is formed from in sulo, in the
sea; and, the corresponding word in Greek, is usually deduced from to
swim, as appearing, and probably having been originally supposed to
swim in the sea.]
[** Thus when Dionysius Periegetes considers the whole ancient world
as surrounded by the sea, he calls it, an immense island; on which
Eustathius remarks, that the addition of the epithet immense was
necessary, otherwise the expression would have been low and
inadequate.]
[*** We do not here consider whether a country be actually united
under one government, but whether from its size it might be so
conveniently. If we might derive from, or to inhabit, the etymological
distinction would be complete on these principles. An island being one
distinct habitation of men; and a continent land continued from one
state to another. The former derivation might be rendered specious by
remarking how singularly Homer and others use with, as if they had a
natural connection. See II. B. 626. and, Sophoc. Ajax. 601.]
[**** In or near the latitude of 30° South, New Holland extends full 40
degrees of longitude, which, under that parallel, may be estimated at 60
English miles to a degree. The extent from York Cape to South Cape is
full 33 degrees of latitude, which are calculated of course at 69½
English miles each.]
To New South Wales England has the claim which a tacit consent has
generally made decisive among the European States, that of prior
discovery. The whole of that Eastern coast, except the very Southern
point, having been untouched by any navigator, till it was explored by
Captain Cook. This consideration, added to the more favourable

accounts given of this side of the continent than of the other, was
sufficient to decide the choice of the British government, in appointing
a place for the banishment of a certain class of criminals.
The cause of the determination to send out in this manner the convicts
under sentence of transportation, was, as is well known, the necessary
cessation of their removal to America; and the inconveniences
experienced in the other modes of destination adopted after that period.
Virginia, greatly in want, at its first settlement, of labourers to clear
away the