This most interesting group of isles, the capital of which is
Thorshaven, lies some 200 miles north of Scotland, and is under the
authority of the Danish Crown. I will not occupy the time of the
Society in discussing the political, physical, or other characteristics
of these islands, but proceed at once to quote some interesting
extracts from Captain Young’s report. He says:--
“We were naturally anxious to reach the spot at which our work was
to commence, and to ascertain the first foreign station at which the
telegraph cable was to be landed. We were glad to make the Færöe
Islands, distant 50 miles, on the evening of the 2nd August, the
remarkable clearness of the atmosphere and the height of the land
making our distance from it apparently far less than we were by our
observations. When 46 miles E.S.E. from Naalsöe we obtained soundings
in 102 fathoms, sand and shells. We here passed through many patches
of discoloured water of a reddish hue, caused probably by minute
animalcules on the surface, specimens of which, brought up by the
towing net, being preserved. Specimens of water, both on the surface
and at various depths, were frequently obtained during our voyage and
preserved, the temperature and specific gravity being registered in the
meteorological journal.
“On the morning of the 3rd the land was obscured by clouds and mist,
which, as the sun rose, gradually dispersed, and enabled us to obtain
views of the land, and also to fix our positions by Born’s chart to
commence a line of soundings into the north point of Naalsöe; the
depths were 36 to 26 fathoms, with a bottom of sand and shell.”