America were very erroneous; and it was highly necessary to the trade
and navigation of his majesty's subjects, that new ones should be
formed, which would be more correct and useful. Accordingly, under the
orders of Commodore Palliser, Mr. Cook was appointed on the 18th of
April, 1764, marine surveyor of Newfoundland and Labradore; and he had
a vessel, the Grenville schooner, to attend him for that purpose. How
well he executed his commission is known to every man acquainted with
navigation. The charts which he afterward published of the different
surveys he had made, reflected great credit on his abilities and
character, and the utility of them is universally acknowledged. It is
understood, that, so far as Newfoundland is concerned they were of
considerable service to the king's ministers, in settling the terms of
the last peace. Mr. Cook explored the inland parts of this island in a
much completer manner than had ever been done before. By penetrating
further into the middle of the country than any man had hitherto
attempted, he discovered several large lakes, which are indicated upon
the general chart. In these services Mr. Cook appears to have been
employed, with the intervals of occasionally returning to England for
the winter season, till the year 1767, which was the last time that he
went out upon his station of marine surveyor of Newfoundland. It must
not be omitted, that, while he occupied this post, he had an
opportunity of exhibiting to the Royal Society a proof of his progress
in the study of astronomy. A short paper was written by him, and
inserted in the fifty-seventh volume of the Philosophical
Transactions, entitled, 'An Observation of an Eclipse of the Sun at
the Island of Newfoundland, August 5, 1766, with the Longitude of the
place of Observation deduced from it.' The observation was made at one
of the Burgeo islands, near Cape Ray, in latitude 47 36' 19", on the
south-west extremity of Newfoundland. Mr. Cook's paper having been
communicated by Dr. Bevis to Mr. Witchell, the latter gentleman