ON THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE. 21 



of the Parana, or La PJata, known as the Salado, a distance of 360 

 miles. The Salado empties into the Parana at Santa Fe, the prin- 

 cipal town of the province of that name which is one of the Ar- 

 gentine Confederation. The Salado has never heretofore been either 

 ascended or descended to this point, and the practicability of its navi- 

 gation was a problem unsolved until this exploration. It is the most 

 important river in the Argentine Confederation, and is the natural 

 outlet for the products of Salta, Tucuman, Santiago, Mendozn, Cor- 

 dova, and Santa Fe ; but the apprehension of encountering insur- 

 mountable obstacles, and the fear of the Indians, have deprived the 

 inhabitants of those provinces of its benefits ever since the first settle- 

 ment of the country. The region of country through which the ex- 

 pedition passed is represented to be beautiful in scenery and well 

 wooded. The character of the soil is alluvial, based on argillaceous 

 substratum, and it is said that all that is wanted to transform this 

 wilderness of country into a garden is the hand of civilized man. The 

 government, aware that the resources of this productive country can 

 be developed only by the introduction of a foreign population, holds 

 out to immigrants the most liberal inducements. 



The geological survey of ISTew Jersey has been continued during 

 the past year with great vigor. The enhanced value of land in certain 

 districts arising from the discovery of new localities of peat, calcareous 

 marls and green-sand, will, it is said, more than equal the cost of the 

 survey. 



Further evidence respecting the fate of Sir John Franklin, confirm- 

 atory of the statements made by Dr. Rae last year, has recently been 

 obtained through the agency of an expedition sent out by the Hud- 

 son Bay Company. This party left Carlton House, 54 north latitude, 

 February 7th, 1855, and descending the Great Fish River, reached its 

 estuary into the Arctic Sea on the 30th of July. Here they met with 

 Esquimaux, who corroborated the reports of Dr. Eae, and directed 

 them to Montreal Island, a short distance from the mouth of the 

 river, as the spot where, according to their instructions, they were to 

 commence minute exploration. From this time until the 9th of 

 August, the party were industriously engaged in searches on the 

 island, and on the mainland, between 67 and 69 north latitude. At 

 last, on Montreal Island, where their explorations commenced, they 

 found snow-shoes known to be of English make, with the name of 

 Dr. Stanley, who was surgeon of Sir John Franklin's ship, the " Erebus," 

 cut in them by a knife. Afterward, they found on the same island a 

 boat belonging to the Franklin expedition, with the name "Terror" 

 still di.-tinctly visible. Among the Esquimaux were found iron kettles 

 corresponding in shape and size with those furnished the Franklin 

 expedition, and bearing the mark of the British government. Other 



