ON THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE. VII 



Government to the Emperor of Japan, it was thought by the Admiralty 

 might be a means of affording facilities for a botanist to penetrate into 

 that little-known country, and they generously offered a passage to a 

 botanical collector, should the Royal Gardens deem it expedient to 

 send one. Mr. Charles Wilford, of the Botanical Gardens at Kew 

 was therefore appointed, and has entered upon the duties of his office. 

 Mr. W., when his time for remaining in Japan shall have expired, will 

 be attached to H.M.S. Actceon, for the survey of the coasts of Northern 

 China, and especially Eastern Tartary (or Mantchouria), a terra incog- 

 nita we believe to the European botanist, and likely to yield a very 

 rich harvest. 



6. The sixth and last botanical mission we have to notice, is that 

 which is exploring the south-western territories of the British posses- 

 sions in North America. The expedition is accompanied by a scien- 

 tific staff, and the object is to make researches in the little known 

 parts of British North America, especially among the Rocky Mountains 

 and towards the United States boundary line, in about latitude 48 P . 



Much of this country is only known to the Canadian voyageurs and 

 Indian hunters; but by far the most interesting region will be a new 

 route across the Rocky Mountains, between the United States boundary 

 and the present only practicable route of the voyageurs, in about 55 

 N. lat. Here the country will be wholly new, and it is hoped the 

 expedition will receive instructions to prosecute their researches as far 

 as the West coast at the Gulf of Georgia, or Straits of De Fuca of 

 the Pacific Ocean. 



During the past year a new expedition, fitted out by lady Franklin, 

 and under the charge of an experienced Arctic voyageur, Capt. M'- 

 Clintock, has sailed in search of the lost navigators. 

 ' A glance at any recent map of the Arctic regions shows that nearly 

 the whole area east and west of the outlet of the Fish River has been 

 swept by Government searching expeditions. Apart, then, from the 

 fact that Esquimaux reports point to a very limited locality where the 

 great Arctic mystery lies concealed, we are warranted in hoping that 

 a search within an area embracing not more than 370 miles of coast, 

 may be rewarded by the discovery of the Erebus and Terror. Capt. 

 M'Clintock proposes to make his way down Prince Regent's Inlet, and 

 thence through Bellot's Strait to the field of search ; or, should the ice 

 permit, to proceed direct to it by going down Peel Sound, which he 

 has good reasons for believing to be a strait. If prevented by the ice 

 from passing through Bellot's Strait, or going down Peel Sound, he 

 will abandon the idea of taking his ship through these channels, and, 

 leaving her in safety in Prince Regent's Inlet, will proceed to search 

 for the Erebus and Terror, by sledging parties. Capt. M'Clintock's 

 primary object will, of course, be the rescue of a single survivor of the 



