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PROCEEDINGS 



OP 



THE ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY 

 OF LONDON. 



SESSION 1856. 



Sixth Meeting^ February 11, 1856. 



Rear- Admiral F. W. BEECHEY, President, in the Chair. 



Sir William E. Logan, f.r.s.. Chief Geologist and Commissioner 

 ofCa7iada; John Henry Mandeville, Esq., late H.M, Minister 

 Plenipotentiary at Buenos Ayres ; Capt. Sherard Osborn, r.n., c.b. ; 

 The Rev. A, B. Ashwell, m.a. ; George TJiomas Brooking ; Mar- 

 maduhe H. Brooking ; Thomas Holdsworth Newman ; John Henry 

 Plowes ; and Nicholas E. Simmons, Esqrs., were elected Fellows. 



The Papers read were — 



1. Remarks on the Open Sea in the North Polar Basin. By 

 Robert White, Esq. 



Communicated by John Barrow, Esq., f.r.s,, f.r.g.s. 



The object of this Paper was to show from physical causes the proba- 

 bility of an open Polar sea. It was argued that, as the length of the 

 day at the Pole is six months, during the whole of which time the sun 

 shines in one direction, rising perpendicularly for three months and then 

 descending for an equal time, the heat must be great which arises from 

 such constant action. From the time of its first appearance above the 

 horizon, the sun gives heat, and it continues to gain power of melting 

 the ice, without loss or diminution. On the other hand, at a distance 

 from the Pole, the sun sets every night, and the loss of heat, during the 

 time of the sun's absence, has to be replaced on its rising again, before 

 any permanent addition of warmth can be afforded. 



Barentz's account of open water was quoted from the work of Ad- 

 miral Beechey. Baron Wrangell's report of a " wide immeasurable 



