May 26, 1856.] NORTH AMERICA. 165 



tion of the inhabitants, productions, and commercial resources of a 

 country of which we had before but a very imperfect knowledge. 



Chinese Empire. — Having already alluded to Mr. Meadows' work 

 on China, I have only to mention the publication of a new map of 

 Corea by Andrew Kim, edited by M. Jomard ; and to allude to the 

 want of a better knowledge of the northern seaboard of China and 

 of North-eastern Asia generally, including particularly its navigable 

 rivers, which recent events have proved to be so little known. 



America. 



North America. — During the present session, the United States 

 Government has presented to the Society, the reports, plans, and 

 sections of the several important expeditions despatched by order 

 of Congress to discover the best route for a railway from the 

 Mississippi to the Pacific, between the 32nd and 49th parallels. 

 These expeditions, organized by the Secretary of War under 

 various leaders, have contributed very largely to American geo- 

 graphy, observations having been made from the Mississippi to 

 the Pacific, between the 49tli and 47th parallels — the 41st and 

 43rd — also near the 38th, the 35th, and the 32nd — touching 

 upon the ocean at Puget Sound, San Francisco, S. Pedro, and S. 

 Diego. The report of the Secretary of War, on the results of these 

 labours, concludes, " that the route of the 32nd parallel is, of those 

 surveyed, the most practicable and economical route for a railroad 

 from the Mississippi Eiver to the Pacific Ocean." Other important 

 additions to a knowledge of the North American continent have been 

 communicated in the Ninth Eeport of the Smithsonian Institution. 

 Lieut. Beale, superintendent of Indian Affairs in California, accom- 

 panied by Mr. G. H. Heap, travelled from W^estport, Missouri, to 

 Los Angelos, on the Pacific, in 100 days, following the route, near 

 the 38th parallel, to the Little Salt Lake, then tuining south- 

 westerly, across the Mohave desert, to the Pacific. 



Our gallant medallist. Colonel Fremont, also made a special 

 journey, along the same route, to test the depth of winter snow in the 

 mountainous region. He reached the Huerfano on December 3rd, 

 passed the Coochetope Pass on December 14th, where he found only 

 four inches of snow, and reached the Little Salt Lake settlements on 

 February 9 th. 



Under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institution, an examination 

 of Northern Wisconsin has been made by Mr. Baird, in regions 



