182 LIVINGSTON— BAIKIE— KANE. [Nov. 10, 1856. 



after the successful and unprecedented journey across the continent 

 of Africa, from west to east. The President paid a high compliment 

 to this enterprising traveller, and as he was shortly expected in 

 England, he had postponed the reading of his papers until the Society 

 should have the advantage of his presence. 



The President next adverted to the offer which had been made 

 by Dr. Baikie, f.r.g.s., to ascend the Niger, and as there was reason 

 to expect this enterprise would shortly be undertaken, he would 

 ask Sir Koderick Murchison to say how it stood at present. 



Sir Roderick Murchison said that it would be very gratifying to 

 the Geographical Society to learn that Lord Clarendon had, from 

 the first, expressed his desire to promote the expedition in every 

 way ; and he hoped it might soon be authoritatively announced to the 

 Society, that the expedition would have the support of her Majesty's 

 Government, and be conducted by the same officer who had led 

 the former expedition up the Chadda. 



The President then addressed the Society upon the subject of a 

 letter, which the Secretary had received from that distinguished 

 Arctic traveller, Dr. E. K. Kane, who had expressed deep regret 

 at being prevented by illness from being present at the Meeting. 

 The President had deferred answering this letter in the ordinary 

 routine, as it afforded ah opportunity which he was sure the Meet- 

 ing would wish to avail themselves of — that of communicating to Dr. 

 Kane, their sentiments on the occasion. 



Sir Roderick Murchison said, that with the permission of the Presi- 

 dent he would make a motion to that effect. It had always been their 

 custom to welcome travellers of distinction to this country, but he 

 was sure that on no occasion whatever, had any traveller from another 

 land come to England, who had done so much to advance an object 

 that was dear to Britain ; who had gone so far to rescue the lives 

 of persons in a great expedition, in which they, as geographers, 

 had a great interest. There was no person who had ever come 

 to this country, who ought to be received with a warmer welcome 

 than Dr. Kane. His energies had been directed towards the 

 attainment of an object in a manner which had called forth 

 the approbation of every man of science, who had attended to the 

 progress of his search, and read the remarkable book he had 

 recently published. Dr. Kane had gone farther to the north than 

 any Arctic explorer except Parry ; and when he said that this 

 remarkable man came with the intention of assisting Lady Frank- 

 lin, in the endeavour to carry out by his own enterprise, the 

 object that was at the heart of that noble-minded woman, and 

 that he was prevented from doing so, by illness alone — when he 



