412 SIR RODERICK I. MURCHISON'S ADDRESS. [May 25, 1857. 



independently of the advancement of the theoretical branches of his 

 subject, and the acquirement of a sound knowledge of the sub- 

 strata, he can essentially serve the purposes of the mining pro- 

 prietor. 



Having always held (as I still hold) that the 1-inch map is the 

 publication which the country most requires, I am bound to record 

 that my conviction of the utility of the 6-inch scale, for certain geo- 

 logical and mining purposes, is the result of an examination of the 

 able surveys conducted on maps of that size under the guidance of 

 Mr. J. Beete Jukes in Ireland and of Professor Ramsay in Scotland. 

 I trust, therefore, that this larger scale will be maintained co- 

 ordinately with the smaller one.* 



Physical Geography. 



Observations on the Summit of the Peak of Teneriffe. — Having spoken 

 of the progress of practical geography at home and in our distant 

 Naval Surveys, it becomes my agreeable duty to notice the uncommon 

 British expedition proposed and executed last year by Professor 

 Piazzi Smyth, Astronomer-Royal for Scotland. During the last 

 five years this zealous obsei'ver had endeavoured to impress upon 

 Government, founded on his experience at the Cape of Good Hope, 

 the eligibility of rising above the grosser stratum of our atmosphere, 

 and had pointed to the facilities offered by the Peak of Teneriffe. 



The Admiralty having finally listened to his arguments, and 

 acceded to his moderate estimate of expense, Mr. H. Pattinson of 

 Newcastle-on-Tyne added a powerful telescope to his instruments ; 

 and our associate Mr. Robert Stephenson, generously lent him his 

 yacht for the whole voyage out from Southampton and home ; whilst 

 several leading scientific men were glad to have their favourite 

 experiments tried in so novel a position. 



The Professor established his first station on the Peak of Tene- 

 riffe, from the 14th of July to the 20th of August, amid the old 

 trachytic lavas of the volcano, on a spot called Guajara, 8843 feet 



* I say nothing here of the Survey on the 25-inch scale which is in progress in 

 the richer tracts of Scotland and the north of England, because it contains no 

 delineation of the natural features of the ground. Such surveys are not to be 

 viewed as Maps, but simply as cadastral plans, which many eminent public men 

 consider to be of the highest value for the conveyance and settlement of property, 

 &c. They are also highly useful as Fortification Plans, and for all such purposes 

 of detail they are, in my opinion, preferable to any smaller surveys. 



