Dec. 12, 1859.] ON BRITISH COLUMBIA. 33 



Mr. J. Gerstenberg, f.r.g.s., said that it was of the greatest interest to the 

 Society to find that important geographical researches are undertaken, not ex- 

 clusively for the purpose of ascertaining the configuration of the earth, but 

 also with a view to the practical application of the knowledge acquired for 

 accelerating intercommunication, for the extension of commerce, and for the 

 general benefit of mankind. It is, therefore, most gratifying to us to have just 

 heard, that during the trigonometrical survey of India, over the stupendous ex- 

 tent of upwards of one million of square miles, not only the relative altitudes were 

 fixed, but also the most favourable localities were ascertained for the introduc- 

 tion of railways and canals. The surveyors should also carefully examine the 

 climatic condition of the various localities for the purpose of transplanting such 

 products as might be successfully cultivated there, and for the supply of 

 which we are now chiefly dependent upon foreign countries. This has been 

 satisfactorily accomplished with respect to tea, by its introduction into Assam, 

 and with regard to cotton by transplanting various species into several districts of 

 India. But there is another article, yet more necessary than food and clothing, 

 for it constitutes the sole remedy against the deadly attacks of fever in tropical 

 countries, to which enemy so many of our valiant soldiers succumb — I mean 

 quinine. The British Government pay for this medicament about 60,000Z. 

 annually, and we are entirely dependent for its supply upon South America, 

 in which country alone it is at present produced. He was most happy to 

 state, that the Indian Government, urged by a British commercial corporation, 

 of which he had the honour to be a member, have at last consented to carry 

 out the important project of transplanting the quinine yielding cinchona tree 

 to suitable localities of the Indian empire, and that Mr. Markham, a Fellow of 

 this Society, was one of the gentlemen to whom the execution of this interest- 

 ing enterprise has been intrusted. 



The second Paper read was — 



2. British Columbia. Journeys in the Districts bordering on the Fraser^ 

 Thompson, and Harrison Rivers. By Lieuts. Mayne, r.n., and 

 Palmer, r.e., and Chief- Justice M. Begbie. 



Communicated by the Duke of Newcastle, Colonial Office. 



The above communications are written at considerable length, 

 and are so largely occupied with the description of numerous but 

 essential details, that it is impossible to do justice to them in so 

 short an abstract as the following, especially without the assistance 

 of a map. 



Lieutenant Palmer was ordered by Colonel Moody to make an 

 engineering reconnaissance of the neighbourhood of Fraser Eiver. 

 He reports minutely on the steps that should be taken at each point 

 of his route in order to make a good communication for cart or boat 

 traffic. He has fixed the geographical positions of numerous places, 

 and he gives a detailed account of all the patches of land available 

 for cultivation which fell under his notice. His report is accom- 

 panied by six explanatory plans and three photographic views. 



Lieutenant Mayne was detached from H.M.S. Fliimjyer by order 

 of Captain Kichards on a somewhat similar errand to that above 



VOL. IV. D . 



