May 28, I860.] BRITISH NORTH AMERICA— PALLISER'S EXPEDITION. 169 



Mr. Alderman T. Hdpkins, in a paper read before ns, proposes to 

 reach the Pole, by proceeding to the north, between Spitzbergen 

 and Nova Zembla. He presumes that as Parry met with a southerly 

 current in the meridian of Spitzbergen, a contrary one will be 

 found farther to the east, and, from the prevalence of south-west- 

 erly winds, it is his opinion that high land will be found near the 

 Pole. 



The scientific expedition proposed by the Swedish Government 

 to explore Spitzbergen and the North has, as our associate. Count 

 Platen, informs us, been postponed until next year, in order to be 

 more fully organised. 



Proposed North Atlantic Telegraph. — Though not an Arctic subject — 

 as the line which Colonel Shaffner of the United States proposes to 

 lay the Atlantic telegraph does not come within the polar circle — yet 

 as it is one in which the opinion of officers experienced in ice move- 

 ments will have great weight, I am induced to place it in this 

 portion of my Address. The difficulty experienced in rapidly trans- 

 mitting messages throughout a great extent of wire induced Colonel 

 Shaffner to turn his attention to a route by which, in every proba- 

 bility, there will be required no continuous length beyond 600 

 miles. After a careful investigation at his own expense last year, 

 he believes that he has found suitable places for the termini of the 

 wires in Labrador and Greenland, whence he proposes to lay the 

 cable to Scotland by way of Iceland and the Faroe Islands. Some 

 deep-sea soundings along this route have been obtained which 

 denote a maximum depth of 2000 fathoms, and many of the Arctic 

 navigators are of opinion that the fear of rupture by icebergs may 

 be entirely obviated by a judicious selection of fiords up which the 

 cable may be carried.* 



British North America. — Falliser*s Expedition. — Accounts have been 

 received from our Medallist, Captain J. Palliser, of the safe 

 arrival of himself and party at Colvile on the Columbia Eiver, 

 where, in compliance with his instructions, his explorations 

 cease, f After spending the winter at Fort Edmonton, during 

 which season several arduous journeys were performed on the 

 snow by himself and the Geologist, Dr. Hector, which contri- 

 buted largely to the geographical results of the expedition, Cap- 

 tain Palliser, having organised his party, proceeded towards 



* See page 152. 



t Captain Palliser and his scientific companions have since returned to 

 England. 



