174 HERSCHEL'S NEW PROJECTION OF THE SPHERE. [April It, 1859. 



attendants, describes how the messenger was sent to Yarkand, and 

 how, contrary to his own advice, M. Schlagintweit determined on 

 going there. He says that on their approach to Yarkand they were 

 treated with courtesy, receiving and giving presents. Thence they 

 went to Kashgar, which was occupied by a Khojah of Kokan, who 

 had installed himself in the city with his Mussulman troops ; but 

 the army of Khutta was in the field, besieging him, and every day 

 there was a fight. The Khojah's people " asked who we were ? 

 M. Schlagintweit replied, that he was the Hon. East India Com- 

 pany's envoy, and was going to the Khan of Kokan ; upon this 

 they got into a rage, and ordered M. Schlagintweit to be beheaded, 

 and I, with my followers, to be thrown into prison, and plundered 

 of all our property." After thirty-five days the army of Khutta 

 overpowered the Khojah and forced him to fly, and the informant 

 was released. 



The Second Paper read was ; — 



2. On a New Projection of the Sphere. 

 By Sir J. F. W. Herschel, Bart., d.c.l., f.r.s., &c. 



My dear Sir Roderick, — As President of the Eoyal Geographical 

 Society, the Paper which I herewith send, may interest you. It 

 contains an account of a projection of the sphere, so far as I am 

 aware new, which offers several peculiar advantages for geo- 

 graphical purposes when the whole, or at least the whole accessible 

 part of the globe has to be mapped down on one sheet. For, 1st, 

 it gets rid of the extravagant distension in high latitudes, at least 

 on one side of the equator, which the Mercator projection neces- 

 sitates. 2nd. Like that and the stereographic projection, it exhibits 

 all small portions of the sphere in their true forms without distor- 

 tion of figure. 3rd. It exhibits large portions (as whole continents) 

 with very much less variation of scale where great amplitudes are 

 concerned than the stereographic, and for the whole of one hemi- 

 sphere than the Mercator ; while for the other, as far as the 50th deg. 

 of latitude, it is no way offensive. 4th. It takes in at one view the 

 whole accessible surface; and, what no other circular projection 

 can do, it allows on one and the same plate a repetition of the map, 

 or of any portion of it continuously right and left ; so that, take 

 what meridian you will for a prime meridian, it will, by merely 

 placing that meridian upright before the spectator, give an equally 

 convenient and natural coup-d'ceil of at least 90"^, or if it be preferred 



