May 23, 1859.] CAPT. J. PALLISER— ROYAL AWARDS. 22t 



Saskatchewan from its glacial sources, he descended to Mountain 

 House on the east, and regained Fort Edmonton, charged with 

 numerous geological as well as astronomical and physical ob- 

 servations. 



For the vigorous execution of his duties, the judicious distri- 

 bution of the parties under his command, and particularly for 

 having successfully carried out the wishes of the Eoyal Geo- 

 graphical Society and the instructions of Her Majesty's Govern- 

 ment, in determining the existence of several practicable passes 

 across the Kocky Mountains of British North America (hitherto 

 not laid down on any published map), between the American boun- 

 dary, or 49°, and 52° N. lat., the Council have awarded the Patron's 

 Medal to Captain John Palliser. 



The President then addressed the Earl of Carnarvon in these 

 words : — 



"Lord Carnarvon, — It gives me great satisfaction to place in 

 your hands, as the representative of the Secretary for the Colonies, 

 this the Patron's or Victoria Medal of the Eoyal Geographical 

 Society. 



" Knowing as I do that the deepest interest in the Palliser 

 Expedition has been felt by the Secretaries for the Colonies of the 

 last and present Administration, I also know that neither Mr. 

 Labouchere, under whose auspices these researches were organised, 

 nor Sir Edward B. Lytton, who has vigorously supported them, 

 can attach more importance to their issue than your Lordship does 

 in coming here to receive this Medal. 



*' Pray, therefore, preserve it until Captain Palliser, after travers- 

 ing the Eocky Mountains and British Columbia, shall arrive in 

 England ; and then beg him to consider it as the best reward the 

 geographers can offer to him, in honour of the important services 

 performed by the expedition under his command." 



The Earl of Carnarvon replied : — 



" Sir, — In accepting, on behalf of Captain Palliser, the Medal 

 which, by the award of the Geographical Society and yourself, 

 has been assigned to him for the conduct of the expedition in 

 British North America, I greatly regret the absence of Sir 

 Edward Lytton, who has from the first taken a deep interest 

 in the success of the expedition, and to whom the task which 

 I have now undertaken more properly belongs. At the same 

 time I may, from the information to which I have had access at 

 the Colonial Ofiice, safely endorse the praise which you have given 

 to Captain Palliser for the skill and perseverance, the practical 

 energy and discrimination which he has evinced — essential qualities 

 in any officer situated as he has been. 



" The expedition which he has conducted has already achieved 



