288 SIR RODERICK I. MURCHISON'S ADDRESS— EUROPE. [May 23, 1859. 



maun for publication in the ' Mittheiluugen,' that gentleman 

 has obligingly sent me the subjoined list of heights in French 

 feet.* 



Hussia. — The accomplished Secretary of the Imperial Geographical 

 Society, M. Lamansky, has transmitted to me his clear and well con- 

 densed * Compte Eendu ' of the progress of that body, and has this 

 year prepared an Appendix, which the geographical reader will 

 find most instructive and useful, since it enumerates all the works 

 bearing on our subject which have been published in the Empire of 

 Eussia. 



But besides the important expeditions in operation and the pro- 

 duction of works, to some of which I called your attention last year, 

 and others which are mentioned in the last resume of M. Lamansky, 

 our correspondent has recently made me acquainted with informa- 

 tion which I hasten to communicate. 



The Geographical Society of St. Petersburg has this year sent 

 forth M. Schmidt, an able geologist of the University of Dorpat, 

 well known to me by his valuable researches among the Silurian 

 and Devonian rocks of the Baltic provinces of Eussia, to study the 

 structure of the great basin of the river Amur and of the island of 

 Sakhalin, and to report upon the geological relation and mineral 

 wealth of this vast region. Following the judicious plan of 

 thoroughly working out the details in every examination of a new 

 country, the Imperial Government, counselled by the Grand Duke 

 Constantine and the Geographical Society, have ordained that this 

 expedition of M. Schmidt shall be employed for three or four years, 

 during which time the explorers will not confine their researches 

 to the banks of the great river, but will push up its affluents, 

 into the large mountain chains from which those streams descend. 

 The great chain of Khin Jhan and the large island of Sakhalin, both 

 highly interesting in a geological point of view, will be specially 

 explored, and, looking to the unquestioned talents of the leader of 

 the expedition, we may hope, with great success. 



Another expedition has been sent into the heart of Central Asia 

 to beyond the river Hi and the Lake Balkhash in the Kirghis 



* Mount Hermon, 6975 (according to Major Scott's observations, 8798); Hasbeiya, 

 2;}54; Baneas, bridge over the Jordan, 1194; Lake Phiala, 3100; Lake Merora, 265 

 (according to Bertou, 322); Safed, 2619 (according to Symonds, 2604); Tiberias, near 

 the Castle, 523; Mount Tabor, 1754; Nazareth, 1187; Mt. of Olives, 2596; Zion, 

 Christian Cemetery, 2530; Hebron, 2738 ; Kerek, 3318; Tafileh (Lower), 3363. 



