May 23, 1859.] RUSSIAN EXPEDITIONS. 289 



steppes, to the confines of Chinese Turkestan. The chief object 

 of this survey, which is conducted by Capt. Jolubeff, is to deter- 

 mine the geographical position of the principal points, so as to lead 

 to the construction of an exact map of those wild countries which 

 so many Kussian travellers, including M. Semenoff, have already 

 explored, and whose labours will thus be brought together and 

 registered on accurate maps. 



An important expedition to Khorassan has returned from Herat, 

 and the general resume of its labours, which has been alone as yet 

 made known, is highly satisfactory. This vast region has hitherto 

 been slightly examined only by accurate topographers, and the 

 Eussian geographers have therefore been able to make many cor- 

 rections in the pre-existing maps. Among other errata M. Khanikoff 

 cites in his report, that the town of Tebes of the old maps must 

 change position to the extent of 1*^ 30' of long, to the west, and 1° 

 of lat. to the south ; whilst numerous corrections are applied to the 

 general configuration and orography of the country as laid down on 

 previous maps. Other data, which have been got together respect- 

 ing the geology, botany, zoology, ethnography, and historical 

 monuments of this little explored region, give to this expedition to 

 Khorassan the scientific importance of a general survey. 



The river Ussuri, one of the affluents of the great Amur, and 

 which constitutes the boundary between Eussia and China, was 

 last year examined by Captain Veniukoff, and for the first time its 

 banks were examined in their whole length. The French mis- 

 sionaries De la Brunniere and Venant had indeed explored this 

 river partially, but, unfortunately, the assassination of M. de la 

 Brunniere was accompanied by the loss of all his papers. Starting 

 from the mouth of the river, M. Yeniukoff ascended the chain of 

 mountains from which it flows, and descended to the sea in the 

 Gulf of Yladimir ; and the description of his journey, with two maps, 

 which is published in the Journal of the Imperial Geographical 

 Society, which we are about to receive, will no doubt be viewed 

 with deep interest by all true geographers. 



The geographical science of the empire is about to receive a great 

 addition in a general admeasurement of the levels of Eussia in 

 Europe, on a plan laid before the Government by Professor Otto 

 Struve, of the Imperial Observatory of Pulkowa, and on the basis 

 of preliminary observations carried on by him in the environs of 

 St. Petersburg. This operation will doubtless prove of immense 

 advantage in all industrial and engineering works. Professor 



