156 Progress of Geographical Discovery 



against every thing that is not born or used in Great Britain. 

 I call your attention with more pleasure to several of our 

 countrymen who have set out, during the course of this year, 

 to explore Asia Minor, Syria, and Greece, which for nine 

 years has been endeavouring to extricate itself from its ruins, 

 and to assume a situation among civilized nations. M, Michaud, 

 the author of the History of the Crusades, accompanied by two 

 geographical engineers, (MM. Caillie and Stamaty,) and M. 

 Carcel, a naturalist, has, notwithstanding his age and weak 

 state of health, gone to visit the places where the greatest 

 achievements of the middle age were performed, and where the 

 contest of the Christians and Mussulmans, after having caused 

 unheard-of evils to the contemporary people, had nevertheless 

 the effect of restoring the arts and sciences in Europe, at 

 that time in a state of barbarism. To the names I have just 

 mentioned, must be added those of MM. Fontanier, Guys, 

 Vidal, Botta, Pallegoix, Gourmelen, Le Turc, a Belgian, 

 Raife, and Royer, who are at present travelling in different 

 countries of Asia, and are provided with instructions from the 

 society. We also hope that the members of the scientific com- 

 mission sent to the Morea in 1828 will bring their tribute of 

 discovery. Already some of them, MM. Puillon Boblaye, and 

 Peytier, M. Gauthier d'Arc, vice-consul attached to the French 

 mission in Greece, and recently nominated member of the 

 central commission, have addressed to the society interesting 

 details of their excursions. 



We shall soon be indebted to this commission and its director, 

 Colonel Bory de Saint Vincent, for a good map of the countries 

 which are to compose the new Greek state. M. Bory de Saint 

 Vincent and his collaborateurs have not confined themselves to 

 researches in antiquities or natural history, — the geographical 

 and topographical part of their labours will have claims to our 

 special attention. 



Russia in Asia, China, Polynesia. 



Every scientific person is acquainted with the recent successes 

 of the most illustrious of modern travellers. Baron Alexander de 

 Humboldt, who is still residing in our capital. Accompanied by 

 MM. Rose and Ehrenberg, and under the high protection of 

 the Emperor Nicolas, M. de Humboldt has found, in the northern 

 climate of Asia, subject to the grandson of Catherine, every 

 facility for exploring the Ural, and eastern Siberia. I shall not 

 dwell on a subject with which the daily journals have entertained 

 their readers, and which has occupied, during their sittings, the 

 academies of Petersburg, and Berlin, and the Institute of France, 

 confident in the predilection of M. de Humboldt for our glorious 

 country. 



MM. Ledebour, Meyer, and Bunge, had preceded M. de 

 Humboldt in Siberia. Their travels have furnished us with 

 precious information, as have also those of MM. Hoffmann and 



