ScHAw. — On Antarctic Research. 67 



sympathies of the Eoyal Society, and even of the more en- 

 lightened members of the late Government. We owe him our 

 warmest thanks for his exertions. Nor must we forget the 

 zealous labours of Baron von Mueller, Captain Pascoe, and 

 our other friends in Australia. They have long worked for 

 the good cause of antarctic discovery, and I am confident that 

 they will continue to exert all their influence in its favour. 

 Our illustrious gold-medallist, Baron Nordenskiold, the dis- 

 coverer of the North-east Passage, has but now written me a 

 cheery and encouraging letter, horn, which the following is 

 an extract : ' We shall follow the proceedings of an English 

 expedition to those regions with the utmost interest, and 

 with our best wishes for its success. It seems to me that 

 the most important geographical problem for the moment is 

 a systematic exploration of the hydrographic, meteorological, 

 geological, and biological conditions of the antarctic regions. 

 The arctic regions are in this respect now tolerably well 

 known ; but almost every scientific result gained from thence 

 has given rise to new problems of the utmost importance for 

 the better knowledge of our globe, which can only be satis- 

 factorily answered by corresponding discoveries in the far 

 south.' 



"These inspiriting words will cheer us on in our task — 

 a task from which I for one will never swerve until it is com- 

 pleted. I have pleasure in announcing to you that our Council 

 has this day appointed a committee for the purpose of reporting 

 on the best means of achieving the objects of antarctic ex- 

 ploration. The whole question will be thoroughly examined 

 and discussed, and it will be our business to convince the 

 Press and the public of its importance. We are, of course, 

 devoted to geographical research and to the interests of 

 science, and we look upon these objects as a chief reason for 

 despatching an expedition. But, as an EDglishman, I feel 

 that the great result of all will be the encouragement of 

 that spirit of maritime enterprise which has ever distinguished 

 the people of this country, and the keeping - alive of our 

 glorious naval traditions. We are well assured that as soon 

 as the country is with us in the advisability of despatching an 

 antarctic expedition the Government will concur. We may 

 therefore work on full of coniideuce and hope. We shall look 

 on this evening as our starting-point. Dr. Murray has given 

 us the route — he has done so in a way we shall not soon 

 forget ; and I speak the sentiments of every one present in 

 this great assembly when I offer to him our most sincere and 

 hearty thanks for his very able and important address." 



The Antarctic Committee above alluded to reported that 

 " the importance of antarctic research, and the desirability of 

 its renewal, are recognised by all scientific bodies at Home and 



