1818. BUCHAN, PARRY, AND FRANKLIN. 369 



intended to determine the specific gravity of sea- 

 water in different latitudes — thermometers of va- 

 rious kinds — a barometer of Sir Henry Englc- 

 field's construction for ascertainins: the heio'ht of 

 objects. Besides these, each expedition is fur- 

 nished with an apparatus for trying the state of 

 atmospherical electricity, and determining whether 

 there be any thing peculiar in the electricity of 

 the atmosphere in the polar regions; and whether 

 there be any analogy between the aurora borealis 

 and the electrical light — an apparatus for taking 

 up sea-water from given depths ; and an apparatus 

 for the analysis of air, which is the more desirable 

 from there beina: little or no chang-e from veire- 

 table or animal life or decomposition in the polar 

 atmosphere; and consequently a different propor- 

 tion of oxygen, azote or carbonic acid, may be ex- 

 pected from that which prevails under ordinary 

 circumstances. 



Each expedition is besides provided with a com- 

 plete apparatus for collecting, in the sea and on 

 the land, the various objects of natural history 

 which may occur, and for preserving them in a 

 proper state; and of such as cannot be preserved, 

 accurate drawings will be made by Lieutenants 

 Hoppner and Beechy. On the whole, neither care 

 nor expense appears to have been spared in sending " 

 out the two expeditions as complete and as well 

 equipped as possible, and nothing that the com- 

 manders of them deemed to be useful was refused. 



VOL. I. B B 



