142 ARCTIC VOYAGES. Chap. V. 



convenient access in either hemisphere." He 

 says : — 



" The access to all parts of the interior is greatly facili- 

 tated by the extensive fiords, and arms of the sea, by which 

 the land is intersected in so remarkable a manner ; these, 

 whether frozen over, as in the early part of the season, or 

 open to navigation, as in the later months, form routes of 

 communication suited to the safe conveyance of instruments, 

 either in sledges or boats : the fiord in particular which 

 separates the western and eastern divisions of Spitzbergen, 

 would be of great avail : it extends in a due north and 

 south direction for above 120 miles, with a breadth varying 

 from 10 to 30 miles, and communicates at its northern ex- 

 tremity, by a short passage across the land, with the head 

 of another fiord, proceeding to meet it from the northern 

 shores of the island, and affording similar facilities for carry- 

 ing on either a triangulation, or a direct measurement on 

 the surface of the ice at the level of the ocean." — p. 362. 



He adds, what is very true, that the measure- 

 ment of a portion of the meridian is one of the 

 many experimental inquiries beyond the reach of 

 individual means to accomplish. 



This officer, indefatigable in the pursuit of prac- 

 tical science, writes, in February 1826, to Mr. 

 Davies Gilbert on the subject, enforcing the plan 

 by additional proofs of its practicability, and offer- 

 ing his services : " Should the Council of the Royal 

 Society think that I could be advantageously em- 

 ployed in conducting such an investigation, my 

 services, as you well know, are at their command. " 



He has, however, been reserved for a more labori- 



