TUK PKOCtRESS of (lEOGRAPHRlAL KNOWLEIKIK. 



Bv Col. SirT. IT. IIolduii. C. B.. K. ('. I. E.. F. R. (I. S. 



A\'ith so larye :i Held as tluit which is einl)riu-(Hi ])y o-('<)u-ra])iiy l)eiore 

 us, 1 feel a little (lou])tful which way to turn in orfh'r to o-ither into 

 one short space both the scattered records of recent oeoy-raphical his- 

 tory and to present to you at the same time illustrations of some tixed 

 priiu'iple which in the course of the development of our geographical 

 knowledge must govern the progress of it. Last year you heard 

 from Dr. Mill ;i most excellent sunuuary of the present phase of that 

 devt'lopmeiit in this country. You heard not only of gn^at acti\'ity in 

 the wide world of the unex})l()red and unknown, hut of new etforts to 

 train up a fresh generation of exph)rers; of new schools springing up 

 among us: fresh evidence of the faith that is in us tiiat geographical 

 knowledge points the road to conunercial success; happy intimations 

 of th(^ existence of a yet higher faith — the faith which Ixdiexcs that 

 scientitic knowledge of the world's physiology is worth the getting for 

 its own sake, whether it paves the wtiy to golden success or not. 

 And now, while I'ecalling the chief geographical events of the year 

 that has passed, while counting tiie hmdmarks on the road to a higher 

 geographical education. I would also claim your attention for a brief 

 space to a few technical problems which beset the l)usiness aspi^ct of 

 future procedure, and which, so long as we nrake it our boast that we 

 belong to the biggest empire in the world, ought most ciM'tainly to 

 attract our earnest attention. 



The unknown woi'ld is growing daily smaller. It is, indeed, nar- 

 rowing its area with a I'apidity which is absolutely regretta))le. If 

 you thiidv of those delightful days when the men who went ''down to 

 the sea in ships'' brougiit gold and ixory to th<^ steps of Solomon's 

 temple, believing that Ix'yond their nautical ken all the rest of the world 

 was but flat emptiness; or even centuries later, when Marco Polo's 

 ti'uthful tales of Asia were discredited as wild fables, or, again, in 

 almost modern times. wIumi Vasco de (itama bent his knei^s in pious 

 prayer ere starting on the l)ucc;ine(Ming venture which was to change 



^Address to geographical section of Uritisli Association tor tlie Advancement of 

 Science. Reprinted from Re])ort of l>ritish Association liH)2, pp. G()2-(377. 



351 



