GEOGRAPHY. 575 



mense extent of territory has been covered and in a most thorougk man- 

 ner, the ground being comparatively virgin, as the rough work by the 

 liussians scarcely served as reconnaissance. The surveys off the coast of 

 Maine and the general routine work during the six months covered by 

 this report have not developed anything of special importance. 



The Deutsche Seewarte as issued a chart of the ice in the Atlantic 

 Ocean this spring, which penetrated very far south and east, in conse- 

 quence of continuous northerly and northwesterly winds. Several ice- 

 bergs appear to have been found in the Gulf Stream. It seems from 

 experience that toward the end of June the ice recedes northward, while 

 between the banks and the east coast of Newfoundland it remains long- 

 est, even after it has disappeared south and southeast of the banks. 



Among the most important additions to our hydrographical knowl- 

 edge are the following : Survey of Little Bahama Bank and southern 

 shore of Newfoundland ; main Strait of Magellan ; additions to ports 

 and coasts of Southeast Africa ; in the Red Sea the intricate apj)roaches 

 to Suakim have been well laid down ; Penang harbor has been resur- 

 veyed and the positions of the islands lying to the northwest, and form- 

 ing the eastern boundary of the ordinary route of vessels to Malacca 

 Strait, have been accurately determined; the unknown western shores 

 of Corea, south of the approach to Soul, for two degrees of latitude, 

 have been explored, and the main features of that island-studded shore 

 laid down, new rivers and harbors have been entered, notably the large 

 river Gun san-gang, at the entrance to which stands the considerable 

 town of Makfo; the southern approach to Haitan Strait on the Chinese 

 coast has been recharted ; in the Solomon Islands the Bougainville 

 Strait has been charted ; many additions have been made to the charts 

 of various groups of Pacific Islands ; the survey of the coast of India by 

 officers of the British navy and India marine, has been actively pro- 

 gressing, surveys of Rangoon, Cheduba, and other ports in the Bay of 

 Bengal, as well as harbors on the west coast of Hindustan have been 

 made ; a resurvey of the great Canadian lakes has been commenced in 

 Georgian Bay. 



The Italian corvette "Vettor Pisani" commanded by G. Columbo, re- 

 cently completed a three years' circumnavigation of the globe, with suit- 

 able outfit and instructions for scientific hydrography. The regions 

 visited included both coasts of South America, from Peruambucoon the 

 east, south to Magellan Straits, and north to Panama, the Galapagos 

 and Hawaiian Islands, the China, Indian, and Red Seas, and so home. 

 The results of the voyage are very satisfactory, many deep-sea sound- 

 ings having been taken, numerous charts corrected or resurveyed, and 

 general hydrographic information gathered. 



One of the most interesting features of the Aberdeen meeting of the 

 British Association was the lecture given by Mr. John Murray, director 

 of the "Challenger" publications, on the results of deep-sea research, 

 especially as considered from the hydrographer's standpoint. 



