Northern Expeditwn. 305 
ing the publication of the first volume of the Society’s Transac- 
tions. 
A Resolution was proposed by Sir Rose Price, respecting the 
accidents that still too frequently occur in our mines, from the 
premature explosion of gunpowder. The Hon. Baronet, in com- 
menting on these accidents, animadverted severely on the con- 
duct of those mine agents and proprietors, whose apathy or pre- 
judice continues to permit the occurrence of such fatal accidents, 
when simple and efficacious means of prevention exist in the safe- 
ty instruments invented by Captain Chenhalls. 
All the Officers of the Society were re-elected, and the follow- 
ing gentlemen chosen Vice Presidents and Members of the Coun- 
cil for the present year: viz. 
Vice Presidents—Sir C. Hawkins, Bart.; W. Rashleigh, Esq. ; 
F. H. Rodd, Esy.; Rev. John Rogers. 
Members of the Council—Jos. Carne, L. C. Daubuz, R. W. 
Fox jun. ; W. R. Hill, H. Grylls, S. Davey, S. John, H. P, Tre- 
menheere, Esquires; Rev. W. Hockin; and Capt. E. Scobell, R.N. 
From the Report of the Curator, Mr. Edward Giddy, of whose 
correct, lucid, and elegant arrangement of the mineralogical ca~ 
binet much approbation was expressed by the Meeting, it appears 
that upwards of 1600 new specimens have been added to the ca- 
binet since last anniversary; an augmentation which, we under- 
stand, arises entirely from private donations. 
LI. Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 
NORTHERN EXPEDITION. 
Tus following curious and interesting letter to the Honourable 
Captain Napier, R.N. from on board the Isabella, one of the 
ships at present employed in the Northern Expedition, is under- 
stood to be from the pen of Captain Sir John Ross. 
“ His Majesty's Ship Isabella, off Sugar Loaf Bay, Davis’s 
Straits, July 12, 1818. lat. 74. 2. N. long. 58. W. 
«< My prgar Sir,— I take the opportunity of a Leith ship to 
let you know what we are about in this icy region; a few ex- 
tracts from the log will give some idea of our proceedings. On 
the 3d May left Shetland, and had a tolerable fair passage acros# 
the Atlantic; on the 22d were in longitude off Cape Farewell ; 
2 deg. south of it found our variation increasing as we went west, 
temperature of air and water nearly the same as at Shetland, 
thermometer at 42 or 43 deg. On the 26th saw the first ice- 
berg, lat. 58. 38. long. 50. 54.: we now had snow and sleet, 
thermometer at freezing, a good deal of loose ice all round. June 
2, in lat. 65. long. 56. were close in with the main west ice, which 
we supposed extended the whole way to the American coast ; on 
Vol. 52, No. 246, Oct, 1818. U the 
