INTRODUCTION. 37 



coasts westward of Waygatz' Straits, to the White 

 Sea, and from the North Cape to that sea. 



I think I have now sufficiently proved that a 

 new voyage of discovery to the South Sea promises 

 an ample harvest. What an instructive school, too, 

 would it be for young people who have already 

 dedicated themselves to the sciences, to make such 

 a voyage under the guidance of men of reputation ! 

 Almost every country takes advantage of the pre- 

 sent happy season of peace, and sends men of 

 learning to remote countries. The English have 

 sent out this year (1818,) two expeditions, each 

 consisting of two ships, in search of a northern 

 passage, which have lately returned : one to sur- 

 vey the coasts of the Mediterranean ; three expe- 

 ditions are sent to explore the interior of Africa : 

 the chief object of which, however, is to find the end 

 of the Niger, which is still veiled in obscurity ; 

 notwithstanding the failure of so many attempts 

 to solve this problem, though it is important 

 only in a geographical point of view, this does not 

 deter them from making fresh trials. An expedi. 

 tion is engaged in completing the labours of 

 Flinders, and finishing the survey of the north-west 

 coast of New Holland. In the Chinese seas two 

 ships have been constantly employed for these ten 

 years past, at the expence of the East India Com- 

 pany, in improving the hydrography of that, and 

 the adjacent seas j and not a year passes without 

 new discoveries of importance to the navigation of 



D 3 



