38 INTRODUCTION. 



those seas. The French also have sent a ship to 

 the South Sea, and an expedition to the interior of 

 Africa; and if no scientific enterprizes are now un- 

 dertaken by Spain, it is probably owing more to 

 the present disturbed political state of that king- 

 dom, than to any want of zeal and knowledge in a 

 nation which may be but too proud of such seamen 

 as Malespina, Espinosa, Bauza, Tofino, and Cisneros 

 Ciscar. It is not impossible but the question may 

 be asked, what advantage can arise to Russia from 

 such enquiries? whether it is not indifferent to 

 know if Cape Shalutzkoy Ues in latitude 70° or 72°? 

 or, whether it is possible to double Icy Cape or not ? 

 There are persons who ridicule the attempt to find 

 a northern passage, and consider it as evidently 

 absurd to think of examining into the errors com- 

 mitted by Mendana, Schouten and Roggewein : in 

 short, who think every thing useless which does not 

 immediately promote an increase of power, and 

 tend to enlarge the political influence of their 

 country. It would not be easy to make a better 

 and more suitable answer to these objections, than 

 by repeating what Barrow has said on occasion of 

 the English North Pole expedition*, since even in 

 England there were persons, who, partly from igno- 

 rance, partly from prejudice, or even from ill will 

 towards the persons who had the honour of propos- 

 ing such an enterprize, expressed their dissatisfac- 



* Quarterly Ilevievv> vol. xviii. p. 4:57. 



