33 



and differences in the results derived from each depend. There is 

 no place better fitted for this purpose than the mouth of Mackenzie's 

 River. I cannot but express my earnest desire that Her Majesty's 

 Government will also consent to send out one vessel for this purpose, 

 as it will be attended with little or no risk, and a most important 

 scientific object will be attained. Moreover, it will be a great satis- 

 faction to the friends of Capt. M'Clintock and his gallant crew to 

 know that there is a vessel stationed at such a spot, should any 

 unlooked-for misfortune befall an expedition, which, thanks to the 

 devotion of a bereaved widow to her heroic husband, has cost the 

 country nothing but the expenditure of a few hitherto unemployed 

 stores. 



The Meteorological Department of the Board of Trade, under 

 the able superintendence of Admiral FitzRoy, bids fair to realize 

 all the hopeful anticipations which were formed of the beneficial 

 effects which such an institution was calculated to produce in im- 

 proving Navigation and the science of Meteorology. Agents have 

 now been established at the principal ports for the supply of instru- 

 ments properly verified, books and instructions. More than two 

 hundred ships have been so supplied, and more than one hundred 

 logs have been forwarded, which are in process of coordination and 

 reduction. Valuable materials are thus continually accumulating, 

 and to such a degree, that the only difficulties of the Office arise 

 from the overwhelming extent of the communications which are daily- 

 pouring in, overwhelming, that is to say, when viewed in reference 

 to the Staff available for reducing them. 



Meanwhile other Governments have not been slow to avail them- 

 selves of the advantages to-be derived from Lieut. Maury's Sailing 

 Directions and Charts, and the measures which he recommends. 

 The Officer at the head of the Meteorological Department of the 

 Dutch Marine states, that by their means the voyages to Batavia 

 have been shortened one-eighth. An Officer of the French Navy is 

 also engaged in condensing and translating Maury's works for the 

 use of the French Marine ; and a French Department of Oceanic 

 Meteorology is about to be formed. Other nations have followed 

 in the same track, and, on the whole, voyages have been already 

 reduced to from a tenth to a quarter of their former periods ; a 

 result to be attributed in part doubtless to the improvement in ship- 



VOL. IX. D 



