| .1 iino 1H, 

 The admitted analogies of the peroxide of chlorine have as it were 



their maximnm in the or-anie peroxide. Not only is chlorine re- 



presented in the peroxide, but hydrocloric acid ii represented in the 

 organic acid, and a series of parallel equations may readily be con- 

 structed, showing the identical character of the reactions of the two 

 classes of substances. Both bleach a solution of indigo, oxidize the 

 protosalts of iron and manganese, decompose water under the in- 

 fluence of sunlight, anil evolve oxygen with mi alkaline peroxide, 



forming the salt of the corresponding acid. 



XIII. " Explorations in Spitzbergen, undertaken by the Swedish 



Expedition in IHttl, with the view <>(' .-isccr! ainini;- the 

 praetieahilily of the measurement of an Are of (lie Meri- 

 dian." By Dr. OTTO TORELL, Professor of Zoology in the 

 University of Lund. Communicated by the President. 



Keeeived June iucl, IHM. 



In the year 1858 I made a voyage to Spitzbergen, in company 

 with two other naturalists, in order to investigate the Natural History 



of (hat country. 



I was thereby induced to study the history of the various Arctic 

 expeditions that had gone out from England. 



In Beechey's and Barrow's works I saw mentioned a suggestion 

 which attracted my attention in a high degree. A letter is there 

 given from Captain Edward Snbine to Mr. Davies Gilbert, in which 

 the writer, on his return from his celebrated Pendulum Expedition, 

 proposes to explore Spitzbergen, with the view of ascertaining 



whether the measurement of an are of the meridian eonld he carried 

 ont. there*. 



An are from lloss Islcl lo Hope Island would comprise nearlv I 1 . 



of latitude equivalent to an arc of in the mean latitude of France, 



and of 7 in the mean latitude of (Jreal Britain. 



The diflicnltieM opposed l>v climate ami ."lonnd were not eon 

 sidnrd hy ('aplain Sahine to he so ."Teal a 1 -; not to he . surmounted ; 

 and he otVered, m company with another ofliecr and a sergeant of 



J.uiiniil nl Ihr |{,,y:il lusl if ulmn, vol. XXI. ml. xi. |>|>. 101 IOS. 



