ii INTRODUCTION. 



culpable want of rational curiosity, if we did not use our 

 best endeavours to arrive at a full acquaintance with the 

 contents of our own planet." And if those endeavours, 

 which, during war, were so successfully pursued, should 

 be relaxed on the return of peace, we might then indeexi 

 have cause to think meanl}- of the times in which we 

 live, or, to use the words of this eminent writer, " if 

 we could suppose it possible that full justice will not be 

 done to the noble plan of discovery, so steadily and so 

 successfuU}^ carried on since the accession of His Majesty, 

 which cannot foil to be considered, in every succeeding 

 age, as a splendid period in the history of our country, 

 and to add to our national glory, by distinguishing Great 

 Britain as taking the lead in the most arduous undertakings 

 for the common benefits of the human race." — Introd. 

 to Cook's Third Voj'age. 



By following up, therefore, the same system, and being 

 actuated by the same motives, of promoting the extension 

 of human knowledoe, the Prince Regent's oovernment 

 has evinced a correspondent feeling ; it has moreover 

 proved, b}'^ appropriating to the purposes of discover}- 

 and maritime geography as great a share as possible of 

 that part of the British navy which constitutes the peace 

 establishment, its laudable inclination to cultivate the 

 uselul arts of peace, not from any selfish views, but for the 

 general benefit of mankind. To what purpose indeed 

 could a portion of our naval force be, at any time, but more 

 especially in a time of profound peace, more honourably 

 or more usefully employed, than in completing those 

 minnt'ue and details of geographical and h^drographical 

 science, of which the grand outlines have been boldly and 



