INTRODUCTION. 



1 HE reign of George III. will be referred to by future 

 historians as a period not less distinguished by the brilliant 

 exploits of our countrymen in arms, than by the steady 

 and progressive march of the sciences and the arts. Oc- 

 cupied, as a very considerable portion of that period has 

 been, by a war, longer in its duration, more ferocious in 

 its character, and more extensive in its ravages, than had 

 ever before afflicted Europe, at least in modern times, 

 the advancement of physical and geographical knowledge, 

 though necessarily retarded in its progress, suffered but 

 little interruption, if we except one memorable instance 

 where a French General brutally seized the person and 

 papers of a British naval officer, on his return from a voyage 

 of discovery, and with unparalleled meanness, injustice, 

 and inhumanity, detained the former nearly seven years 

 in captivity, and purloined a part of the latter. With this 

 exception, no Avar was waged against science ; the im- 

 pulse which had been given to geographical discovery 

 still maintained its direction, and was never lost sight of, 

 even by hostile fleets ; witness, among other instances, 

 the interesting and admirable survey of the coast of Asia 

 Minor by Captain Beaufort, while commanding a frigate 

 attached to the Mediterranean squadron, the account of 

 which has recently been laid before the pubhc. " Indeed," 

 as Dr. Douglas has justly observed, " it would argue a most 



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