1 THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 



The vast ocean lay scientifically unexplored. All the efforts of the previous decade 

 had been directed to the strips of water round the coast and to enclosed or partially 

 enclosed seas ; great things had certainly been done there, but as certainly far greater 

 things remained to be done beyond. This consideration led to the conception of the 

 idea of a great exploring expedition which should circumnavigate the globe, find out the 

 most profound abysses of the ocean, and extract from them some sign of what went on 

 at the greatest depths. 



The following correspondence extracted from the Minutes of Council of the Royal 

 Society giving expression to this idea, and tracing the progress of its realisation, will 

 best show how all the difficulties in the way of inaugurating an undertaking of such 

 magnitude and novelty were successfully surmounted ; and their perusal will be a 

 fitting introduction to the chapters containing the Narrative of the Cruise, the study of 

 which cannot fail to convince the reader that, high as were the hopes entertained by 

 the promoters of the Expedition, the performance was even greater than had been 

 anticipated. 



" June 29th, 1871. 

 " Read the following Letter from Dr. Carpenter :— 



" ' University of London, Burlington Gardens, W. 

 " ' June 15, 1871. 



" ' Dear Prof. Stokes, — The information we have lately received as to the activity with which other 

 nations are now entering upon the Physical and Biological Exploration of the Deep Sea, makes it appear to 

 my colleagues and myself that the time is now come for bringing before our own Government the importance 

 of initiating a more complete and systematic course of research than we have yet had the means of 

 prosecuting. 



" ' The accompanying slip from last week's ' Xature ' will make known to the Council what is going on 

 elsewhere, and the feeling entertained on the subjects alike in the scientific world and (as I have good reason 

 to believe) by the public generally. 1 



" ' For adequately carrying out any extensive plan of research, it would be requisite that special provision 

 should be made ; and as the Estimates for next year will have to be framed before the end of the present 

 year, no time ought now to be lost, if the matter is to be taken up at all. 



" ' In order that the various departments of Science to which these researches are related should be 

 adequately represented, — so that any Application made to Government should be on the broadest basis possible, 

 — I should suggest that the Council of the Royal Society, as the promoters of all that has been already done 

 in the matter, should take the initiative ; and should appoint a Committee to consider a Scheme, in conjunc- 

 tion with the President of the British Association, and the Presidents of the Chemical, Geographical, Geological, 

 Linnean, and Zoological Societies. Such a Committee might meet before the Recess, and decide upon some general 

 plan : and this would be then considered as to its details by the Members representing different departments 



1 Nature, vol. iv. p. 107, 1871. The paragraph states that the Governments of Germany, Sweden, and the 

 United States were preparing to despatch ships to various parts of the ocean expressly fitted for deep-sea 

 exploration. 



