( 27G ) 



IV. 



REPORT OF THE ANTHROPOLOGICAL INSTITUTE. 



To the Council of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain 

 and Ireland. 



Your Committee, to whom was referred the annexed letter from 



the Royal Geographical Society, have agreed to the following 



Report : — 



24th May, 1872. 



Sir, — The President and Council of the Eoyal Geographical 

 Society, after a careful consideration of a Report drawn up by a 

 Committee of Arctic Officers * belonging to their body, having 

 come to the conclusion that the time has arrived for once more 

 representing the important results to be derived from Arctic explo- 

 ration to Her Majesty's Government ; 1 have been directed to request 

 that the following remarks may be laid before the President and 

 Council of the Anthropological Institute. 



In a letter to me signed by the late Mr. George E. Roberts, and 

 dated May 8th, 1865, he was instructed to say that the Council of 

 the Anthropological Society viewed with the deepest interest the 

 prospect of an Arctic exploring expedition ; believing that great 

 advantage to their science would ensue from such an undertaking. 



Strengthened by the willingness expressed by the Council of the 

 Anthropological Institute to co-operate with the Royal Geographical 

 Society in adopting such measures as might be considered advisable 

 to induce Her Majesty's Government to accede to the proposal of 

 fitting out an Arctic expedition, and by other expressions of cordial 

 approval received from kindred scientific Societies, Sir Roderick 

 Murchison brought the subject of North Polar exploration to the 

 notice of the Duke of Somerset, then First Lord of the Admiralty, 

 in a letter dated 19th of May, 1865 ; and the subject was discussed 

 between his Grace and a deputation from the Council of the Royal 



1 Sir George Back, Admiral Collinson, Admiral Ominanney, Admiral Sir 

 L. McClintock, Admiral Richards, Captain Sherard OsborD, Mr. A. G. Findlay, 

 Mr. Clements Markham (Sec). 



