Arctic Exploration, 287 



numerous objects, that have been stated and enumerated by 

 the presidents and officers of the several scientific societies, 

 the attainment of which make it desirable to despatch an 

 Arctic expedition of discovery. These are as follows : — 



Geography. — A geographical problem of great importance 

 and interest will be solved by completing the circuit of Green- 

 land, ascertaining the extent and nature of its northern coast, 

 exploring the land to the westward, and discovering the con- 

 ditions of land and sea in that portion of the unknown area. 



Hydrography. — An Arctic expedition is a necessary com- 

 plement to the expedition now investigating the ocean bottom 

 in the middle and southern latitudes of the globe. The 

 hydrography of the unknown seas has a most important 

 bearing on the general question of oceanic currents, a question 

 which is of practical consequence to navigation. Our know- 

 ledge of the general system of currents will be incomplete 

 without an investigation of the currents, deep-sea tempera- 

 tures, and soundings in the unknown area. Observations, at 

 great depths, with the improved instruments now in use, 

 would be of much value in connection with the like obser- 

 vations which are being earned on by the expedition now 

 exploring the tropical seas. 



Geodesy. — A series of pendulum observations at the highest 

 latitude possible, following upon the series just completed in 

 India, and made with the same instruments after verification 

 at Kew, will be of essential service to the science of Geodesy. 

 Neither the data for forming a mathematical theory of the 

 physical constitution of the earth, nor the means of testing 

 such a theory, are complete without experimental determina- 

 tions of the intensity as well as the direction of the force of 

 gravity, and such observations would be especially valuable 

 at the Xorth Pole. 



Meteorology. — Observations of the temperature of the sea 

 at various depths ; of temperature and pressure of the atmo- 

 sphere ; and of prevailing winds, with reference to currents, 



