Sept. 16, 1886] 
NALORE 
475 
of science to which the meetings in this Section will be devoted, 
and thus attracting towards it that attention which it merits— 
nay which, in this our country if anywhere, it demands and 
necessitates. 
The question is a wide one, but I will endeavour to narrow 
the field of its discussion to suit our purpose of to day, and keep 
within reasonable limits. A few words will suffice to lay before 
you the programme. It embraces : first, the uses of geography, 
an exposition of which should prove, and a due apprehension of 
which should admit, the necessity of its inclusion among the 
special studies of public schools ; secondly, the mode of impart- 
ing a knowledge of geography so as to render it at once practical 
and engaging ; and finally, such illustrations of modern travel 
and research as may serve to demonstrate how urgent is the study 
of geography to all classes in this country. 
Before closing the subject, 1 shall endeavour to draw your 
attention directly, if somewhat cursorily, to the progress made 
by travellers and geographers in furthering what I may for the 
nonce describe as the objects of their profession during the past 
year, or since the last annual meeting of the British Association, 
at Aberdeen. But I shall only dwell upon such instances of 
geographical progress as from their character and locality come 
within the range of my personal experience, and serve to illus- 
trate the main argument of this address. 
To begin then with the uses of geography. There are doubt- 
less many who will say demonstration here is superfluous, and 
that if its use was not admitted it would find no place in school 
studies, which is contrary to fact in many instances ; there would 
be no primers or elementary works on the subject, whereas they 
may be reckoned by the score ; books of travel would be rather 
entertaining than instructive, a charge which many recently 
published volumes would disprove ; and so forth. 
Some again will argue that its uses, such as they are, must be 
restricted to the few specialists who aspire to be geographers, 
and that for the million it is enough to carry about a rough idea 
of the four quarters of the globe, the principal countries and 
capitals in them, and a sufficient amount of preliminary instruc- 
tion to understand Bradshaw and Baedeker. A third, and perhaps 
the largest category among educated people, consists of those 
who are indifferent to the whole question, and are content to find 
in geography either an honoured branch of science, or a mere 
nominal! study, according to the views of the latest speaker, or 
most plausible reasoner. If it be allowable to apply things holy 
to things profane, no truer illustration of this class can be given 
than the Scriptural definition of men who receive seed ‘‘in stony 
places.” 
To the first of the above I would say that the place which 
geography holds among school studies is not that which it ought 
to hold if its uses were understood and appreciated. Primers 
and elementary books already published are good enough in their 
way, but the instruction they contain is not seriously imparted ; 
and it may be that something ‘itter and more attractive to the 
beginner could be produced. At present all school-books on 
geography may be said, as arule, to be consigned to the shelf of 
secondary subjects; and this is not the treatment which should 
be re-erved for a study of such real magnitude. By and by it 
will be my endeavour to establish by argument and example the 
indisputable character of its importance. 
For those who look upon geography as a profession which 
needs rather separate training than general education, and would 
prefer to leave its acquirement to travellers aiming at distinction, 
specialists in Government employ, and the more zealous and 
scientific Fellows of the Royal or any other Geographical Society, 
I can only express my regret that the delusion under which they 
lie unfits them so thoroughly to understand and much less satisfy 
the wants of a rising generation. By denying the universal cha- 
racter of the study they clearly misapprehend its true scope, and 
are dwarfing it to within the narrow limits of a conventional 
school task. 
As a matter of State or public school education the science 
of geography should in truth be elevated, not degraded. 
In my humble opinion it should be placed on a par with classics, 
mathematics, and history, with each and all of which it has 
affinity. Undoubtedly there are accomplishments which come, 
as it were, of themselves, or are the outcome of lightly-sown 
seeds in the home. These for the most part are rather mechani- 
cal than mental, though some may have advocates to claim for 
them intellectual honour. But ‘a knowledge of geography is not 
to be so acquired: it will not come like handwriting with inci- 
dental practice, nor is it to be gained by mere travelling. To 
moye from place to place, whether across seas or continents, or 
both, to go round the globe itself and visit every important 
country and capital in the track chosen, even to prefer byways 
to railways, and search into obscure and hidden spots rather than 
those which are more generally frequented—all this process 
affords admirable matter for the note-book of the man of the 
world and observer, but will not educate in geography, unless 
the student himself has a serious purpose to turn his wanderings 
to the account of science. The cursory description which would 
apply to men and women, cattle and conveyances, hotels and 
caravansaries, restaurants, coffee-houses, and the like, in a 
moving panorama, is not always suited to bring out in bold 
relief the physical aspects of a country. 
To the indifferent and wavering, to those who would wish to 
promote the study of geography if they could feel persuaded that 
it needs promotion, but who would leave to the better judgment 
and experience of others the decision on the whole question ; to 
those who are content to accept the institution of a professorial 
chair in honour to the science, or to leave geographical study to 
the primitive teaching of their own childhood, whichever course 
be most in accordance with the temper or fashion of the times— 
Ican perhaps do no better than appeal on the grounds of urgency 
—in other words, of the real importance of the cause for which, 
in common with abler and worthier advocates, I would now most 
earnestly plead... . 
I almost seem to be treading upon the threshold of plati- 
tudes when seeking to explain why geography should be useful to 
young men of ordinary culture, for whatever career they may be 
destined. In some cases it is naturally more urgent as a study 
than in others. The military man, for example, should be more 
or less a scientific geographer. His profession may require him 
to survey and describe new resions ; and a campaign over a 
beaten track should find him acquainted with the minute topo- 
graphy and physical aspect of places, at least the names of which 
are familiar household words. The sailor should in like manner 
bear in mind the configuration and character of sea-coasts, and 
carry about the landmarks of his own observations as well as 
those to which he may refer in books. To both must geography 
be eminently a professional study. But, considering the enormous 
extent of our Indian Empire and colonies, and the many foreign 
States with which we must have intimate relations, is any Eng- 
lishman, I would ask, competent to discuss, much less to serve, 
the interests of his country who knows nothing of the physical 
features, resources, products, population, and statistics of these ? 
Tt seems to me to be the duty of every loyal subject and citizen, 
high or low, rich or poor, to seek information on these heads 
wherever it may be obtained. 
But of all men who should realise geography in its broad, 
comprehensive sense—both as an aid to history, and as a science 
to which history may be subordinate—first in order is the states- 
man, in whose province falls the disposal and partition of 
countries or regions. What should we say of the judge—we may 
be thankful there are none such on the English bench—who 
not only gave his decision without mastering the merits of the 
case before him, but who was alsvu ignorant of the law and pre- 
cedents which should guide him in the treatment of those 
merits? The argument might apply with equal force to other 
callings from the members of which professional opinions or 
decrees are required by their fellow men. Why, the evil would 
be so great and so palpable that its existence would not be tole- 
rated for a single day : and the only reason why it 7s allowed to 
prevail in matters geographical is that though equally great in 
respect of these it is not equally palpable. The statesman may 
not know the situation of this or that particular palce, nor its 
products and resources, but neither does the public. One is not 
taught geography any more than the other; so that, while 
ignorance and error are brought to bear on a spurious judgment, 
the critic is not in a position to point out the real flaw, and the 
blunderer escapes the scathing condemnation which would other- 
wise await him in the columns of the morning paper. 
Let us suppose a case by way of illustration—a case which 
conveys no exaggerated idea of what happens, or may happen in 
the course of a year—a case which without being an actual occur- 
rence has in it the flavour of actual occurrences. There isa large 
tract of land in the far West or far East, it mattersnot which. All 
that is known about it is that it is called Laputa or Barataria, and 
that it is situated in the central part of a region or continent so 
vast that it might be reasonably called the largest quarter of the 
globe. Well: it is encroached upon by a powerful neighbour, 
and England requires the preservation of that land’s integrity 
