Sept. 16, 1886] 
can be always fairly disposed of in the recognition of results. 
Otherwise, we have simply commercial geography with ethno- 
graphy, and considerations which we may call political in the 
present but which are undoubtedly historical in the past. Surely, 
then, it would be wise and reasonable to combine the studies of 
history and political geogr2phy—putting a wider interpretation 
than the conventional one upon the latter designation in such a 
manner that the two together should be just the soct of pabulum 
‘dispensed to the rising generation of statesmen, diplomatists, and 
all who aspire to the name of politician, in its higher sense of 
capability to promote as well as to discuss the national welfare. 
And admirable lecture on ‘* Geography in its Relation to His- 
tory” was delivered by Mr. James Bryce—the late Under- 
Secretary for Foreign Affairs—in connection with the recent 
London Exhibition of Geographical Appliances. Those who 
are acquainted with it will readily understand why I pause to 
remark on its enlightened teaching ; to those who have not that 
advantage I would explain that it seems to embody the argu- 
ments of Modern Thought on the important question we are now 
considering, and that a brief allusion to it is therefore no irre- 
levant introduction here. ‘The lecturer, seeking to demonstrate 
that history and geography touch one another in certain relations 
and interests, laid down the proposition that man is, in history, 
more or less ‘‘ the creature of his environment” ; that ‘* on one 
side, at all events, he is largely determined and influenced by 
the environment of nature”; and that ‘‘it is in discovering 
the different effects produced on the growth of man as a political 
and State-forming creature by the geographical surroundings in 
which he is placed” that one point of contact is found. He, 
moreover, maintained that man, ‘‘although he may lift himself 
above his environment, cannot altogether escape from its power.” 
Dividing the influences thus exercised into three classes, he 
showed that those arising from the configuration of the earth’s 
surface affected movements of races, intercommunications, and 
barriers of separation; that those belonging to climate affected 
the occupation or abandonment of particular localities on the 
score of health, fertility, or non-fertility of soil, and consequently 
commerce and cultivation; and that those which owed their 
existence to natural products unmistakably directed the energies 
of peasantry and p<ople into certain fixed channels of enterprise 
—a result which applies to the zoology as well as to the mineral 
and agricultural resources of a country. THe made the very 
true observation that the ‘‘animals affect man in his early sta e 
in respect to the enemies he has to face, in respect to his power 
of living by the chase, in respect to the clothing which their furs 
and skins offer to him, and in respect to the use he is enabled to 
make of them as beasts of burden or of food”’ ; and he therefore 
concluded that ‘‘zovlogy comes to form a yery important part 
of the environment out of which historical man springs.” A 
volume might well be written on this suggestive theme alone; | 
and if, as I believe, the proposition of a human being's depend- 
ence on environment be admissible in its entirety, what a field of 
speculation is open tothe inquirer! A condition held applicable 
to the unreckoned millions of to-day must have had a marvellous 
effect in giving character to original Man! 
This conception of man’s environment supposed heads or 
branches of geography, all bearing upon history, which might 
be distinguished by names such as ethnological, sanitary, com- 
mercial, linguistic, political and military, legal—the last leading 
to the consideration of the Suez Canal and sea-channels in 
which several States have interests. As time, however, will not 
allow me to quote the lecturer’s apt and well-put illustrations 
which followed, I may mention that the express object with 
which they were introduced was to show how ‘‘the possession 
of geographical knowledge, and a full grasp of the geographical 
conditions ” with regard to some of the leading countries of the 
world, ‘‘ will enable a person studying their history to make the 
history more intelligible and real.” In strict conformity with 
this opinion, and in the conviction that the want of geographical 
knowledge and ‘‘ full grasp” of geographical conditions will be- 
tray men in power to commit dangerous mistakes, calculated to 
injure the national prestige and credit, and men out of power to 
become their upholders in error, I would express the hope that, 
in any future arrangements which may be perfected for the better 
education of our countrymen, while physical and scientific geo- 
graphy are invested with a degree of prominence and honour to 
which they have hitherto never attained, that branch of study 
_which we have been accustomed to call political will be recon- 
a 
sidered and, if necessary, newly defined by competent men. The 
conclusion at which I have myself arrived—one which I am 
NATURE 
477 
quite ready to abandon before the arguments of sounder reason 
—is that we have here something which belongs mainly to history, 
and, in such light, its scientific should be separated from its non- 
scientific elements. A partition should be made which would 
equally suit the mind of the student whose tendencies are rather 
towards metaphysics than mathematics, as of him who is a 
votary of practical science only. I do not presume to touch 
upon the action of Universities, except to say that I can con- 
ceive no better example could be afforded that the intellect of 
England had due regard for the material interests of England 
than by the creation of a chair for scientific geography and 
the relegation of that which is non-scientific to the chair of 
history. . . 
Time warns me that I have detained you long enough, and 
that if my illustrations apply to the argument intrusted to your 
consideration, the application should at once be made evident. 
To my own mind the bearing is clear. A Boundary Commis- 
sion represents the three branches of Science, Research, and 
Diplomacy—in other words, all that comes under scientific geo- 
graphy and political geography. The first, you will understand, 
comprises the survey of country, mapping, and determination of 
localities. The second has to do with the definition of territorial 
limits, and, in such sense, with history, ethnology, and laws of 
nations. That all this has been done, and well done, on the 
present occasion is not disputed, any more than that enlightened 
attention will be given to the due disposal of results. But are 
not these matters of sufficient importance to be taught as daily 
lessons in our schools, and presided over in University chairs ? 
Even those barren and desolate lands of which we have now 
spoken—and I have myself traversed many miles of such, some, 
indeed, in the near vicinity of the Perso-Afghan frontier, be- 
tween Herat and Farah—they may have a meaning which can 
only be understood by the initiated, by those who have made 
them a long and seriously-undertaken study. To the many they 
are but miserable deserts displayed in incomplete maps ; to the 
few they may have a value far beyond their outer show. Were 
T asked to sketch out the kind of manual which might be useful 
in preparing officers for dealing with questions such as these, I 
would solicit reference to a late paper which I contributed to a 
quarterly journal, and which I have once before quoted. In it 
T stated :— 
** Asia itself is a stupendous study, but the difficulties may be 
smoothed to the learner by the judicious employment of method 
which, after disposing of essential generalities, would naturally 
tend to division and subdivision. The first would imply a region 
such as Turkestan; the second, a vroup of States or single 
States only, such as Bukhara and Khiva. Given, then, a parti- 
cular area, the next consideration should be to explain its physi- 
cal geography. This should comprise the scientific description 
of its mountains, rivers, and valleys. Its geography should be 
co nprehensive in respect of direction, elevation, watersheds, and 
connection with plains and plateaus; its hydrography should 
treat of sources and mouths, basins, drainage, and connection 
with lake and swamp. Climate and the more important forms 
of animal and vegetable life should follow in due course ; indeed, 
something of geology, zoology, and botany, and it may be more 
besides, night reasonably be added to satisfy the requirements of 
purely scientific teaching. After science, history would follow, 
and, joined to history, an account of the religion, manners, and 
customs of the people, as affected by the historical narrative ; 
a statement of the artificial lines of separation which have re- 
placed natural boundaries in consequence of the wars, revolu- 
tions, or arbitrary changes which have characterised certain 
reigns or epochs; an exposition of the form or forms of govern- 
ment in vogue at different periods; and, finally, a chapter on 
trade and commerce, including a notice of indigenous products 
and manufactures. Maps, applicable to relations of territorial 
changes, would be of immense value ; and an historian’s criticism 
on these relations, if offered in that fair spirit which alone 
is justified in composing history, would be an indispensable 
complement.” . . 
REPORTS 
Second Report of the Committee, consisting of Prof. Balfous 
Stewart (Secretary), Sir W. Thomson, Sir F. H. Lefroy, Sir 
Frederick Evans, Lrof. G. H. Darwin, Prof. G. Chrystal, 
Prof. S. Ff. Perry, Mr. C. H. Carpmael, Prof. Schuster, Capt. 
Creak, and Mr. G. M. Whipple, appointed for the Purpose of 
