NATURE 



97 



THURSDAY, DECEMBER ii, 1873 



THE ARCTIC EXPEDITION 



WE were able to announce, in our last number, 

 that the version of the reply of the Govern- 

 ment with regard to the despatch of an Arctic Expe- 

 dition, which had appeared in the daily newspapers, 

 was inaccurate, and that the subject was still under 

 consideration. But the grounds for abandoning Arctic 

 discovery, which were attributed to the Government, 

 have no doubt occurred to the official mind ; and they 

 involve fallacies which would be so fatal to the best 

 interests of this country, that we cannot allow them to 

 pass without remark. 



It was said that the Government hold that survey 

 operations have a stronger claim than those of discovery ; 

 and that if Ministers were inclined to augment charges 

 for such purposes, they would incline to do so for survey, 

 rather than for a new voyage of discovery. 



We have here an attempt to separate scientific expe- 

 ditions into two branches, survey and discovery. The 

 originator of this fallacy does not appear to be aware 

 that all surveying voyages are voyages of discovery 

 in the strictest sense. Their operations are intended 

 to explore, and accurately lay down, unknown or little 

 known coasts or harbours. Captain Cook's voy- 

 ages were surveying operations, and it will scarcely be 

 denied that they were also voyages of discovery. The 

 Arctic voyages of Ross and Parry included surveys 

 which have been of the utmost value to the. whaling fleets 

 ever since. 



Arctic discoveiy is now advocated by naval and scien- 

 tific men for the very reason that it will include marine 

 surveys and hydrographical investigations of the most 

 undoubted importance. Few operations have "benefited 

 commeice and promoted international intercourse" more 

 than Arctic \oyages of discovery. One of our earliest 

 Arctic exptditions discovered the White Sea route to 

 Russia, and opened a flourishing trade. The Spitzbergen 

 voyages led to the establishment of a fishery which added 

 millions to the weahh of these islands. The discovery 

 of Uavib's Straits did the same. Ross's first voyage 

 showed the way for ihe whalers into Baffin's Bay. Parry's 

 vojages pointed out new ground in Prince Regent's Inlet. 

 The handling of steamers by Osborn and Cator, as Capt. 

 Penny declared at the time, caused a revolution in the 

 system of ice navigation by whalers. Arctic voyages are 

 surveying operations, and ihey have benefited commerce 

 as much as any other surveying work whatever. As to 

 promoting international intercourse. Arctic achievements 

 have always excited friendly sympathy and interest 

 throughout the civilised world. 



We must also notice the shocking insincerity of the 

 reply that is imputed to the Government. An Arctic 

 Expedition cannot be undertaken, we are told, because 

 Ministers are anxious to provide funds for ordinary 

 surveys. Now it is a fact that no Government has 

 ever more persistently neglected the survey ing branch 

 of the service ; which has been so starved and pared 

 down as to cause anxiety to those acquainted with 

 the subject. If the Hydrographer's official position 

 did not seal his lips, he could give an account of the way 

 Vol, IX. — No. 215 



in which the surveying department has been treated of 

 late years, which would excite indignation throughout the 

 country. Some idea may, however, be obtained of the 

 way in which surveys are neglected, from the following 

 figures. From the year 1S49 to 1853, the proportion of 

 each 1000/. of naval expenditure spent on surveying 

 averaged 15/. 5^-. It is now 9/. In 1871 — 72 the total 

 effective naval expenditure was 7,807,946/., and the ex- 

 penditure on the surveying branch was 70,456/. The total 

 tonnage of the British mercantile marine in 1871 — 72 

 was 7,143,894, so that the total naval expenditure per 

 ton of British naval shipping, was i/. is. \\d. ; and the 

 proportion of expenditure for surveying and discovery, 

 by far the most useful and important work of the navy 

 in time of peace, was zd. Not only has surveying and 

 Arctic work been rendered inefficient by extreme parsi- 

 mony, or wholly neglected ; but, while the wealth of the 

 country has enormously increased, the expenditure on the 

 best work of the navy has been cut down to a third less 

 than it was twenty years ago. 



It may be that the official notion of surveying is con- 

 fined to the revision of work on comparatively well-known 

 coasts. Even such work is done inefficiently ; and 

 its renewed efficiency would be no argument for 

 the neglect of Arctic exploration. At the time when 

 Arctic expeditions of discovery were despatched, the 

 more ordinary surveying operations were not neglected 

 Officers were surveying the coasts of these islands, Capt. 

 Graves was at work in the Mediterranean, CoUinson in 

 China, Kellett in the Pacific, and their vessels were pro- 

 perly equipped. Assuredly the Government are bound to 

 restore the Surveying Department to efficiency ; and such 

 a reformation would include the despatch of a thoroughly 

 well-equipped Arctic Expedition for survey and discovery. 

 We understand that a furthermost able and carefully-consi- 

 dered letter has been addressed to Mr. Gladstone on this 

 subject; and we earnestly trust that, after furtherconsidera- 

 tion, the Prime Minister will see that his plain duty points 

 in the same direction as political expediency. The coun- 

 try feels strongly on the subject ; and the resolution to 

 despatch an Arctic Expedition of discovery in 1874, will 

 meet with the hearty approval of all classes of the com- 

 munity. 



LOCAL SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES* 

 III. 

 i N the ten years succeeding i860 the number of local 

 -L scientific societies formed throughout the country was 

 more than double that of the previous decade, amounting 

 altogether to fifty-six, of which no less than forty-five are 

 field-clubs. Many of these are well known for producing 

 excellent work, but we must refer our readers to the list 

 at p. 521 of vol. viii. for details. The Ouekelt Club of 

 London was formed during this period, as were also a 

 number of clubs in the Severn Valley, the Eastbourne 

 Natural History Society, and others which have done 

 good work, but which are far too numerous to mention. 

 Two or three very excellent societies were formed in 

 North Britain during this decade, including the Perth- 

 shire Society of Natural History, which, at any rate as 

 represented by a few of its members, is one of the hardest- 



* Continued from p. 40. 



