llQr REPORT — 1866. 



Notes on Eastern Persia and Western BeloocMstan. By Col. F. J. Goldsmid, 

 This memoir gave the principal results of journeys into little-known countries 

 undertaken by the author (iu 1864-G6) in surveying- the line for the Indian tele- 

 graph. The 'most important portion of his travels was that between Sabristan, 

 S.E. of Kirman, and Chou, on the coast of Beloochistan via Bampur and the Pass 

 of Fauoch. The author found that the city of Kirman lies very much more to the 

 eastward and less to the southward of Yezd than it is supposed. In the march 

 from Regan to Bampur Colonel Goldsmid passed along a track different from that 

 marked on Pottinger's map ; and between Bampur and the sea the road lay entirely 

 through new country. He believed that the laying of telegraph wires through 

 Mekran and the upper regions of Beloochistan would be productive of good results 

 iu our relations with those little-known countries — results quite as important as 

 rapid communication between England and the East. 



Palestine Exploeation Fund. — A Report on the TopograpMcal Results of 

 the first Expedition sent out hy that Association, toivards tuhich, at the last 

 Meeting, a grant of £100 had been made hy the General Committee. By 

 G. Geove, Hon. Secretary to the Fund. 



The expedition was placed under the charge of Capt. C. "W. Wilson, R.E., with 

 whom was associated Lieut. Anderson, R.E., and Corporal Phillips as photo- 

 grapher. The party were well supplied with chronometers and other instruments, 

 and their instructions were to make accurate and systematic observations between 

 Damascus and Jerusalem. They were constantly occupied from December 1865 to 

 May 1866. The present Report embraced the topographical investigations only, 

 v\'hich, however, were very important. Forty-nine separate places, the positions of 

 which were before unknown, have been accurately fixed, both in longitude and lati- 

 tude, detailed reconnaissance sketches for maps have been made, on a large scale, 

 of the whole backbone of the country from north to south, and of several outlying 

 districts, such as the basin of the Lake of Galilee, the district of Samaria, and the 

 valleys between Jerusalem and the sea. Passages were read from reports by Capt. 

 Wilson and Mr. Anderson, detailing the method pursued in obtaining the observa- 

 tions, and testifying how carefully and systematically their work was done. An 

 an-angement had been made with IMr. Murray by which these maps would very 

 shortly be made public, under the superintendence of Mr. Grove himself A very 

 substantial step has been taken by this Association towards putting the map of the 

 Holy Land right, and one which should encourage its supporters to still further 

 efforts. The Report comprised a recommendation by Capt. Wilson that stations 

 should be established and supplied with instruments for regular meteorological 

 observations. Competent persons resident in the country had promised their 

 services, and thus a great want would be supplied, as no observations on climate 

 have been taken, except at Jerusalem and Damascus. Mr. Grove announced the 

 intention of the Association to persevere until every square mile in Palestine has 

 been properly and accurately surveyed and mapped ; tiU every mound of ruins has 

 been examined and sifted ;' the name of every village ascertained, recorded, and 

 compared with the lists in the Bible ; till all "the ancient roads have been traced; 

 the geoloo-y made out ; the natural history and botany fully known. In further- 

 ance of these intentions, a second expedition will shortly be sent out to excavate in 

 detail at Capernaum, Cana, Samaria, Nazareth, and Jerusalem. Another party (of 

 v>hom it was hoped Mr. Prestwich, F.G.S., would be chief) will attack the geology 

 and the natural history, so ably hegim by the Rev. II. B. Tristram. A work on the 

 modern Syrians is in preparation by Mr.' Rogers, of Damascus, under the encourage- 

 ment of the Palestine Fund, as a companion to Lane's ' Modern Egyptians.' The 

 names of villages, &c., are being collected by a competent resident Arabic scholar, 

 and five meteorological stations are to be appointed, to which instruments will be 

 furnished under the sanction of the Kew Committee. In conclusion, Mr. Grove 

 drew the attention of the Meeting to the importance of these researches as cor- 

 roborating the statements of the Bible, Avliich purported to be mainly a record of 

 facts, and of facts about certain definite localities. Hitherto the book has been 

 tested by internal e-\idence chiefly ; the time has arrived when other tests must be 



