(5 EEPORT — 1869. 



but nevertheless important results were obtained. Dredging was successfully 

 accomplished at a depth of 650 fathoms ; and the existence was established 

 of a varied and abundant submarine Fauna, at depths which had generally- 

 been supposed to be either azoic, or occupied by animals of a very low type ; 

 and the character of the Fauna and of the mud brought up was such as to 

 point to a chalk formation actually going on. 



It seemed desirable to carry the soundings to still greater depths, and to 

 examine more fully the changes of temperature which had been met with in 

 the descent. Another application was accordingly made to the Admiralty in 

 the present year, and was no less readily acceded to than the former ; and a 

 lar"-er vessel than that used last year is now on her cruize. I am informed 

 by Dr. Carpenter that dredging has been successfully carried down to more 

 than 2400 fathoms (nearly the height of Mont Blanc), and that animal Ufe 

 has been found even at that depth in considerable varieti/, though its amount 

 and hind are obviously influenced by the reduction of temperature to Arctic 

 coldness. A very careful series of temperature soundings has been taken, 

 showing, on the same spot, a continuous descent of temperature with the 

 depth, at first more rapid, afterwards pretty uniform. Thermometers pro- 

 tected from pressure by a plan devised by Dr. Miller were found to main- 

 tain their character at the great depths reached, the difference between them 

 and the best ordinary thermometers used in the same sounding being exactly 

 conformable to the pressure corresponding with each depth, as determined by 

 the experiments previously made in smaller depths. All the observations 

 hitherto made go to confirm the idea of a general interchange of polar and 

 equatorial water, the former occupying the lowest depths, the latter forming 

 a superficial stratum of 700 or 800 fathoms. The analyses of the water 

 brought up indicate a large proportion of carbonic acid in the gases of the 

 deep waters, and a general diffusion of organic matter. 



I must turn for a few moments to another application recently made to 

 Government, which has not been successful. The application I have iu_ 

 view was made, not by the British Association or other Scientific Societies 

 in their corporate capacity, but by a body composed of the Presidents of the 

 British Association and of the Royal and other leading Scientific Societies ; 

 and its object was, not the promotion of Science directly, but the recognition, 

 of preeminent scientific merit. In the history of science few names, indeed, 

 hold so prominent a place as that of Faraday. The perfect novelty of prin- 

 ciple and recondite nature of many of his great discoveries are such as to 

 bear the impress of genius of the highest order, and to form an epoch in the 

 advance of science; and while his scientific labours excited tlie admiration, 

 of men of science throughout the world, his singularl}- genial disposition, 

 and modest imassuming character, won for him the love of those who had 

 the happiness of numbering him among their personal friends. At a 

 meeting of the Presidents of the Scientific Societies [to which I have al- 

 luded, it was resolved to erect a statue in memory of Faraday. He 

 was a man of whom England may well be proud, and it was thought 

 that it would be a graceful recognition of his merits if the monument 

 were erected at the public expense. The present Chancellor of the Ex- 

 chequer, however, did not think it right tliat the recognition of scien- 

 tific merit, however eminent, should fall on the taxation of the country, 

 though even in a pecuniary point of view the country has received so much 

 benefit from the labours of scientific men. The carrying oiit of the resolu- 

 tion being thus left to private exertion, a public meeting, pi'csided over by 

 H.R.H. the Prince of Walesj was held in the Koyal Institution, an establishment 



