318 REPORT— 1888. 



to provide the proposed contribution. They arrive at this conclusion, how- 

 ever, with sincere regret, and would have been glad to have co-operated 

 with the Australian Colonies in an enterprise having something more 

 than a merely commercial purpose. Perhaps, however, my Lords may 

 be allowed to regard the present proposal as an indication that if any like 

 expedition be undertaken hereafter by the Imperial Government some 

 of the British Colonies more closely interested in it might not be un- 

 willing to contribute towards its cost. 



C. G. Bakeington. 

 The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. 



The Committee appointed (October 27) to consider and report upon 

 the letter from the Colonial Office having reference to the question of an 

 Antarctic expedition beg leave to embody their report in the following 

 draft reply : — 



Sir, — Your letter of August 27, with enclosures relative to a pi-oposed 

 Antarctic expedition, has been carefully considered by the President and 

 Council, with the assistance of a committee consisting of Fellows of the 

 Society specially qualified to form a judgment on the matter, and I am 

 directed to reply as follows : — 



Many observations of great scientific value might be made in the 

 Antarctic regions, and it would be very desirable in the interests of 

 science to embrace an opportunity of making them. Among such 

 observations may be mentioned, in what is perhaps the order of their 

 importance — 



1. Hydrographical observations, especially with regard to the distri- 

 bution of open sea. 



2. Meteorological observations, especially with regard to the barometi-ic 

 pressure and the direction of the winds, to which may be added observa- 

 tions on the Aurora australis. 



8. Magnetic observations, more particularly with a view to determine 

 the changes which have taken place in the magnetic elements since the 

 expedition of Sir J. Ross in 1839-43. 



4. Observations on the temperature of the ocean and on ocean 

 currents. 



5. Soundings and dredgings and observations on the nature of* the 

 sea-bottom. 



6. Collections and observations on the marine fauna and flora. 



7. Should land be anywhere discovered geological and biological 

 observations thereon would be of exceedingly great value. 



It is obvious that an expedition adequately prepared and equipped 

 to carry out all the above various observations would involve an expen- 

 diture far exceeding the 10,000Z. mentioned in your letter ; but the 

 President and Council are led to believe that this sum would suffice for 

 a smaller pioneer expedition, which, while avowedly not designed to 

 undertake an exhaustive inquiry, would be able, under competent 

 direction, to make a careful survey of the northern boundai'y of the 

 circumpolar ice region to determine approximately the distribution of 

 open water and the direction of oceanic currents, to take magnetical 

 and meteorological observations, and, by means of the tow-net and the 

 di-edge, used at moderate depths, to collect pelagic animals and plants. 



The results of such a general survey, even though not wholly com- 

 plete, would not only of themselves be of great interest and value, but 



