TEANSACTIONS OF SECTION E. 741 



Isoclironic maps would probably be of mucb convenience to tourists. Tliey could 

 be constructed for the Continent or for home excursions. 



3. On the GeorjrapMcal Work of tlie Palestine Ex;plomtion Fund. 

 By Tkelawney Saunders. 

 The author gave an account of the survey of Western Palestine, to which the 

 Association had contributed, conducted by Lieutenant Oonder and Lieutenant 

 Kitchener, and now completed. It embraced nearly the extent attributed to the 

 Land of Canaan, in the earliest specification of a geographical boundary to be found 

 in Biblical history, viz., in the 10th chapter of Genesis. After an elaborate sketch 

 of the work of earlier e-xplorers, be proceeded to describe the siu-vey of Lieutenants 

 Conder and Kitchener. This had occupied from 1872 to 1877, and was executed on 

 the scale of one inch to a mile, and he believed that when the great difficulties 

 which the task had involved were considered— difficulties of climate, race, and 

 fanaticism— the map would be found to possess a fuhiess and acciu-acy far beyond 

 that of any other previously executed. It was now possible to luidertake a syste- 

 matic analysis of the natural features of the ground, its watercourses and drainage- 

 basins, its plains and highlands, with a degree of precision and detail that was pre- 

 viously imattaiuable for lack of knowledge. 



FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2. 

 The following Papers were read : — • 



1. On the Proc/ress of Geography in Asia during the last fifty years. 

 By Sir Richard Temple, Bart., G.G.8.L, F.B.G.'S. 



The author described the physical geography of Asia, and pointed out the portions 

 which, during the last half-century, had been sm-veyed, partially siu'veyed, or only 

 explored. As regards India and Ceylon great progress had beeii made. From the 

 base of the Himalayan range to the southernmost cape nearest Ceylon, the British 

 territories have been mapped, for the most part, with as much minuteness as tlie 

 best managed estates in Europe. The great rivers are well known ; the altitude of 

 many of the highest mountain-peaks has been determined. The coimtry has been 

 covered with a network of triangles, a large arc of the meridian determined, the 

 geodesic contour of the land ascertained. In two provinces only, Bengal and 

 Behar, is the field-survey wanting. The geography of Afghanistan and Beluchis- 

 tan is, however, utterly incomplete. The territory here is not only difficult from 

 its mountainous character, cold climate in many quarters, and desert character in 

 others, but also rendered inaccessible to surveying parties by the fierce character of 

 its inhabitants. During the recent war, however, a surveying staft" was attached to 

 the military establishment, by whom the route was siu-veyed and valuable results 

 obtained. Still the work in Afghanistan is very incomplete. The geography of 

 Beluchistan is even less advanced. Of the north-eastern portion considerable know- 

 ledge has been gained of late years. The Chinese have bestowed much labour on 

 topography, but their siu-veys have not been scientific, their maps not precise, and 

 the general geography is not exactly determined. The grave changes which have 

 been brought about in Japan have led to a greatly increased knowledge of those 

 islands. The Russian Government has done much in the northern parts of Asia. 

 The physical geography of Persia is, as yet, very imperfectly kno-WTi. The author 

 passed on to notice the nautical and geological sm-veys, concluding by pointing 

 out the principal problems that yet await solution. 



