168 REPORT—1874. 
last winter in the unknown parts of the Libyan Desert, one of the features of which 
was a march of thirty-six days between Dakhleh and the oasis of Jupiter Ammon 
without finding a single well. Sir Samuel Baker’s record of the expedition from 
which he has recently returned will shortly be published ; and the journals of Dr. 
Livingstone, which form a most important contribution to geographical lnow- 
ledge, are being prepared for publication by his son. ‘ 
Africa.—Lieutenant,Cameron, R.N., has reached Ujiji, and extracts from a journal 
which he has sent home will be read to you; the observations which he has made are of 
high value, and the presence of a trained surveyor on the shores of Lake Tanganyika 
cannot fail to be followed by great results. A short report of Dr. Nachtigal’s 
travels has been prepared for this Section; and Dr. Rowe, who acted as Chief of the 
Staff to Sir John Glover during his recent operations on the Gold Coast, will read 
an interesting paper on the country passed through on the march to Coomassie, and 
thence to the coast. Two engineer officers, Lieutenants Watson and Chippindall, 
have recently left England to join Colonel Gordon at Gondokoro, with the special 
object of surveying the territory over which Colonel Gordon has been appointed 
Governor by the Khedive. As the officers are well supplied with instruments, &c., 
most important results, including, I hope, a survey of the Lake-district, may be 
expected from their labours. Of Colonel Gordon’s progress a few notes will be 
communicated to you. In Algeria the French have been actively engaged on the 
survey of the country, and the exact level of the Chott Melghir has been deter- 
mined. Mr. Stanley’s second expedition to the east coast of Africa, under the 
auspices of an English and an American newspaper, should not remain unnoticed ; 
and I cannot pass from Africa without expressing my deep regret at the death of Dr. 
Beke, whose travels in Abyssinia were rewarded by the gold medal of the Society, 
and whose observations in that country were, from their great accuracy, of so much 
service during the Abyssinian war. 
Asia.—The survey of Palestine (a work which has been said by a distinguished 
German geographer to mark the commencement of a new era in geographical 
research) is progressing favourably, and has led to the formation of an American 
Society for the exploration of the country east of Jordan, which has already 
done good service in the field, and of a German Society for the exploration of 
Phenicia. The Rev. Dr. Porter, from whose labours in Palestine every one 
who has visited or takes an interest in the country has derived so much profit 
and pleasure, will read a paper on the lesser-known parts of Eastern Palestine, 
which he has recently visited, and a paper on the progress of the survey has 
been prepared by Lieut. Conder, R.E., the officer in charge. Our own survey 
is, I regret to say, languishing for want of funds, whilst that of the Americans is 
receiving that support from the people which it deserves; the serious loss which 
the fund has experienced in the death of Mr. Drake, who recently succumbed to an 
attack of fever at Jerusalem, and who had previously devoted his best energies to 
the work, must be still fresh in your memories. Lieut. Gill, R.E., who accom- 
panied Col, V. Biker last year on a tour to Meshed and the head waters of the 
Atrek, has prepared an account of their journey, which will be found to contain 
much information on the important questions connected with the north-eastern 
frontier of Persia. Some most interesting particulars of the visit of a portion of 
Mr. Forsyth’s mission to the Great Pamir and Wakhan have been kindly supplied 
by Col. Biddulph, R.A., from letters received from his brother, Captain Biddulph. 
The vast importance of this journey, both as regards the geography and topography 
of the Pamir, and the light which it throws on the boundaries of Wakhan, cannot 
be exaggerated. The success of the party has, however, been purchased by the loss 
of Dr. Stoliczka, who died from the effects of fatigue and exposure within a few 
marches of Leh. Mr. Delmar Morgan has prepared a very valuable paper on early 
Russian exploration in Central Asia, which will be found to be of great interest ; 
and Mr. MacGahan, the enterprising correspondent of the ‘New York Herald,’ 
whose adventurous journey across the Kyzil-kum desert obtained for him, from 
the Russians, the title of molodyetz (a brave fellow), has forwarded some interesting 
details relative to the geographical work of the Khivan Expedition. 
The Russian scientific expeditions for the exploration of the delta of the Oxus, 
the old bed of the Yany Darya, and of the Aral-Caspian steppe have been for some 
