REPORT OF THE COUNCIL. Ixyxi 



(1) That the Council of the Association be requested to give their full support 

 to the efforts being made to induce the Government to send out a fully- 

 equipped expedition for the exploration of the Antarctic and Southern Seaa. 



In reference to this resolution, the Secretaries received the following 

 communication from Mr. Clements R. Markham, President of the Royal 

 Geographical Society : — 



' I have the honour to bring to the notice of the Council of the British 

 Association the steps that have been taken, within the last year, with a 

 view to the renewal of Antarctic research. 



'On November 27, 1893, a very important and interesting paper was 

 read to a meeting of the Royal Geographical Society by Dr. John Murray, 

 of the " Challenger " Expedition, a copy of which is enclosed. The argu- 

 ments and the detailed information contained in Dr. Murray's paper 

 appeared to my Council to place the importance of renewing Antarctic re- 

 search in such a convincing light that they resolved to take action in the 

 matter. I, therefore, appointed a Committee of experts to report upon 

 the points bearing on the renewal of Antarctic research, and on the 

 despatch of an expedition. 



' On the receipt of the Report of this Society's Antarctic Committee, a 

 copy of which I enclose, the Secretary of the Royal Society was addressed 

 with a view to the matter receiving the consideration of the Council 

 of that influential body. It was referred to a very strong Committee, 

 which made its report last May, a copy of which is enclosed. The 

 Report of this Committee of the Royal Society dwells chiefly on the 

 requirements of magnetism, and shows the necessity for despatching an 

 Antarctic Expedition for the completion of magnetic observations, which 

 are both of scientific and practical importance. The Committee also 

 points out that many other branches of science besides magnetism will be 

 largely advanced by such an expedition ; and, referring to the present 

 condition of the ice in the southern circumpolar region, it considers that 

 the despatch of an expedition may assume a character of urgency. 



' It is very encouraging to find that the President and Council of the 

 Royal Society, as I am informed in a letter from the Secretary, a copy of 

 which is enclosed, fully indorse the views of the Committee as regards the 

 great scientific importance of the results of Antarctic research. 



' The Council of the Royal Society, however, considered it their duty 

 to raise the subject of expense, and in a private interview at the Admiralty 

 a Deputation was informed that the Chancellor of the Exchequer, as then 

 advised, could only confirm a doubt that had been raised whether the 

 Imperial finances could bear the expense of the proposed expedition. 



'At the present juncture the question of the cost of the expedition is 

 irrelevant. An exaggerated estimate may have been made by those 

 who are unacquainted with the arrangement of heads of account and 

 other details, and who have not taken various collateral points into con- 

 sideration. It will be for the members of the Deputation eventually 

 selected by the united scientific and other bodies to ascertain the actual 

 cost, and to place themselves in a position to answer all questions of 

 expense, when the proper time comes for the subject of Antarctic research 

 being brought before Her Majesty's Government for favourable considera- 

 tion. They will, I believe, be able to show that the trifling expense bears 

 no comparison with the gain to science; to the Navy, and to Imperial 

 interests. 



1895. e 



