714 KEPOiiT— 1891. 



when the wealth flowing through the Canal of Suez is beginning to revivify the 

 commerce of Italy, England may comfort herself with the thought that in her own 

 •colonies and in the states which have sprung up across the Atlantic she may find 

 ample compensation for any possible loss that may accrue to her through geographi- 

 cal advantages being once more allowed to have full play. 



I am afraid I have unduly tried your patience. I believe you will agree with 

 me that no single individual can be expected to master all those departments which 

 are embraced within the wide field of geography. Even the master-mind of a 

 Humboldt fell short of this, and facts have accumulated since his time at an appal- 

 ling rate. All that can be expected of our modern geographer is that he should 

 command a comprehensive general view of his field, and that he should devote his 

 energies and capacities to the thorough cultivation of one or more departments that 

 lie witliin it. 



The following Papers were read : — 



1. The Art of Observing. By John Coles, F.B.A.S., Map Curator mid 

 Instructor in Practical Astronomy and Surveying to the Royal Geo- 

 graphical Society. 



In this paper the art of observing with portable instruments, for latitude and 

 longitude, is described, as well as the use of such simple surveying instruments as 

 the plane table and prismatic compass. The dirterent methods suitable to explorers 

 of fixing positions by astronomical observations are explained, and the manner in 

 which they may be taken so as to ehminate errors is pointed out. The latter part 

 of the paper deals with surveying, fixing heights by barometer, route surveying in 

 a jungle or forest, and concludes with a description of the Solar Compass attach- 

 ment, as applied to theodolites for finding the true meridian, and some remarks on 

 Mercator's projection in cases where it is required to lay down bearings, &c., or 

 plot a route. The author also calls attention to the fact that such instruments as 

 the plane table and prismatic compass might be used with advantage in schools, 

 and that such practical teaching in the field could not fail to give pupils a more 

 intimate knowledge of the principle on which maps are constructed and surveys 

 carried out than they could gain in any other way. 



2. Recent Geographical Progress in Great Britain. 

 By J. Scott Keltie. 



Mr. Keltie referred to the efforts made by the Royal Geographical Society 

 during tbe last twenty-six years to improve the position of geography in British 

 schools. For about twenty years the Society offered prizes annually to be com- 

 peted for by the pupils of the great public schools ; but very few schools availed 

 themselves of the examination, and so few candidates came forward that the 

 scheme was dropped. The Society also instituted a course of lectures by eminent 

 men of science on various aspects of geography, in order to improve the prevailing 

 conception of the subject, but this also had little result. 



In 1884 the Society appointed Mr. Keltie to conduct an inquiry into the posi- 

 tion of geography in educational institutions in Great Britain and in the Continent 

 of Europe. He visited the leading schools in the British Islands, conferred with 

 the University authorities of Oxford and Cambridge, and inquired into the posi- 

 tion of the subject in the examinations for the public service. He visited France, 

 Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, Holland, and made inquiries con- 

 cerning other European countries, as well as the United States of America. Mr. 

 Keltie also collected the materials for an exhibition of appliances used in geogra- 

 phical education. He presented to the Society a report on the results of his 

 inquiry. The exhibition was held in London, Birmingham, Bradford, and Edin- 

 burgh, and in connection therewith a series of lectures on various aspects of geo- 



