948 REPORT— 1898. 



assistance of local societies, in this case the Royal Scottish Geographical Society. 

 This principle carried out still further by the reference of doubtful names to more 

 strictly local societies, or a body constituted from them, is desirable. But if local 

 knowledge is desirable in the case of the orthography of place names, it is not only 

 desirable, but essential to success, in selecting the names for the smaller scale 

 maps. The present method is a failure, as witness the new one-inch maps in 

 Lancashire, where not only are the names of important places omitted or wrongly 

 placed, but the selection of names which do appear is generally unsatisfactory. 

 This arises from the modern method of producing the smaller scale maps — viz., the 

 mechanical reduction from the larger scale. It is stated that the names on the 

 smaller scale maps are gone over on the ground, but the revision seems perfunc- 

 tory. It does not prevent serious error. The revision of the survey generally 

 should have been carried out from local centres, where local knowledge and ex- 

 perience would have had their due weight. 



2. On the Employment of Balloons for Geographical Research. 

 By Capt. B. Baden-Powell, Scots Guards. 



Many difficulties beset explorers in wild countries. Much time has to be 

 devoted to the journey, transport of supplies, hostility of natives, progress through 

 jungles, marshes, and rivers. Hot and unhealthy climates, or extreme cold, all 

 present great difficulties. There is, however, one high road which leads un- 

 obstructed to all parts — the air. An aeronaut, seated in the car of a balloon, 

 floats along above all impediments and obstructions, travelling day and night at 

 the speed of the wind, and with an extensive view of all the country below. But 

 there are two practical difficulties to be overcome. First, the balloon travels 

 wherever the wind chooses to take it ; secondly, no free balloon has as yet ever 

 remained up longer than a day or two. Various methods have been suggested to 

 overcome these — propelling the balloon, utilising variable air currents, and sailing 

 with a guide-rope have been tried for directing, while for keeping a balloon at 

 given elevation vertical screws, compressing pumps, and guide-ropes have been 

 devised, the latter being the most practical solution. Actual leakage of gas is not 

 a serious matter with a good balloon, as sufficient ballast can be carried to com- 

 pensate for it. Man-lifting kites might be used instead of a balloon, but the trail- 

 rope would probably have to be of such a weight as to prohibit its practical use. 

 Before deciding on the details of a balloon outfit for such a journey, the locality 

 must be named. Egypt presents many most desirable qualifications : steady winds 

 prevail up the Nile, the deserts on either side are most favourable ground for 

 trailing over, Cairo forms a well-supplied base to start from, and the longer the 

 journey is continued the more interesting does the country become. The most 

 suitable equipment for such a country would consist of several balloons supporting 

 one car, an awning spread over the top, a lightning-conductor, a large sail, and a 

 long and heavy guide-rope : the car boat-shaped and waterproofed. The total 

 capacity of the balloons should be about 100,000 cubic feet, capable of lifting 

 nearly- 7,000 lbs., whicJi weight allows for four men, provisions and water to last 

 thirty days, and instruments, arms, &c. The leakage is estimated to necessitate 

 the discharge of about 140 lbs. daily, and the consumption of provisions and dis- 

 charge of the ballast taken would enable the balloon to remain in the air, if 

 necessary, for over three weeks, during which time it might be expected to travel 

 some G,000 miles. 



3. The Use of Electric Balloon Signalling in Arctic and Antarctic 

 Expeditions. By Eric Stuart Bruce, M.A. Oxon., F.R.Met.Soc. 



The absence of means of intercommunication is one of the most distressing 

 deprivations which befalls the Arctic and Antarctic explorer. In Dr. Nansen's 

 recent expedition, the want of some bond of communication between the drifting 

 ship and a party leaving the vessel for only short excursions was severely felt, 



