EE 
TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION E. 799 
the average level of those plains which form the floor of the deep ocean-basins. 
‘We may also understand how the defect of mass under the continents and an 
excess of mass under the oceans have been brought about, as well as deficiency of 
mass under mountains and excess of mass under plains. Even the local anomalies 
indicated by the plumb-line, gravity, and magnetic observations may in this way 
receive a rational explanation. It has been urged that an enormous time—greater 
even than what is demanded by Darwin—would be necessary for an evolution of 
the existing surface features on these lines, I do not think so. Indeed, in all that 
relates to geological time I agree, generally speaking, with the physicists rather 
than with the biologists and geologists, 
Progress of Oceanic Research. 
I have now touched on some of the problems and speculations suggested by 
recent deep-sea explorations; and there are many others, equally attractive, to 
which no reference has been made. It is abundantly evident that, for the satisfac- 
tory explanation of many marine phenomena, further observations and explorations 
are necessary. Happily there is no sign that the interest in oceanographical work 
has in any way slackened. On the contrary, the number of scientific men and 
ships engaged in the study of the ocean is rapidly increasing. Among all civilised 
peoples and in all quarters of the globe the economic importance of many of the 
problems that await solution is clearly recognised. 
We have every reason to be proud of the work continually carried on by the 
officers and ships attached to the fy draeeaihis Department of the British Navy. 
They have surveyed coasts in all parts of the world for the purposes of navigation, 
and within the past few years have greatly enlarged our knowledge of the sea-bed 
and deeper waters over wide stretches of the Pacific and other oceans. The 
samples of the bottom which are procured, being always carefully preserved by the 
officers, have enabled very definite notions to be formed as to the geographical and 
bathymetrical distribution of marine deposits. 
The ships belonging to the various British Telegraph Cable Companies have 
done most excellent work in this as well as in other directions. Even during the 
present year Mr. R. E. Peake has in the s.s. Britannia procured 477 deep soundings 
in the North Atlantic, besides a large collection of deep-sea deposits, and many 
deep-sea temperature and current observations. 
The French have been extending the valuable work of the Talisman and 
Travailleur, while the Prince of Monaco is at the present moment carrying on his 
oceanic investigations in the Arctic Seas with a large new yacht elaborately and 
specially fitted out for such work. The Russians have recently been engaged in 
the scientific exploration of the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, and a special ship 
is now employed in the investigation of the Arctic fisheries of the Murman coast 
under the direction of Professor Knipowitsch. Admiral Makaroff has this summer 
been hammering his way through Arctic ice, and at the same time carrying on a great 
variety of systematic observations and experiments on board the Yermak—the most 
powerful and most effective instrument of marine research ever constructed. Mr. 
Alexander Agassiz has this year recommenced his deep-sea explorations in the 
Pacific on board the U.S. steamer Albatross. He proposes to cross the Pacific in 
several directions, and to conduct investigations among the Paumotu and other 
coral island groups. Professor Weber is similarly employed on board a Dutch 
man-of- war in the East Indian Seas. The Deutsche Seewarte at Hamburg, under 
the direction of Dr. Neumayer, continues its praiseworthy assistance and encourage- 
ment to all investigators of the ocean, and this year the important German Deep- 
sea Expedition, in the s.s. Valdivia, arrived home after most successful oceano- 
graphical explorations in the Atlantic, Indian, and Great Southern Oceans. 
The Belgica has returned to Europe safely with a wealth of geological and 
biological collections and physical observations, after spending, for the first time 
on record, a whole winter among the icefields and icebergs of the Antarctic. Mr. 
Borchgrevink in December last again penetrated to Cape Adare, successfully landed 
his party at that point, and is now wintering on the Antarctic continent. The 
