eludes his very interesting paper as follows :—" The excursion oi this 

 small sealing schooner shows what large additions might in a short time 

 be made to our geographical knowledge by a properly equipped expedi- 

 tion provided with steam power. If our Government would send for a 

 British expedition, as is now being proposed, almost every branch of 

 natural science would be enriched. Such an expedition must be accom- 

 panied by scientific men, and be fitted with all the apparatus of 

 scientific investigations, or otherwise the expenditure and risk would 

 hardly be justified. To determine the extent and nature of the land 

 making up the Antarctic Continent, to penetrate into the interior of 

 this continent, to ascertain the depth and condition of the ice cap, to 

 take magnetic and meteorological observations on sea and land, to sound 

 the ocean, to ascertain the temperature of ocean waters at all depths, 

 to trawl up the animals on the sea floor, and to study the nature of 

 the marine deposit: ; all this wou'd be the work of a modern British 

 Antarctic expedition. It is earnestly demanded by the science of our 

 day, and should be undertaken by the Royal Navy in the same way as 

 the expeditions of Cook, of Boss, and of the Challenger. It is to be 

 hoped that the scientific societies and the general public will soon urge 

 this matter on the attention of our Government. It is evidently our 

 duty to undertake this kind of work as in the past. If we do not do 

 so, then it is good evidence that the present generation takes little 

 interest in conquests over the powers of nature, and is little concerned 

 in maintaining the maritime position and scientific reputation of this 

 great empire." 



With Dr. Murray's paper is an extract from the Jason's Journal, 

 from November 15, 1893, to December 14 of the same year. Captain 

 Larsen gives the weather from calm and sunshine to good strong 

 northerly and westerly winds. They saw and captured several seals, 

 saw what they describe many blue whales and grampuses. On the 6th 

 December he describes the weather as having bten nice and warm, also 

 saw many birds and some small fish with large eyes. 



Mr. R M. Johnston also concurred in the necessity of the Royal 

 Navy undertaking the work of exploration in the Antarctic Seas There 

 Were many problems to solve, especially in regard to the existence of 

 pre-glacial vegetation in the regions as had been found in the Arctic 

 sphere. It would be of very great scientific interest, and although it 

 Was to be feared that local governments might not be inclined to 

 undertake the work for. a year or so, still he hoped that it would not 

 pe long before such an expedition set out either from the shores of 

 Tasmania or Australia. 



The Secretary (Mr. Morton) submitted a paper prepared by Mr. 

 George Hogben upon "Tasmanian Earthquakes [of 1892," which was 

 read, 



