PROCEEDINGS, SEPTEMBER. 



that the work was proposed to be done, not by us, but at the instigation, 

 and with the assistance of persons on the other side of the world who 

 do not belong to our race or speak our language. He very heartily 

 appreciated the motives which had induced Baron Nordensk'iold to make 

 this noble offer, and would not say a word against it, but he still thought 

 that in a matter of this sort it was a disgrace to the Australasian Colonies 

 that the work should be in any way taken out of their hands, or conducted 

 m a manner over which they could not exercise control. The Colonies were 

 perfectly willing, as he was sure they were capable of doing the work, and 

 it they took the matter in hand he was convinced that it would be much 

 better than if done under what must be the divided counsels of people on 

 the other side of the world and those now taking part in it from this side. 

 The Australian" Colonies were now beginning to found a Navy, and he hoped 

 that it would gain as bright laurels in the South as the Navy of the Mother 

 Country had gained in the North. He thought that it would be a great 

 Pity if the carrying out of such an expedition as that proposed should be 

 in any other hands than that of the Australian Colonies. 



His Excellency : It would be more in order if you propose an 

 amendment. 



Mr. Mault said he would rather vote against the motion a direct 

 negative. 



Mr. J, B. Walker suggested that voting on the question should be 

 Postponed until other matters relating to the subject were discussed, 

 and this was agreed to. 



Mr. A. Mokton read a satisfactory progress report of the Joint 

 Committee of the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia (Victorian 

 Branch) and the Royal Society of Victoria, on the proposed Swedish 

 expedition to the Antarctic regions. It stated that the Council of the 

 Victorian branch of the Society had been authorised to head a sub- 

 scription list in aid of the proposed expedition with a donation of £200 

 from the Society's funds. The starting point was altered from " Hob- 

 son's Bay" to " an Australasian port," and communication had been 

 made with the various colonies in order to get the co-operation ot the 

 various Royal Societies in an appeal to the public for funds in aid of 

 the proposed expedition. 



Mr. J. B. Walker read a short and interesting account ot the last 

 Antarctic expedition, taken from Sir James Ross's book on the Antarctic 

 expedition of the Erebus and Terror. The paper was illustrated by 

 a map of the discoveries made, and in conclusion he said that whales 

 existed in great numbers, and valuable seals might be obtained ; while 

 Ross spoke of enormous beds of guano which were practically inex- 

 haustible. The result altogether would not, he thought, be of much 

 value commercially, but of very great advantage to science in such prob- 

 •ems as whether the South Pole, like the Northern regions, had once 

 enjoyed a temperate climate, and what effect those regions had on the 

 Tasmanian and Australian climates. The Antarctic regions were within 

 a week's steam of Melbourne or Hobart, and he made an earnest 

 appeal to Australasia to undertake the important work of exploring that 

 region. 



Mr. A. Morton read a paper entitled, "What Science and Com- 

 merce may gain from an Antarctic Expedition." He referred to the 

 scientific results that had been obtained from expeditions to the North 

 Pole in the way of the confirmation and correction of scientific theories 

 relating to ocean currents, magnetic deviations, climatology, geogra- 

 phical distribution of plants, animals, etc. In respect to commerce, 

 mention was made of the discoveries of the White Sea route to Russia and 

 its consequent trade, the establishment of the Spitzbergen fisheries, and 

 the opening up of new lucrative whaling grounds in Baffin's Bay. The 



