Anniversary Address. 13 



cnliglitened compeer Sir William Denison^ for tlie publi- 

 cation of tlie Natural History, using the term in its Avidest 

 significance, of the British possessions throughout the world, 

 at the joint expense of the Mother Country and the Colonies, 

 the latter contributing the descriptive materials and scientific 

 data, the former being at the expense of engraving the illus- 

 trations and editing the work. 



A more comprehensive or imperial design cannot easily be 

 imagined, and I am happy to state it has received the 

 cordial approval of the Royal Society of Great Britain, to 

 whom it was referred for report by the late Secretary of 

 State for the Colonial Department. Should it be determined 

 to carry it into execution, the co-operation of this Society 

 will no doubt be invoked, and from the able manner in which 

 some of its members have recently reported, at the instance of 

 the Royal Society of Arts, on the productions of the Colony, I 

 feel confident I may reckon on its aid to accelerate the 

 scientific portion of the undertaking. 



In the meanwhile, it is worthy of being considered whether, 

 in any event, certain principles of uniformity might not be 

 introduced into all official publications in this and the adja- 

 cent colonies, as has, I know, been attempted by the Regis- 

 trar-General in regard to their statistics. A great deal of 

 unnecessary trouble and expense^ as well as of needless repeti- 

 tion, might thus be spared in the production of any great 

 National Work hereafter. 



There is a second subject of scientific interest which will I 

 hope occupy a good deal of your attention during the ensuing 

 twelvemonth — namely, the superintendence of preparations 

 for the exploration of the interior. 



I rejoice that this Colony is at length about to take its 

 share in this important National duty. Our very presence 

 here to night may be said to be attributable to the love of 

 science and of maritime discovery which the Anglo-Saxon 



