xlvi Minutes of Meetings. 



tific Societies of the Colony/' — Drs. Eades, Macadam, Maclean, 

 and Messrs. Macgillivray, Sinnett, Ellery, Rawlinson and Verdon, 

 and the Rev. William Henderson. 



The Committee was agreed to. 



The Secretary read a communication from Mr. Clarson, with- 

 drawing - the notice of motion standing - in his name. 



Dr. Wilkie having vacated the chair, which was taken by Dr. 

 Iffla, brought forward his motion on the subject of Australian Ex- 

 ploration, and nominated as a Committee, the following - gentle- 

 men, members of the Institute : — The Hon. Captain Clarke, R.E., 

 President; the Hon. W. C. Haines, M.L.A.; the Hon. John 

 O'Shanassy, M.L.A. ; the Hon. John Hodgson, M.L.A. ; the 

 Hon. the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly ; the Hon. R. 

 C. Hope, M.L.C. ; Professors Wilson, Irving, McCoy and 

 Hearn ; Drs. Mueller, Iffla, Macadam, Gillbee, Knaggs, McLean 

 and Turnbull; the Rev. Messrs. Bleasdale and Morison; Professor 

 Neumayer ; Messrs. Selwyn, Edward Wilson, Rawlinson, Blan- 

 dowski, Knight, Dobree, Bonwick, Elliot, Bland, Farewell and 

 Acheson, and the mover, with power to add to their number. 



Dr. Wilkie, in bringing forward his motion, stated that the' 

 geographical exploration of the interior was a subject of great 

 national importance. On scientific grounds it was peculiarly the 

 province of the Institute to promote this great object. The pro- 

 posed search for Leichhardt would, he felt assured, command the 

 warmest sympathy of the members and the public. In no part 

 of the world was there so wide an extent of available country for 

 the future settlement of the surplus population of the old world. 

 The exploration of the interior was, therefore, fraught with the 

 most important results. He referred to the indomitable courage 

 displayed by Dr. Livingston in Africa and to his extraordinary 

 success as an explorer. He referred, further, to ihe valuable re- 

 sults of the exploring expeditions of Sturt, Leichhardt, Mitchell, and 

 Gregory. He recommended that the proposed expedition should 

 follow the northern boundary of Sturt's desert, which, he believed 

 would be found not far north of the tropic of Capricorn ; the beau- 

 tiful country on the Victoria river, near this latitude, favored this 

 opinion. There was every probability of gaining some tidings 

 respecting Leichhardt's fate by exploring this route. Six thousand 

 pounds would be necessary to organize and maintain a suitable ex- 

 ploring party for a period of two years, which would suffice for 

 the proposed objects. New South Wales had fitted out many ex- 

 ploring expeditions ; South Australia and Swan River had also had 

 their exploring parties. The Royal Geographical Society of London 

 and the Home Government had contributed large sums for the same 

 end. Victoria, alone, had hitherto seemed to forget the claims of 

 science and the future interests of Australia, but ought, from her 

 unexampled wealth, and her large and rapidly increasing popula- 



