328 Progress of Indian Maritime Surveys. [Aug. 



few leisure days in examining and noting what they thus illustrate or 

 discover. Each in this way adds his little mite to the store of knowledge 

 already accumulated, and, without the authentic record afforded by the 

 published proceedings of a Society, these contributions might be with- 

 held altogether from the world, or might fall into the hands of those who 

 would misuse them. Henceforward the publications of this useful insti- 

 tution will afford a certain means of tracing discoveries to their source, 

 and of ascertaining upon what authority additions are made in succes- 

 sive Maps and Charts. The compiler and publisher who has set his 

 name ostentatiously in the corner, has too often hitherto got the credit 

 for all the improvements introduced ; while the adventurous voyager 

 who has discovered, and the surveyor whose superior skill has delineated 

 and assigned the true position to objects, have been defrauded of the 

 fame which is their just due. The observation holds equally whether the 

 addition to geographical knowledge be the result of measures taken by a 

 Government officer, with the specific object of ascertaining or verify- 

 ing a point, or of individual enterprise directed by zeal, or by 

 accident, into this line of science. For, with exception to the large 

 general surveys undertaken by Governments for military or for fiscal 

 purposes, the results of which are given to the world, each with the 

 pretension of out-doing all that has gone before, but of which the great 

 expence must make the instances rare, the improvements effected by 

 Government officers, are, like those by individuals, of isolated locality ; 

 and when the point has been ascertained, the result is incorporated in 

 some general chart, and the time and manner of the survey is soon 

 forgotten, or known only to those who from curiosity or from official du- 

 ty may happen to be employed in ransacking the archives of state offices. 

 For these reasons we look upon the establishment of a Society devoted 

 especially to geographical science to be a most useful institution ; and 

 we hope that all who are engaged in the same pursuit, and who 

 may become possessed of materials, or be placed in circumstances to be 

 able to contribute any thing towards the advancement of this science, 

 will furnish their results to the new Association, that they may be there 

 digested and compared and verified, and so be turned to account, ac- 

 cording to their value, in leading to a more accurate knowledge of the 

 earth's surface — every advance made to this object being set down to 

 the credit of the right owner. 



The field of geographical inquiry is still a very wide one. The in- 

 terior of many continents remains blank in our latest maps. The coasts 

 of others are set down as handed from chart-maker to chart-maker 

 without any recent verifications, and upon very doubtful original 



