THE CRUISES OF THE ' rORCUPINE: 



APPENDIX A. 



Extracts from the Minutes of Council of the Royal Society, and 

 other Official Documents referring to the Cruise of H.M.S. 

 ' Porcupine ' during the Summer of 1870 : — 



March 24, 1870. 



A Letter was read from Dr. Carpenter, addressed to the 

 President, suggesting that an Exploration of the Deep Sea, such 

 as was carried out during 1868 and 1869 in the regions to the 

 North of the British Islands, should now be extended to the 

 South of Europe and the Mediterranean, and that the Council 

 of the Eoyal Society should recommend such an undertaking to 

 the favourable consideration of the Admiralty, with a view to 

 obtain the assistance of Her Majesty's Government as on the 

 previous occasions. 



Eesolved, — That a Committee, consisting of the President 

 and Officers, v/ith the Hydrographer, Mr. Gwyn Jeffreys, 

 Mr. Siemens, Professor Tyndall, and Dr. Carpenter, with 

 power to add to their number, be appointed, to consider 

 the expediency of adopting the proposal of Dr. Carpenter, 

 and the plan to be followed in carrying it out, as well 

 as the instruments and other appliances that would be 

 required, and to report their opinion thereon to the 

 Council ; but with power previously to communicate to tlie 

 Admiralty a draft of such report as they may agree upon, 

 if it shall appear to them expedient to do so in order to 

 save time. 



April 28, 1870. 



Eead the following Eeport ; — 



" The Committee appointed on the 24th of March to consider 

 a proposal for a further Exploration of the Deep Sea during the 



