660 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 



the ice of the "Middle Pack" on July i, 1587. Baffin reached the "North 

 Water" in 1616. Ross and Parry reached it August 8, 18 18, having been thirty- 

 eight days getting through the pack. In 1853, Dr. Kane," in the Advance, reached 

 the "North Water" August 3d, after a passage of eight days. In i860, Dr. 

 Hayes in the United States, (a sailing vessel,) made the passage in fifty- five hours. 

 In 187 1, Capt. Hall in the Polaris, made the passage in less than twenty-four 

 hours. In 1875, the Alert and Discovery, of the British Expedition, left Uper- 

 nariv on the evening of July 22d, and sighted Cape York on the morning of July 

 25th. The passage through the pack was made in thirty-four hours. 



The navigable season continues until the end of August, but the edge of the 

 pack should be reached by the middle of June if practicable. 



TECHNOLOGY. 



THE RELATION OF ^ESTHETICS TO INDUSTRY. * 



V. W. CODDINGTON. 



There is established in man an earnest desire for the excellent. It is one of 

 the characteristics of the human being to choose the superior in preference to the 

 inferior. The exercise of the faculty of choice is the chief occupation of mankind. 

 The earliest intelligence displayed by the infant, is when it can distingush one ob- 

 ject from another and make choice between them. And the highest functions of 

 intellect exercised by the sage are of the same order, when he considers the 

 delicate distinctions that separate one theory from another, and gives one pefer- 

 ence over another. 



The question of approval and disapproval comes before every human being at 

 every step of his existence — man travels through the world smiling at this and 

 frowning at that. The sky is brilliant with the hues of sunset. He is pleased. 

 He looks abroad upon the green fields with their trees and flowers, and birds 

 and brooks, and says, "It is good." But the rain and snow, the frost and wind; 

 these are elements of experience that are not so agreeable. They seriously de- 

 ange his pleasures ; they disturb his enjoyment of these many beautiful things; 

 they even interfere with the ready obtainment of the necessaries of life. Conse- 

 quently the desire to better himself, and multiply around him comforts and 

 excellencies. 



This desire for excellence has been from the first, the germ of human growth; 

 the mainspring of all progress, the paramount motive impelling men to action. It 

 is the guiding spirit of intellectual advancement. It is the abiding inspiration of 

 the artist. In the commoner matters of life it originates every invention ; is the 

 father of improvement. In short, whatever that is commendable, whatever of good 



* Read before the Kansas City Academy of Science, January 27th, 1880. 



