I860.] Geography. 4G9 



Proceedings of the Eotal Geographical Society. 



An improvement in maps, being stereoscopic views taken from models 

 of a country, is a subject worthy of the consideration of a Geo- 

 graphical Society, and as such was brought forward by Messrs. F. 

 Galton and E. Cameron Galton. A model of a district, divided 

 into squares and painted white, is photographed, and the resulting 

 slide can be carried and used as easily as ordinary stereoscopic slides, 

 whilst the information conveyed to the eye is of a different character 

 and far more extensive, since the comparative height of all elevations 

 can be seen at a glance. The mode of attaching names forms a 

 source of difficulty, but this can be avoided by carrying another map. 

 In any case it is a convenient mode of carrying what has all the ad- 

 vantages of a model with one on a journey. 



" The Desiccation of Inner Southern Africa " formed the topic of 

 a paper by Mr. James Fox Wilson. The aridity of the country has 

 increased much within the memory of man, and a very great decrease 

 of moisture is observable within certainly modern times. The origin 

 of this parching up of a whole country was the only subject of dis- 

 cussion ; of the fact there is no doubt. Dr. Livingstone considered 

 that volcanic and geological changes were the principal causes, whilst 

 Mr. Wilson is inclined to attribute a considerable portion of it to the 

 felling of timber and other works of human influence. The matter 

 is of some importance, inasmuch as in the one case we cannot help 

 ourselves ; but in the other, the interference of Government with the 

 rapid clearing of districts might effect much towards modifying the 

 evil, which is undoubted. The experience of Northern Africa might 

 perhaps be useful in the South. 



At the ninth and tenth meetings, a topic was again brought for- 

 ward which had already been discussed, but which, nevertheless, still 

 excites much interest, and is not likely to fall into oblivion until 

 some practical result is arrived at. Since Sherard Osborn's first 

 paper on the subject, an expedition to the North Pole has been 

 urgently demanded, not only by geographers, but by men of science 

 generally, as likely to throw light upon many highly interesting 

 problems of climate, atmosphere, magnetic electricity, ethnology, and 

 perhaps of archaeology. The first document during this quarter on 

 the subject, was a second letter from Dr. Petermann, of Berlin, who 

 formerly accompanied an expedition to the Antarctic regions. This 

 gave rise to considerable discussion. It was followed by papers " On 

 the Climate of the North Pole," by Mr. W. E. Hickson ; and " On 

 the best Eoute for North Polar Exploration," by Mr. C. R. Markham. 

 Dr. Petermann's object was to induce English geographers to adopt 

 his plan of exploration by way of Spitzbergen, and the seas to the 

 east of that island, in preference to the route by way of Smith's 

 Sound and the west of Greenland. Steam vessels have never been 

 tried in this direction, and the Doctor expresses confidence that a 

 well-managed screw-steamer might easily penetrate the band of pack 

 ice by which, he contends, the open sea at the Pole is surrounded. 



