294 Geographical Society. 



Every accession, therefore, to hydrographical knowledge, — a real 

 danger discovered, — a fictitious one demolished, — or a peculiarity 

 ascertained, — must be of great importance to navigation, and a fit 

 object- for promulgation by the Society. 



The Committee, however, are also willing to hope, that many 

 valuable contributions on geographical subjects will be received 

 from other individuals, whether on the List of Members or not, than 

 those who are thus professionally qualified and invited to furnish 

 them ; particularly from such of their countrymen as have permanent 

 residences abroad, from the various public authorities in the British 

 colonies, and from those who have travelled, or may yet travel, in 

 foreign countries. It is not for the Committee to specify in detail 

 the various points of information which should engage the attention 

 of the traveller; but they may observe that every species of infor- 

 mation, connected either with physical geography or statistics, if it 

 have only accuracy to recommend it, will be acceptable; and in 

 cases where the stock of information, generally, in the hands of any 

 individual, is not of sufficient magnitude or importance to form a 

 volume for publication, if sent to the Society, it will be made avail- 

 able, in some form or other, in its Transactions. The routes, for 

 example, which travellers may have pursued through portions of 

 countries hitherto but imperfectly known, or inaccurately described, 

 — the objects of natural history that may have presented themselves, 

 — the meteorological and magnetic phaenomena that may have been 

 observed, — the nature of the soil and its products, of its forests, rivers, 

 plains, mountains, and other general features of its surface; but 

 above all, the latitudes and longitudes of particular places which the 

 resident or traveller may have had the means of determining to a 

 degree of precision on which he may rely; — such notices of detached 

 portions of the earth's surface, when regular surveys cannot be held, 

 are of extreme importance, as furnishing the only means by which 

 anything approaching to correctness in our general maps can be 

 attained. And the Committee cannot, therefore, entertain a doubt, 

 that it will constitute a part of the Transactions of the Society to 

 publish such detached pieces of information bearing on such of these 

 points, as may be thought of sufficient interest and importance to 

 be communicated for the use of its Members, and of the public at 

 large. 



There are many other means besides those now mentioned by 

 which geography may be advanced, but which are too numerous to 

 be here specified at length. In addition to the few, however, which 

 have herein been noticed, as well as in the printed prospectus al- 

 ready circulated, the following points may be briefly stated, as being 

 among the most important that will probably engage the attention 

 of the Society : — 



1. The composition of maps, illustrative of particular branches 

 of geographical knowledge, more especially those relating to orology, 

 hydrology, and geology. 



2. The establishment of new divisions of the" earth's surface, 

 formed upon philosophical principles, and adapted to different de- 

 partments 



