ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS. 29 



It is obvious that an expedition adequately prepared and equipped to 

 carry out all the above various observations would involve an expenditure 

 far exceeding tha ,£10,000 mentioned in your letter ; but the President 

 and Council are led to believe that this sum would suffice for a smaller 

 pioneer expedition, which, while avowedly not designed to undertake an 

 exhaustive inquiry, would be able under competent direction to make a 

 careful survey of the northern boundary of the circumpolar ice region, 

 to determine approximately the distribution of open water and the 

 direction of oceanic currents, to take magnetical and meteorological 

 observations and by means of the tow net and dredge, used at moderate 

 depths, to collect pelagic animals and plants. 



The results of such a general survey, even though not wholly complete 

 would not only of themselves be of greater interest and value, but also 

 be of paramount importance in guiding a decision as to the desirability 

 or the contrary of sending out in the future expeditions more thoroughly 

 equipped for special observations, and in preparing the way for such 

 expeditions should the preliminary results render these desirable. 



Should H.M. Government, therefore, decide to accept the proposal of 

 the Government of Victoria and to place the sum in question on the 

 estimates of the coming year, the President and Council will regard that 

 decision with great satisfaction, and I am directed to say that such further 

 assistance and advice as they can give is at the service of H.M. Govern- 

 ment. In their deliberations on the matter the President and Council 

 were much assisted by a memorandum drawn up by Admiral Sir G. F. 

 Richards and another by Sir J. D. Hooker. These memoranda written 

 by gentlemen having very special qualifications, derived from exceptional 

 experience for offering important suggestions, contain so much that is 

 interesting and valuable, that copies of them have been enclosed with 

 this letter. Should you think it desirable that the Colonial Government 

 should be acquainted with these memoranda, copies of them will be placed 

 at your disposal. 



I have the honour to be &c. 



(Signed) M. FOSTER. 



Since the Antarctic Expedition has lapsed for the present,, 

 something might be done towards the exploration of the Pacific 

 Islands. The amount of £10,000 proposed for the Antarctic 

 Exploration Expedition although quite inadequate for that pur- 

 pose would, however, if judiciously expended, enable much to be 

 done amongst the islands of the Pacific, in collecting information 

 as to their Physical Geography, Meteorology, Geology, Botany, 

 Zoology, Mineralogy, and last but not least in Ethnology and 

 allied matters. An exploring party in a small but properly 



