14 Annversary Address by Sir Wiliam Huggins. [Nov. 30,. 
important expeditions for scientific and geographical exploration, and for 
magnetical and astronomical observations, in some cases taking the initiative: 
by memoralizing the Government for the necessary assistance by grants of 
money, the use of ships, or otherwise. Among these may be mentioned the 
expeditions sent out for the observation of the Transits of Venus in 1761, 
and in 1769. 
The importance of Antarctic exploration, for which the recent National’ 
Expedition has recently been promoted jointly with the Royal Geographical 
Society, was fully understood by the Royal Society nearly a century and a 
half ago. In 1771, an expedition having for its principal object the 
exploring of high southern latitudes with the view of ascertaining the 
existence of a great Antarctic Continent, was strongly and successfully 
urged on the Guvernment by the Society. The expedition under Captain 
Cook sailed the following year. On its return three years later, after having 
circumnavigated the globe, the Copley Medal was awarded to Captain Cook 
for the means he had taken to preserve the health of his crew. 
In 1817, a letter was addressed by Sir Joseph Banks, on the part of the 
Council, to Lord Melville urging that an~expedition of discovery should be 
sent out for determining the practicability of a North-West Passage. The 
Lords of the Admiralty gave orders for the fitting out of four vessels, and. 
invited detailed instructions from the Royal Society for the guidance of the 
officers. The Council recommended Colonel, then Captain, Sabine to proceed 
with the North-West Expedition, and Mr. Fisher to accompany the Polar 
one. The expedition failed to procure geographical results of importance,. 
but it was far from fruitless, for the magnetical observations brought back by 
Sabine were an addition of real value to physical science. 
This expedition was followed by another two years later under Parry,,. 
which resulted in the discovery of the Strait called after Barrow, then 
Secretary to the Admiralty. 
A later Polar Expedition, under Captains Parry and Ross in 1827, was. 
promoted by the Royal Society, and brought home valuable magnetical 
observations, which were printed in the Society’s Transactions. 
At home, it was through the Society’s influence that Dr. Maskelyne, the 
Astronomer Royal, was able to make observations in Scotland for the 
purpose of deducing the density of the earth. Dr. Hutton undertook 
the laborious task of working up the data, the whole expenses being borne: 
by the Society. 
These few examples, inadequate as they are, must suffice on this occasion 
to remind us of the many labours during two centuries and a half undertaken 
