1868.] 



President's Address. 



141 



depths, and to the nature of the sea-bottom, and the life existing in its 

 vicinity. 



The report strongly recommends the continuation and extension of 

 these researches — a recommendation which in due time will require and 

 receive the attention of your Council, who may confidently anticipate 

 that should a further application to the Admiralty be deemed desirable it 

 will receive favourable consideration, and, if approved, will be secure of the 

 same cordial and invaluable cooperation on the part of the Hydrographer 

 as that which has been enjoyed on this occasion. 



We have to rejoice in the safe return of the Swedish and North-German 

 Expeditions, engaged in the past summer in the endeavour to extend the 

 domain of Arctic Exploration to the north and to the west. Though the 

 limits previously attained have not been passed in either direction, much 

 valuable information has been obtained regarding the Natural History of 

 Northern Lands, as well as many important facts bearing on the Hydro- 

 graphy of the Arctic Seas ; while an experience has been gained in Arctic 

 navigation, and habits acquired of surmounting the difficulties which it 

 presents, that may yield good fruit hereafter. 



The Arctic explorations of the Swedes included, from their commence- 

 ment, the design of accomplishing such a preliminary survey of Spitz - 

 bergen as might solve the question of the practicability of the measure- 

 ment of a degree of the meridian in that high latitude. The idea of such 

 an undertaking having originated in this country and in this Society more 

 than forty years ago, it is natural that we should regard the steps taken 

 towards its accomplishment with a lively sympathy. A sketch of what was 

 effected in 1861 and 1864 by MM. Chydenius, Diiner, and Nordenskiold, 

 communicated to the Royal Society by Captain Skogman, of the Royal 

 Swedish Navy, was printed in the Proceedings of December 1864. An 

 official and elaborate Report has since been published (in Sept. 1866) by 

 the Royal Swedish Academy, entitled " Forberedande Undersokningar 

 rorande Utforbarheten af en Gradmatning pa Spetsbergen 99 (preliminary 

 researches touching the facilities for a measurement of a degree at Spitz - 

 bergen), by MM. Diiner and Nordenskiold (Chydenius having unfortunately 

 died). In the Map accompanying the Report the triangles are laid down 

 which connect the extremes of land, and comprehend an arc of about 4° 11'. 

 One of the objects contemplated by the expedition which has just returned 

 was, to examine the possibility of the extension of the arc to lands existing 

 to the north of the north- easternmost part of Spitzbergen — a question, 

 however, which cannot be regarded as yet perfectly solved, the northern 

 progress of the ' Sophia ' having been stopped by ice, which is described by 

 M. Nordenskiold as " consisting in part of fields of drift-ice, covered with 

 particles of earth, which seems to indicate that land is to be met with 

 further north." 



Should these preliminary researches and surveys eventuate in a Scandi- 



