( 199 > 
in Journals , of general Benefit to Mankind, they are 
perhaps alone diffident to engage us in the Work. I 
(hall only hint here, that if it (hould be thought pro- 
per to pra&ice our Defign, it may perhaps be worth 
the while to infert into the Meteorological Tables , fuch 
Observations as relate to the Variation of the Compafs 
and Currents ; the true Knowledge of which would 
be of no inconfiderable Service to Navigation . 
If likewife there was a Column left for fuch remark- 
able Accidents as did occur, it might not be amifs \ par- 
ticularly, any uncommon Difcoveries of Lands, Rocks, 
or Soundings ; excefiive Thunder and Lightning, &c. 
Luminous Appearances in the Sky j what Remarks may 
be found relating to the Water-Spout, which tho’ per- 
haps one of the mod curious Phenomena of Nature, is 
as little known as any whatfoever* Submarine Hiatus 
or Wirlpools, if any fuch there be:, and laflly, any ex- 
traordinary Rendezvous of Fifh, &c. that are ufed in 
the Affairs of Life, not to mention fuch Descriptions, as 
may relate to Matters of meer Speculation and Curiofity. 
But thefe Sort of accidental Advantages, in fuch a 
Colle&ion of Journals of Voyages, as is necelfary to our 
Defign, are too numerous to be infilled on : I (hall 
therefore only add one more, which is the great Im- 
provement there would hereby be given to Geography , 
a Science of the greateft Ufe and Importance in the Af- 
fairs of Life. Not only all Hydrographical Charts 
might be by this Means corrected, and brought to the 
Truth, which is of fo much Concern, that the Lives of 
a great Part of fuch as go to Sea depend upon it ; but 
alfo, the Diftances and Situation of all Sea-Torts, and 
many other Things, which are uncertain, or wanting 
in that Science, determin’d with the greatefl Exa&nefs. 
1 ' In 
