242 
SIR RODERICK I. MURCHISON’S ADDRESS. 
[May 24, 1858. 
already mentioned, lie extended to nearly all the coasts of the 
world. Nay, he also issued so long ago as 1831 those instructions 
for deep sea soundings which Lieutenant Maury and others have 
since matured. Such great plans were, indeed, hut commensurate 
with Britain’s naval supremacy, and were really called for. Al- 
though much was done, still much more might and would have 
been done had Beaufort had his way ; but parsimony (such, indeed, 
as seems to be periodically and, as it were, spasmodically exerted 
by economists in depressing our naval and military establishments) 
threw bach, for a quarter of a century, those results which our 
lamented member would speedily have obtained, to the great ad- 
vantage of the nation and the saving of innumerable lives from 
shipwreck ! 
Whilst presiding over geographers, let me further remind you of 
the obligations of the nation to Francis Beaufort independently of 
his intensely hard official work. For, he was the individual of that 
Society which, under the guidance of Lord Brougham, gave such an 
impetus to the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, and who laboured 
perseveringly and successfully for many years in editing and bring- 
ing out the collection of maps issued by that meritorious body. 
From the allusion to a Society in which I played a much more 
humble part, I hope to be excused if I say a few words respecting 
my own connexion with the late Hydrographer, as they may serve 
to shadow forth to those who knew him not, other traits of his noble 
character. 
First making his acquaintance at the house of the illustrious 
Wollaston, I could not fail to observe in both these great men the 
same truthful singleness of purpose and the same inflexible resolu- 
tion to carry out their well-matured designs for the advancement 
of science. Always admiring and cultivating the friendship of 
Francis Beaufort, it has been my pleasing duty, whether as your 
President or one of your Council, to have had much intercourse with 
him, and also to have had the honour of being associated with him 
in drawing up some instructions for the exploration of distant realms. 
On no one, however, of those occasions have I seen the kindliest 
feelings of his breast so much roused, as during the recent efforts 
of this Society to animate the country and the Government to make 
a last search for Franklin and his missing ships. In all the great 
tentative efforts which Britain made during a series of years to 
discover the traces of that lamented navigator, Francis Beaufort 
was indeed ever (as he is represented in a well-known engraving) 
