Geographical Notes

Abstract

THE fiftieth anniversary meeting of the Geographical Society was held on Monday afternoon, the Earl of Northbrook presiding. Apart from the flourishing condition of the Society, both numerically and financially, the most interesting feature in the Council's Report was the part relating to the annual grant for scientific purposes. During the past year a plan was put into operation for giving practical instruction to intending travellers in the use of instruments for astronomical observations to fix positions, in surveying, and in the measurement of heights by barometric and hypsometrical methods. This attempt to improve the scientific training of our travellers has already met with considerable success, and several of the pupil who have received instruction have left for China, Afghanistan, Central Africa, Central Asia, &c. In order to facilitate the instruction in astronomical work, an observatory has been built on the roof of the Society's house. The medals and other awards were afterwards distributed by the President, Count Piper, the Swedish Minister, receiving for Prof. Nordenskjöld a copy of a special vote of thanks and his diploma as Honorary Corresponding Member, as well as the royal medal for Lieut. Palander. Mr. W. Giles received the other royal medal for his cousin, Mr. Ernest Giles, and Mr. R. N. Cust the gold watch awarded to Bishop Crowther for his services on the Niger. A copy of a resolution of the Council, eulogistic of his “History of Ancient Geography,” was also read and handed to Mr. E. H. Bunbury. The gold and silver medals having been given to the successful candidates in the recent public schools prize examination, the ballot was taken for the new council, resulting in the election of Lord Aberdare as President, and Mr. John Ball, F.R.S., Sir Fowell Buxton, Mr. J. K. Laughton, Sir George Nares, Lord Reay, and Sir Richard Temple, in the place of the retiring members of council. In the course of his annual address Lord Northbrook summed up the results of recent explorations in the Arctic regions, in Asia, and in Africa, as well as of Admiralty surveys in various parts of the world.