George Brand, Esq., M.A., H.M. Vice-Consul in the Province of Angola, S. W. Africa; Wm. Frederick De la Rue, Esq.; Andrew Gammell, Esq.; Peter Hardy, Esq., M.A., F.R.S.; Lieut.-Colonel Travell Phillips; George Sclater, Esq., M.A.; and Commander W. C. Thompson, were proposed as Candidates for election at the next Meeting. The Report of the Council, with the Balance-sheet for 1853, and the Estimates for 1854, were read and adopted. The President then delivered the Founder's Medal to Sir Roderick I. Murchison, on behalf of Rear-Admiral William Henry Smyth, "for his numerous valuable Maritime Surveys, and for his recently published able work on the Mediterranean;" the Patron's or Victoria Medal to Sir George Back, as the representative of Capt. Robert J. Le Mesurier McClure, R.N., his Discoveries in the Arctic Regions, more especially that of the North-West Passage (see p. lxxvii.). The Anniversary Address having been next read, a vote of thanks was unanimously passed, with a request that the President would allow the Address to be printed. for At the conclusion of the Ballot, the Scrutineers reported that the changes recommended by the Council had been adopted, and the President accordingly announced that the following were duly elected :— President. The Right Honourable the Earl of Ellesmere, K.G., D.C.L., F.S.A., F.R.Ă.S., &c. &c. &c. Vice-Presidents.-Sir RODERICK I. MURCHISON, G.C.St.S., M.A., D.C.L., F.R.S., &c. &c.; Sir CHARLES FELLOWS; Rear-Admiral Lord COLCHESTER, R.N., D.C.L.; Sir GEORGE BACK, R.N., D.C.L., F.R.S. Treasurer.-ROBERT BIDDULPH, Esq. Trustees.-Sir GEO. T. STAUNTON, Bart., F.R.S.; W. R. HAMILTON, Esq., F.R.S. Honorary Secretaries.-Sir WALTER C. TREVELYAN, Bart., M.A., and THOMAS HODGKIN, Esq., M.D., &c. Council.-JOHN ARROWSMITH, Esq.; Rear-Admiral Sir F. BEAUFORT, K.C.B., F.R.S.; Rear-Admiral FREDERICK W. BEECHEY, F.R.S.; Vice-Admiral WILLIAM BOWLES, C.B.; Right Hon. Sir DAVID DUNDAS; Lieut.-Col. G. EVEREST, B.A., F.R.S.; FRANCIS GALTON, Esq.; G. BELLAS GREENOUGH, Esq., F.R.S.; W. J. HAMILTON, Esq., Pres. G.S.; Sir HENRY HOLLAND, Bart., M.D., F.R.S.; JOSEPH HUME, Esq., M.P., F.R.S.; RICHARD MONCKTON MILNES, Esq., M.P.; MANSFIELD PARKYNS, Esq., F.Z.S.; Lieut.General Sir GEORGE POLLOCK, G.C.B.; Lieut.-Colonel J. E. PORTLOCK, R.E., F.R.S.; the Earl of SHEFFIELD; E. OSBORNE SMITH, Esq., F.S.A.; Lord STANLEY, M.P., D.C.L.; THOMAS STAVELEY, Esq. (Foreign Office); Rev. W. WHEWELL, D.D., M.A., F.R.S.; Sir J. GARDNER WILKINSON, D.C.L., F.R.S. The thanks of the Meeting having been next voted to the retiring Vice-President and Members of the Council, as well as to the Auditors and Scrutineers, the President finally directed the attention of the Meeting to the usual Anniversary Dinner, and the Meeting adjourned at 4 P.M. Thirteenth Ordinary Meeting, June 12, 1854. Sir RODERICK I. MURCHISON, Vice-President, in the Chair. W. M. Beaufort, Esq.; George Brand, Esq., M.A.; F. Calvert, Esq., Q.C.; W. F. De la Rue, Esq.; H. C. Eiffe, Esq.; Andrew Gammell, Esq.; Peter Hardy, Esq., M.A., F.R.S.; Lieut.-Colonel R. Phillips; Sir James Ramsay, Bart.; George Sclater, M.A.; Commander W. C. Thompson; and John Yeats, Esq., were elected Fellows. The Papers read were— 1. Late visit to Medina and Mecca, made by Lieut. R. Burton, of the Indian Army, with route from Yambu, on the Red Sea, condensed by Sir Gardner Wilkinson. 2. Journey from Cairo to Jerusalem, viâ Suez, Mount Sinai, Akabá, and Hebron, by the late Professor George Wallin, of Finland, translated by Dr. Shaw. 3. Further Explorations in Central Africa, as far as 14° 10′ 52" S. lat., and 23° 35′ 40′′ E. long., by Dr. Livingston, with correct astronomical observations and map of route, communicated through the London Missionary Society and Lieut.-Colonel Steele, F.R.G.S., with Notes from George Frere, Esq., to the Foreign Office, and from Thomas Maclear, Esq., H. M. Astronomer at the Cape, to Sir John Herschel, Bart., communicated through Sir Roderick I. Murchison. 4. The Eastern Territory of Ecuador, the Canton Quijos, the River Napo, and the N. W. Sources of the Marañon, communicated by the Rev. C. G. Nicolay, F.R.G.S. The Chairman directed attention to the instrument exhibited at the Meeting for measuring the velocity and ascertaining the direction of Sub-surface Currents, by Dr. Buist, of Bombay, F.R.G.S.; to a medieval Map. of the World, made in the 15th century, belonging to Sir Thomas Phillips; to the beautiful Map of the southern portion of the Crimea, by Mr. Arrowsmith; and to the paintings exhibited by Mr. John Webster, illustrating the cruise of the Royal Yacht schooner " Wanderer," commanded by the late Mr. Boyd, through the Islands of the Pacific, including the Sandwich, the Kingsmill, and the Solomon Groups. The Chairman announced that the Council had empowered the President to communicate with Sir George Grey, the newly appointed Secretary of State for the Colonies, with the view of expediting the despatch of the Expedition for the Exploration of Northern Australia. Attention was also invited to the Cartographic Collections displayed by Mr. Kohl, relating to the History of the Progress of Discovery in the Western Hemisphere. Previously to the adjournment of the Meeting to November next, Sir Roderick I. Murchison intimated that the Earl of Ellesmere had requested him to state that cards of invitation had been issued to all the Fellows of the Society to attend his Lordship's soirées at Bridgewater House on the 14th and 21st instant. MISCELLANEOUS. Twenty-fourth Meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, held at Liverpool, September 20th to 27th, 1854. (Section E, Geography and Ethnology.) President.-Sir R. I. MURCHISON, D.C.L., F.R.S., F.R.G.S., &c. Vice-Presidents.-Sir R. H. INGLIS, F.R.G.S.; Col. CHESNEY, F.R.G.S.; Captain FITZROY, F.R.G.S.; Dr. CONOLLY; Dr. LATHAM, F.R.G.S. Secretaries.- Dr. NORTON SHAW; R. CULL, Esq.; Dr. IHNE; and the Rev. H. H. HIGGINS. Committee.-Capt. ALLEN, R.N., F.R.G.S.; Rev. W. ARTHur, M.A.; Rear-Admiral BEECHEY, F.R.G.S.; JOHN BROWN; CHARLES H. BRACEBRIDGE, F.R.G.S.; Robert CHAMBERS; the Earl of DERBY, F.R.G.S.; JAMES FERGUSSON, F.R.G.S.; A. G. FINDLAY, F.R.G.S.; G. B. GREENOUGH, F.R.G.S.; Dr. EDWARD HINCKS; F. HindMARSH, F.R.G.S.; Dr. HODGKIN, F.R.G.S.; Rev. Dr. HUME; J. B. JUKES; Rev. H. W. KEMP; Judge KENNEDY; Dr. JOHn Lee, F.R.G.S.; ANTHONY ST. LEGER, F.R.G.S.; JOSEPH LOCKE, M.P., F.R.G.S.; Lord LONDESBOROUGH, F.R.G.S.; JOSEPH MAYER; RICHARD MONCKTON MILNES, M.P., F.R.G.S.; Rev. C. G. NICOLAY, F.R.G.S.; Dr. M'NICOLL; Sir B. OUTRAM, C.B., F.R.G.S.; E. C. RAVENSHAW, F.R.G.S.; Dr. REID; Admiral Sir JOHN Ross; Col. SABINE, F.R.G.S.; Rev. Dr. SCORESBY; H. Danby Seymour, M.P., F.R.G.S.; Capt. W. N. SMYTH, R.A., F.R.G.S.; Colonel SYKES, F.R.G.S.; W. D. SAULL; J. A. TINNE, F.R.G.S.; JOHN TOWSON ; J. KING WATTS, F.R.G.S.: THOMAS WRIGHT, M.A.; and JOSEPH B. YATES, F.R.G.S. The Papers read were— 1. Australian Expedition.-Communications from Captain Charles Sturt, F.R.G.S., Dr. J. W. F. Blundell, and Mr. J. S. Wilson, communicated by the Royal Geographical Society. 2. Richard Cull.-A Description of three Esquimaux, lately in London. 3. H. Danby Seymour, M.P., F.R. G.S.-Extracts from the MS. Notes of Travels of General Fevrier, in Central Asia, from Teheran to Herat, Balkh, Candahar, and along the course of the Helmund, and round the Lake Sistan. 4. William Freund, LL.D.-Notes on the Etruscan Question. 5. A. G. Findlay, F.R. G.S. -On Arctic and Antarctic Currents in connexion with the Expedition of Sir J. Franklin. 6. Dr. Sutherland, F.R. G.S.-On Glaciers in the Arctic Regions, communicated by Sir R. Murchison. 7. Thomas Wright, M.A.-On some remains of an early people in the south-eastern corner of Yorkshire. 8. Rev. Dr. Hume.-Ethnology of the Liverpool District, with Notices of the Hoylake Antiquities. 9. Captain Samuel Gale (Merchant Service).-On the shortest Routes to South Australia. 10. Mr. John Towson, of the Local Marine Board.-On modifications of Great Circle Sailing. 11. J. B. Davies, F.S.A.-On the Forms of Ancient British Crania. 12. East Africa.-Extracts of a Letter addressed to the Church Missionary Society, dated Kisuludim in Rabbai, by Rev. J. Rebmann, communicated by the Royal Geographical Society. 13. Central Africa.-Extract of a Letter to the Rev. A. Tidman, D.D., dated Sekeletu, 24th September, 1853, from the Rev. Dr. Livingston, communicated by the Royal Geographical Society. 14. West Africa.-Despatch from Acting-Consul Gabriel to Lord Clarendon, announcing the arrival of Dr. Livingston at Loando, West Coast of Africa, communicated by the Royal Geographical Society. 15. H. Danby Seymour, M.P., F.R. G.S.-On the Caucasus and parts of the Crimea. 16. Richard Cull.-On the Ethnological value of the Results of Philological Inquiry. 17. Captain W. Allen, R.N., F.R. G.S.-Remarks on some Levels taken in Jerusalem with the Aneroid. 18. James Fergusson, F.R. G.S.-On the Site of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem. 19. T. Wright, M.A.-On the early Ethnology of Britain. 20. Joseph Brooks Yates, F.R. G.S.-On the Estuary of the River Mersey, and the hazardous and uncertain approaches to the Port of Liverpool. 21. Joseph Boult.-Sectional Diagrams, illustrative of Changes in the bed of the River Mersey and its approaches, with reference to a diagram. 22. George Rennie, F.R.S., F.R. G.S.-Hydrographical Remarks on the Improvements of the Port of Liverpool. 23. James Kennedy.-Question of the Lost Tribes of Israel. 24. Dr. Hamilton, M.D.-Remarks on Lake Anlaja and its drainage, in the Desert of Caranjas, in Bolivia. 25. Dr. Phil. Bleek, of Bonn.-Remarks on certain South African Languages. 26. Dr. Latham. -On the Non-Russian Populations of European Russia. 27. Rev. C. G. Nicolay.-On the Eastern Territories of the State of the Ecuador and the River Napo. 28. Dr. Geo. Wallin, of Finland.—Travels in Arabia. Translated and communicated by Dr. Norton Shaw. Among the recommendations adopted by the General Committee of the Liverpool Meeting, as more or less connected with Geography, were-the continuance of the grant of 157. for providing a large Outline Map of the World; a vote of thanks for the establishment by Government of the Meteorological Department of the Board of Trade, under Capt. FitzRoy, R.N., F.R.S., F.R.G.S.: the appointment of a Committee for the purpose of making a Report on the Channel of the river Mersey; the appointment of a Committee to communicate with the Duke of Newcastle on the desirability of accelerating the departure of the North Australian Expedition; an application for an early publication of the Heights of Ground determined by the Trigonometrical Survey, the levels of the Sea, which are the base of the observations, and the reasons which have guided the selection of the places where the Sea-levels were taken. The next meeting of the British Association will be held at Glasgow. PRESENTATION OF THE GOLD MEDALS AWARDED TO REAR-ADMIRAL WILLIAM HENRY SMYTH AND TO CAPTAIN ROBERT J. LE M. M'CLURE, R.N. You have gathered from our Council Report that our Founders' Medal has been awarded to an active member of our Society, RearAdmiral William Henry Smyth. If it were necessary for me to undertake anything in the nature of a vindication of this award, I might be tempted to enter at somewhat Homeric length into the Odyssea of this distinguished surveying officer's professional career. It would, however, puzzle Mr. Arrowsmith, who, at our evening meetings, kindly points out with his wand, "describit radio," the paths of travellers by sea or land, to trace on the Mediterranean chart the courses which Admiral Smyth has steered, the positions which he has laid down, and what is of scarcely less consequence and convenience to the navigator, the fallacies he has exposed, during years of toil and danger. It must be a satisfaction to him, which no public tribute can much enhance, to feel that no man living has contributed more to make safe and passable that highway of nations which for legitimate purposes is the property of all, but which, since the time of Alfred, has been the peculiar path of England to wealth, to eminence, and to glory. He knows also that when he at last laid down the instruments which he had used so well, he did but resign them to hands which his instruction had rendered able as his own "Plants of his hand, and children of his care to such men as FitzRoy, Beechey, Raper, Owen Stanley, and an old friend of my own, well known to Mediterranean travellers and navigators as Graves of the Beacon. The father of English marine surveying has good reason to be proud of his children. Nor when he left the field to them was his an idle retirement. He has given to this Society from its origin the benefit of his assistance to its councils and its vigorous superintendence in the chair. He has cultivated for its own sake that noble science of Astronomy which he had turned to so much practical account, with a zeal and success which have won him an European reputation, and a name familiar to the observatories of |