62 TH E ATLANTI C. [ c h a p . 1.
President of the British Association, and the Bresidents of the
Chemical, Geographical, Geological, Liniiean, and Zoological
Societies. Snch a Committee might meet before the Pecess,
and decide npon some general p)lan ; and this would he then
considered as to its details by the Members representing different
departments of Scientific Enquiry, so that they might be able to
report to the Council, and enable it to lay tliat Scheme (if
approved) before tbe Government by the end of November.
“ Believe me, dear Prof. Stokes,
“ Yours faithfully,
“ William B. Cakpenîtiîk.”
“ Prof. Stokes."
Pesolved,—That the subject of Dr. Carpenter’s Letter be taken
into consideration at an early Meeting of the Council after
the Pecess.
October 2(ith, 1871.
In reference to the subject of Dr. Carpenter’s Letter of the
15th June, read at the last Meeting of Council, the Secretary
stated that he had received a subsequent Letter from him,
dated Malta, 29th Sept., which was now read. In this Letter
Dr. Carpenter urges the expediency of making arrangements for
the proposed circumnavigating Expedition without delay, and
communicates a correspondence with the Eirst Lord of the
Admiralty, from which it appears that H.M. Government will
be prepared to give the requisite aid in furtherance of snch an
Expedition on receipt of a formal Application from the Poyal
Society ; and in consequence of this information, Dr. Carpenter
now suggests a modification in the composition of the Committee
to which, in his former Letter, he had proposed that the
matter should be referred.
Pesolved,—That a Committee be appointed to consider the
plan of operations it would be advisable to follow in the
piroposed Expedition, the staff of scientific superintendents
and assistants to be employed, and the different proA’isions
and arrangements to be made, Avith an estimate oi tbe
probable expense, and to submit to the Council for approval
CHAF. I .] TH E EQ U IPM E N T OF TH E SHIP. 63
a scheme Avhich might he laid before H.M. Government, if
the Council see fit, at as early a period as may be convenient.
The Committee to consist of the President and
Officers of the Poyal Society, Dr. Carpenter, Dr. Frankland,
Dr. Hooker, Professor Huxley, the Hydrographer of the
Admiralty, Mr. Gwyn Jeffreys, Mr. Siemens, Sir William
Thomson, Dr. Wyville Thomson, and Dr. Williamson, Avith
power to add to their number.
November ZOth, 1871.
The following Peport of the Committee on the proposed
voyage of circumnavigation was read :•—■
“ Report of the Committee appointed at the Meeting of the Council
held October 2&th, to consider the Scheme of a Scientific Circumnavigation
Expedition.
“ The Committee, having before them the correspondence
which has already taken place hetween the Eirst Lord of the
Admiralty and Dr. Carpenter, are of opinion that it is advisable
that the Council should make immediate Application to Her
Majesty’s Government for the means of carrying out the objects
therein referred to ; but that it would not be expedient that
such Application should include more than a general specification
of those objects,—whicli may be stated as follows ;—
“ 1. To investigate the Physical Conditions of the Deep Sea, in
the great Ocean-basins,—the North and South Atlantic, the
North and South Pacific, and the Southern Ocean (as far as the
neighbourhood of the great ice-barrier) ; -in regard to Depth,
Temperature, Circulation, Specific Gravity, and Penetration of
Light; the observations and experiments upon all these points
being made at various ranges of depth from the surface to the
bottom.
“ 2. To determine the Chemical Composition of Sea Water, not
merely at the surface and bottom, but at various intermediate
depths; such determinations to include the Saline Constituents,
the Gases, and the Organic Matter in solution, and the nature of
an}- particles found in suspension.
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