The Express.
London, England, 1863-05-26 00:00:00

ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL soansTr.

The annual meeting of this society was held
yesterday at Harlington Rose% Piccadilly, Sir R. I. Mug.
CRAW, K.C.8., the president, in the chair. It was agreed to
present the Victoria gold medal to ttr. Jobs Arrowanith.
la an whines the preaulsat reviewed the prove. made by
geography duns; the pant year, referring supernally to the
of the to Nile by Captains Spelt, and Crank
who accomplished what had toadied Julius Cesar and
the ancient Romans The address entered with great
minuteneu into what had been dope from the days of
Herodotos to the present time, when the problem of ages
bad been solved, to the peat honour of this country. The
president also pointed to what bad bees done in Africa by Dr.
Livingstone and others, and congratulated the society ea the
feet that it wee now proved that the interior of Allies
was sot the monatassons barns desert which had bees

supposed. He next turned to Australis: and deacribed
the labours of the mw who had explored that country.
The proceeding of the morning were followed up in the
evenung by a banquet gives at Willis'. Rooms, to • com-
pany numbering over 160, Sir R.. Harolds= again presid-
es; ; and amoog the mart distinguished of those present
were the Comte de Paris, Comet Reveotlow, the Danish
Ambassador, the Persian Ambassador, the Earl of Sheffield,
Sir H. Rewlinsoo, the Right Hon. S. Walpole, /LP., Sir
John Rennie, C.E., Count Strzeleeki, Colonel Sykes, M.P.,
and lir. Fairbairn, late president of the society. The
chairman, in giving the health of the distioguished
foreigners who had that day honoured the society with their
preessoe, especially referred to the Comte de Park. It was
within his knowledge that that prince had profited as much
am it was possible for him to do by the attentive cultiva-
tion of scientific pursuits since his coming to this country.
He might well say that he spoke with personal knowledge
of the fact, for, in the department of science over which
be (the choirman) unworthily presided, his royal high-
ness was one of his pupils. (Cheers.) His royal high-
ness had also studied under Professor Hoffman as a
chemist—not theoretically bat practically—for he bad
worked in the laboratory and at the profeasor's table
In a manner !het seamed for him a well-merited dis-
tinction. (Cheers.) But his royal highness was also a
great traveller. He had travelled over vast regime of
America—a country in which he had displayed the most
distinguished valour. He lied travelled through Syria and
various parte of Europe ; and, lastly, in order to entitle
him to the sympathise of the compauy, he might mention
that his royal highness bad that osmium intimated his de-
sire to become a member of the society. (Loud cheers.)
There being loud calls for his royal highness. the Comte de
Paris said—Sir Roderick Mumbles), I am really quite un-
prepared to respond to the toast which you have so 'nth°.
Identically received on babel( of the several very distin-
guished gentlemen whom I see around me. Still. I snot
avoid expreening how much pleasure I feel at being per-
mitted to take part is the proceedings of so distinguished
an assembly. (Loud obsess.)