The Express.
London, England, 1860-05-29 00:00:00

ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY.

Yesterday the anniversary meeting was held at
the society's room, in Burlington House, the Earl DE GREY
AID RIPON presiding. Amongst the members present were
the Earl of Shefßeld, Lord Ashburton, Sir B. Murchison,
Sir George Back, Sir E. Belcher, Sir J. Login, Sir F. L.
M'Clintock, Colonel Sykes, Captain Shentrd Osborn, Capt.
Collinson, Colonel Schaffner; Captain Allen Young, Mr.
Whiteside, M.P., Mr. Roebuck, M.P., Le.
The report of the council for the past year was reed, and
upon the motion of Lord Annnewrox, seconded by the
Bight Hon. H. IL was unanimously sdopted. It
was as follows :

" Since the last anniversary 182 Fellows bad been
elected ; and, upon the recommendation of the council, one
corresponding member—Professor Otto Struve, of the Im-
perial Observatory of Pulkowa, St. Petersburg. During
the same period the council have to record the loss of 21
Fellows, and one honorary member—Professor Carl Ritter.
of Berlin. The society now consists of 1,316 Fellows and
57 honorary sad corresponding members. The luttnoe-
sheet shows a satisfactory increase of income; whilst
the disbarseenenta, under every heed of expenditure
. .

save that of publications, have been kept strictly within the
estimates submitted to the last general meeting. The per-
manent fund of the society at the close of the year amounted
to 4,000/. New Three per Cents., to which has since been
added a farther investment of 5001. The 29th volume of
the Society's journal (containing the narrative of Captain
Burton's latest African researches) is now ready for de-
livery. The third volume of ' Proceedings' hue been com-
pleted, and No. 1 of volume 4 issued to the Fellows.
Copies of these publications are presented to the chief
public institutions at home and abroad. The accessions to
the map norms since the last anniversary consut of 5,217
maps and chart', all of which have beeu arranged in due
geographical order. The following may be sperially
noticed :—Ordnance maps of England, Wales, Scotland,
and Ireland, on various scales ; charts by the Hydrographic
Department of the Admiralty, end by the Depot de la
Marine of France ; Government Mete of Belgium, Den-
mark, Sweden and Norway, Sardinia, and Holland ; Papen's
Central Europe, by Ravenstein ; Trigonometric Survey of
India (11 ghosts) • North-Eastern Provinces of China • ' Tas-
mania, by J. Sprain, Surveyor-General ; Charts of the Coast
of South Arairtralia, and Sailing Directions, by B. Douglas,
Esq., Trinity House, Adelaide ; Standford's Australia,
Library Map ; and Queensland, by L. F. Laadaberg. The
United States, by Lieut. Warren, U.S. Secretary at War; Lake
Superior and Red River Settlement, by S. S. Dawson ;
Arrowsmith'a Arctic Regions • Canada, by Devine ; Alge-
meene Atlas van Nederlandsci Indict, by Baron van Care-
hie, and Maps of Java, MS., on parchment, presented by
General Wetherell; also Atlases to date by Fullerton,
Blecine Johnston, ha In order to obtain for the use of
scientific travellers an approved thus of instruments
for determining geographical positions, the council
have agreed to offer a prize of W., or a
gold medal, to the designer or maker of the most serviceable
reflecting instrument for the measurement of angles.'
A specification of the conditions of this prize may be had
at the offices of the society. Considerable additions have
been made to the library by presentation and purchase, the
former comprising &a books and pamphlets, and the letter
upwards of 28D volumes. Among these may be enumerated
Purcha.s"Pilgrimes,' in 5 vols. folio, a remand perfect copy,
presented by Mr. John Crawford, F.R.G.S.
Worcester's large Dictionary of the English
Language ;' Oliphant's Narrative of Lord Elgin's
Mission to China and Japan ;' M'Leod's ' Travels
in Eastern Africa ; Richardson's Travels in Morocco
Hoklen's ' History of Natal ;' Lyell's ' Travels in North
America Demideff's 'Ruasia and the Crimes f Craw-
ford's Embassy to Ave;' Abbe Domenich's Missionary
Adventures in Texas and Mexico ; Hayes" Arctic Boat
Journey Parker's and Hughes' Manual of Geography
Reports of Geological Surveys in Canada and India; and
the transactions of the principal literary and scientific in-
stitutions throughout the world. The results of the im-
portant explorations of Captain M'Clintock in the Arctic
Seas, Captains Burton and Speke in the lake regions of
Central Africa, and Captain Palliser in North America, have
been duly reported to the society.; and the ' Pro-
' endings' contain interesting commtniications from highly
esteenrod travellers in various pert. of the world. An ex-
pedition aided by a liberal grant from government, is now
in progress under Captains Spoke and Grant, to follow up
the recent explorations in Central Africa, north of Lake
Nyanza, whilst the enterprising Livingstone continues his
researches in the ethirwa and Nyasa* Lake districts. Fur-
ther explorations have also Leen recently made in Western
Australia and British Columbia. The Founder's or King
William gold medal has been awarded to Lady Franklin, for
her self-sacrificing perseverance in sending out expeditionsto
ascertain the fate of her husband and the shipsunderhis com-
mand, and in commemoration of the discoveries of the illus.
trione navigator Franklin ; and the Patron's or Victoria gold
medal to Captain Sir F. L Waintock, for the skill and for-
titude displayed by him and his companions Hobson,
Young, and Walker—in their successful search for records
of the lost expedition, and for their valuable coast surveys,
by which our acquaintance with Arctic geography has been
greatly enlarged. No change has taken place iu the arrange-
ments for the evening meetings of the Society, which con-
tinue to be held at Burlington House, by kind permission of
the authorities of the University of London and the Royal
Society, to whom the Council desire to express on their own
behalf and oa that of the Fellows generally, their grateful
acknowledgmente."
The receipts of the Society from all sources is reported at
4,507/. ei. Id, the amount derived from subscriptions, fees,
Lc., from Fellows being 2,4751. ; Government grant, 500 t.;
and the payments, including 930 paid for stock purchased,
at 4,373/.
The charter and regulations as revised by the Special
Committee were then submitted and adopted.
PRIAINTATION OF 711 Z MEDALS TO LADY FRANKLIN, AND