The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-14 00:00:00

ROYAL GF
AOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY.

A crowded n, --,.---
evening ; Sir ' ,:c? sting of this society was held on Monday
in the cht,lr.
iderick I. Murchison, K.C.8., President,
Are:ong thcv
°f 61,21Ee1& 3e present were the Colin! de Paris, the Earl
, Earl Somers, Lord Colville, General Baron
j"l.4lnus7 t' ne Count Escayrac de Lature, Sir Thomas Fre-
WP .ntle, S;
.r C. Rawlinson, Admirals Sir George Back, Sir
/ 1 Belcb er, Collinson, and Hall; Generals Monteith and
Luard, Colonels Sotherby, Mackenzie, and Shaffner, &c. ;
Capt.? 3edingfield ; Majors Goldsmid, Shaw, Stewart, &c.;
Drs.', Rae,
Ogle, Camps, Day-Goss, &c.; and Messrs. A.
U. L. iyard, M.P., Monckton Milnes, M.P., Gregson, M.P.,
Rent er, Handley, Osborne Smith, Henry Johnston, W.
Wir twoode Reade, A. Swanzy, George Bishop, C. White,
Sp( Atiswoode, Marshman, Biddulph, Arrowsmith, Findlay,
W alker, &c.
Rear-Admiral Horatio Thomas Austin, C.B. ; Messrs.
Alt x. Baring, James N. Dick, Wm. James Parer, Patrick
Douglas Hadon, John Henry Mackenzie, Wm. Simpson,
J. A. Wright, and Lieut. S. Sale were elected fellows.
The minutes of the former meeting having been read by
Dr. Moreton Shaw,
The PRESIDENT called attention to the telegrams recently
received announcing the arrivals of Captains Speke and
Grant at Khartum. There was every reason to believe
they mi.ut have reached the White Nile, and descended it
from Lake Nyanza, having traced the source of it. It
could not be said that the source of the Nile had been dis-
covered until further details had been received, but he be-
lieved, from that pregnant passage in the telegram. " The
"Nile is settled," that it had. The expedition was sent out
by the Royal Geographical Society, first under Burton and
Speke, and next under Speke and Grant, purposely to de-
termine its source; and as Lake Nyanza is a great fresh
water lake, said by the Arats to be 300 miles long, situate
nearly 4,000 ft. above the level of the sea, and tends from
south to north, its waters must have an exit towards the
north ; hence the belief that Speke and Giant, in coming
down from the lake, had really traced the sources of the
great river.

Mr, GALTON doubted that the source of the Nile would
have been found in Lake Nyanza, for he thought the size of
that river above Gondocoro was not commensurate with
such a supposition.
Dr. BEKE said that in 1848 he placed on record his opi-
nion that the source of the Nile would be discovered by
taking very much the route followed by Captains Speke and
Grant, and was glad to find that his views were now sub-
stantially confirmed.
Dr. SHAW then read despatches from Governors Sir H.
Barkly and Sir G. Bowen on Landaborough's transverse of
Aus'ralia, &c.
Mr. LANDSBOROUGH having been introduced to the
meeting by the President, stated that, from his experience
of sheep rearing, Queensland was eminently adapted for the
growth of wool, and the climate suitable for European con-
stitutions ; the Plains of Promise were as fine a pastoral
country as he had ever seen.
Mr. MIDDLETON, second in command of the M'Kinlay
expedition, gave a variety of interesting details respecting
the journey, Ftating that the thermometer sometimes stood
as high as 160 deg. in the sun.
Mr. CRAWEURD was of opinion that wool could not be
grown in the tropics ; sheep were intended for a temperate
climate, and the fleece was given to protect them from the
cold. In the tropics the fleece was not required.
Mr. LANDSBOROUGH—You are theorizing. Who of all
the human race have the most wool on their heads,—is it
of the inhabitants of the tropics ? (Roars of laughter.)
Sir C. IsitclioLsoN congratulated the travellers upon the
•ss of their expedition,and stated that he was of opinion
,ew Crown colony should be established in Northern

su'ect_
thai; a 1_
Australia.
The PRE':
the policy of
colony, and he h.
by Government. ...
had directed cards of .
at \Vilna's-rooms, St. Jt.
and the 15th June respect
large enough to accommodate
of Fellows.
The meeting then adjourned to
of the society, to take place at 1 I
house.

'IDENT said for a long period he had advocated
forming North Australia into a separate
sped the question would now be taken up
'sir R. Murchison finally stated that he
invitation to be issued to two soirees
nnes's, to be held on the 27th May
`ively, his own house not being
• the greatly increased number

May 27, the anniversary
,an., at Burlington-

-led by pur-
3s. 4d. and
' )2 is the
every

Full benefit of reduced duty obtat.
chasing Horniman's pure Tea; very choice at
4s. "High Standard '' at 4s. 4d. (formerly 4s. Ba.

Tinrrna+ 0.. a 2 .