The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-28 00:00:00

THE SON, LONDON, WEDNESDIN EVENINit, JANUARY 28, 1861

was his wish to say anything in reply to the charge, it was
his (Mr. Henry's) duty to hear him.
The prisoner, in a low voice, replied that he had nothing
to say. _ _ _

Mr. Henry remanded the prisoner to a future day to give
time for the post mortem examination ; and the prisoner,
who during the examination hung over the felons' dock in
a stooping position, and whose appearance was wild and
restless, was then taken out of court.

Royal Geographical Society.

JAPAN, &c.

A crowded meeting of the Royal Geographical Society
was held on Monday evening—Sir Roderick I. Murchison,
President, in the chair.
Among those present were Admirals Sir George Beck and
R. Collinson ; Generals Sir Justin Sheil, Sir Geo. Pollock,
and Sir Andrew S. Waugh; Lady Franklin and Miss Cra-
croft, Lady Oliphant; Cols. Dickson, Walker, Hawkins,
and Shaffner; Captains Bedford, Glyn, Hope, Percher,
Lindesay Brine, Dyke, and Stirling, R.N.; Major Cooke,
M. Du Chaillu, the Hon. H. S. Law ; Captains Baker,
Harris, Murchison, Pounden, and Pook ; Sir Stuart Donald-
son, Mr. and Mrs. Noggins, Mr. Gregson, M.P. ; Drs. Rae,
Day Goes, Gallagher, M'Loughlin, Camps, Sherrin, Shea,
Ogle, Seemann, Hamilton, and Webster; Messrs. Osborne
Smith, C. White, Biddulph, Pennycook, Brown, Rolston,
Cocks, Arrowsmith, Findlay, Galton, &c.
Lieut. F. Duncan, R.N., Major F. J. Goldemid, Capt.
E. Menzant, the Rev. F. Trestrail, Major Q. Vivian, and
Messrs. J. G. Austin, A. Barry, T. M. Crowder, J.Emslie,
W.Gillett, C. Harvey, M. Joshua, F. J. Jourdain, G. Mac-
farlane, J. A. Olding, F. J. Walker, G. C. Wallich, M.D.,
F. G. A.Williams, and John Wright were elected Fellows.
The minutes of the former meeting having been read by
Dr. Shaw,

Mr. SPOTTISWOODE read the first paper, " On a Proposed
Route to Siam, China, &c., across the Isthmus of Kraw, by
Capts. Fraser and Forlong," commun'cated by Dr. Duncan
Macpherson, M.D., Rita. The paper endeavoured to
show the advantages to be derived by the construction of a
railway across the narrow neck of land in the Malay Penin-
sula known as the Isthmus of Kraw. The paper stated
that the saving in time between Calcutta and Hongkong by
this route would be 93 hours, and 66 hours would be saved
from Ceylcn to Hongkong. From Ceylon to Kraw, and
thence direct to Calcutta, two extra English mails might
be carried in nine and a half days to the mouth of the
Hooghly, necessitating only one extra steamer between Cey-
lon and Aden to meet the Bombay mail. The cost of con-
structiun would not exceed £760,000.

Mr. JOHN CHA.WFURD, F.R.G.S., considered this route
to be impracticable, and even if practicable he did not think
the small saving of time would justify the great outlay that
must be incurred. As to the alleged dangers of the Straits
of Malacca, during 18 years the Peninsular and Oriental
Company had lost only two ships in the Straits, and out of
300 voyages made by steamers from Calcutta and Bombay
not a single vessel had been lost.

Capt. HENDERSON said be had navigated the Straits 37
times,and had never met with an accident. He, too, thought
the route undesirable in a national point of view, and une-
qual to other projected routes.
Mr. LAURENCE OLIPHANT, F.E.G.S., then read his
paper " On a Visit to the Island of Tsusima, Japan." After
alluding to the inland sea of Japan, Mr. Oliphant gave An
account of his visit to Tsusima, an island midway in the
Straits of Corea. Fatchin,the capital,containing the Prince's
palace and a population of 10,000 inhabitants, is situated on
the east coast. The Prince is absolute proprietor of the
island. and has a monopoly of the transit trade between the
Corea and Japan, which consists chiefly of tiger skins,
hides, rice, silver, and gold. The island is about 40 miles
long, and eight to ten miles broad, and contains 30,000 in-
habitants, It is hilly, heavily timbered, the highest peaks
being upwards of 2,000 feet. The island is almost bisected
by a deep sound, from which numerous fiords diverge. Ihe
fleets of the worli might be concealed in this labyrinth of
inland waters. Its position between Corea and Japan ren-
ders it important. _

The PRESIDENTT complimented Mr. Oliphant on his zeal
in making this exploration while still suffering from the
wound he had received in Japan.
Sir R. ALCOCK, F.R.G.S., said it was known that the
Russians had for some time made Tsusima a sort of naval
port for repairing their ships, and it was, therefore, desir-
able to ascertain whether these advantages might be fairly
shared by other nations. He was convinced that there is
no part of the Chinese Seas which could be chosen with so
much advantage as a place of resort for fleets in distress.
He then drew attention to several native Japanese maps on
the table, including a topographical plan of Jeddo, brought
from that city by Lady Franklin. The accuracy of these
charts and maps was a great evidence of the ingenuity and
untiring perseverance of the Japanese.
Capt. BULLOCK, R.N., said it was not too much to say
that with such fidelity were the charts obtained by Captain
Ward executed, that they had been the means of enabling
us to anticipate the survey of the Japanese coast by at least
20 years. The means by which these surveys were effected
was extremely doubtful.

Capt. MALCOLM, F.R.G.S., said when he was in Japan
Col. Siebold, of th© Dutch engineers, showed him some
original Japanese surveys of very old date, arid told him
that a Russian officer years gone by had surveyed the coast
and had instructed the natives in the art.
Before adjourning the meeting,

The PRESIDENT called attention to the reported death of
Mr. Consul Petherick and his wife on the White Nile, and
after expressing deep regret for their loss, s tated that the
Council had determined to place the remainder of the
money raised by the Fellows of the Society for the purpose
of sending assistance to Captains Speke and Grant in the
hands of Mr. Baker, who, according to the last accounts,
was about to proceed into the interior from Khartum, and
to request him to pursue the expedition which had been in-
trusted to Mr. Petherick. He also informed the society
that the three ladies of whom he had spoken on a former
occasion had passed boyond Gondokoro, and he hoped that
at a future time their exploration would be laid before the
society.
The meeting then adjourned to Monday, February 9,