The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-10 00:00:00

. _
ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY.

The 33d session of this learned society com-
menced last evening at Burlington-house.
Sir R. MuncteisoN, the president, having con-
gratulated the society upon the fact that a larger
number of candidates for fellowship had presented
themselves that evening than had ever before been
known, then proceeded to notice the special business
before the meeting. While, said Sir Roderick, they
were all waiting with impatience for the issue of
that work which would bring out the interesting
details of the great and successful adventures by
which our countrymen, Speke and Grant had de-
termined the sources of the Nile, they were called on
to do honour to the Hanoverian nobleman, then
present—Baron von Decken—who, fitting out a
scientific expedition at his own cost, had explored
the loftiest mountain known to us in Eastern
Africa. The German missionary Rebmann had
declared that that mountain was capped with snow,
but his statement was received with scepticism by
many persons, including himself (Sir R. Murchison).
Baron von Decken, however, after two ascents, had
by his perseverance and energy swept away those
doubts, as, after examining the flanks of the moun-
tain and laying down its geographical features, he
had ascended it very nearly 14,000 feet above the sea,
and having determined by trignometrical measure-
ment that the summit exceeded 20,0001 t. in height,
that the snow lino descended to below 16,000 feet,
he had satisfactorily established a grand and new
phenomenon in the physical geography of Africa.
Before beginning his journeys to Kilimanjora Baron
von Decken endeavoured to proceed from Kilos and
to reach the spot in the interior where Roschcr was
murdered, with the hope of obtaining the papers
of that intrepid traveller, but was compelled
to relinquish his object, owing to the deser-
tion of his porters and the hostility of the Arab
traders. In hischief expedition Baron von Decken,
meeting at Zanzibar with the late Mr. Richard
Thornton, engaged that able and zealous young
geologist to accompany him, and who rendered
great services before he lost his life on the Zam-
besi. From some specimens of rock which Baron
von Decken had brought to Europe it was clear
that the lofty summit had been raised by volcanic
action, although there are no proofs of eruption in
the modern period. The Baron von Decken, how-
ever, was not content with having mastered Kili-
manjaro, but had determined to grapple with its
rival peak called Kenia, which, although not yet
reached by any geographer, had been placed upon
the map upon the equator, 200 miles to the north of
Kilimanjaro. The Baron had come to England to
equip himself et considerable cost with a long river
steamer, in which he proposed to ascend ono
of the rivers near to Formosa Bay, and thus to pene-
trate rapidly into the interior, either towards Mount
Kenia, or, if foiled in that object, to Gondokoro, viii
Kaffa. It was gratifying to announce that the
Baron having expressed a hope that in passing the
bar of the river which he might desire to ascend he
might be assisted by one of the cruisers in those
seas, he (Sir R. Murchison) represented that wish
to the Duke of Somerset, who at once acceded, and
sent orders to the Admiral at the Cape to lend all
necessary assistance to so meritorious a traveller.
Such devotion as the Baron von Decken had shown,
and was showing, in the cause of African discovery
called for the warmest commendation—(hear, hear)
—and the Council had that day elected Baron
C. von Decken a foreign honorary member of the
Royal Geographical Society. (Hear, hear.) A
short but interesting letter from Dr. Baikie had
been received, which could not fail to excite an
earnest desire to hear more of his last enterprise,
and to learn that the accredited envoy of the Bri-
tish Government, who had done good service in in-
troducing habits of honest trade among the native
chiefs high up the Niger, had, in penetrating far
into the interior, obtained important fresh know-
ledge, and had,
at the same time, extended our
good name among
the natives of Africa. He (the
president) had also received a letter from Mrs.
Petherick, dated Khartoum, July 26, giving a
touching narrative of the dangers and difficulties
which had beset her husband, who, too unwell to
write himself, had made himself unpopular in that
region by his efforts to check the trade in slaves.
The paper of Baron von Decken, describing his
account of Kilimanjaro was then read. It gave a
brief account of the various tribes through which
he passed on his way from the coast to Kiliman-
jaro, one tribe being sufficiently ingenious to smelt
iron and rudely convert it into weapons. He expe•
rienced great opposition from the natives, who de-
clared that the presence of Europeans would be fatal
to their cattle, and only succeeded in diverting the
by drinking blood with ;jai'
enmity of one chief
ht different nations, all differ-
He passed through eig
ing in speech and feature. After a brief account of
the ascent o Kilimanjaro, the most noticeable fact
f
mentioned by the Baron was the existence in those
regions of tan insect called the dondorovo, which at-
tacked and killed all his asses in two days. Upon
anatotnisation of; the animals killed it was found
that their lungs were covered with tubercles. Ho ,

The CHAIRMAN, on behalf of the meeting, thanked
the Baron von Decken for his very interesting paper.
Mr. TINNEjA relative of the Dutch ladies now
travelling in Central Africa, stated that he had re-
ceived letters from them dated the Ist of July, in
which they announced that the whole party were
in excellent health, and intending to proceed to-
wards a mountain they had heard of called Cazurja,
of which there was no geographical knowledge. The
country through which they had passed, south-west
by west of Khartoum, was very picturesque, and the
Nyam Nyam country to which they were bound
was said to be very fruitful. The ladies had left
their boats on the Nile, and the rainy season lasting
until November, they did not expect to return to
them before January or February. The latest de-
spatches from Dr. Baikie to Earl Russell, and a
letter from the late Dr. Vogel to his mother, which,
although dated in 1853, was interesting, as giving
an account of the habits of the natives, were also
read, after which the meeting adjourned.

OPENING OF THE SPANISH CORTES.

The following is the speech delivered by the
Queen of Spain on opening the Cortes :-
41 Senators and Deputies,—lt is always with great
pleasure that I see myself in the midst of the Na-
tional Representation, an institution accessible to
all constitutional opinions who exercise a legitimate
and advantageous influence over the Government
of the State and a secure guide for the throne,
which, with its support, pacifically solves the most
arduous problems, and wards off the most formi-
dable conflicts. Let us, therefore, continue to
devote ourselves with solicitude to the improvement
of our institutions.

cs my Government will take the initiative in pro-
posing to you reforms recommended by experience,
with the assurance that my most ardent duty is to
be acquainted with the sincere expression of the
national wish, in order that I may successfully
fulfil the exalted mission which it has pleased Pro-
vidence to confide to me.

e At the expiration of the legislative mandate of
the last Congress, fresh elections took place within
fixed by the Constitution. The electors
in great numbers to deposit their votes in the
cameuther
nsdelay
without any complications, which I deplore,
having disturbed order in the midst of the natural
animation of the equal struggle of ideas, which is
that which constitutes the real life of free nations.
This is a proof of the progress which constitutional
education has made among us, and of the inaugura-
tion mcny with the exigencies
of public habits in har
of the representative regime. To this flattering
result, the work of a series of years, all the legiti-
mate parties who have together rendered signal
services to the throne and to liberty have, by com-
bining their efforts, doubtless contributed. All,
therefore, merit on my part the same esteem and
the same confidence.
6, Our relations with the for •
regn Powers are
pacific and friendly. My aspirations constantly
tend to maintain the dignity of the national honour,
and to protect Spanish rights and interests.
Senators and Deputies,--My Gevernre ent will
pre-ent to you different Political and administrative
bills. Among them is that which tends to defini-
tively fix the constitutional reform voted by the
Cortes, and sanctioned by me in 1857, although
hitherto suspended in some of its provisions.
"The measure of my Government restores to the
co-legislative bodies the prerogative of reforming
its regulations, and it maintains the title of heredi-
tary senator, but without introducing a regime of
privilege into our system of successions.
4, There will be also laid before you the bases of
the organisation of the tribunals of common law and
the reform of the military jurisdiction, without in
any way encroaching on the true interests of tut
army and navy, which are so worthy of my mater-
nal solicitude, and of the gratitude of the country.
g‘ Thus will be realised a great reform long called
for by public opinion, and necessary in order to
harmonise the administration of justice with our
fundamental institutions, all the jurisdictions re-
maining within their natural limits, and with the
practical application of the principle of judicial
immovability the watchword of the constitution of
the monarchy.
" To those bases will be united those of the criminal
jurisdiction, in which, without diminishing the rights
of society and of defence, but on the contrary giv-
ing them more security, the administration of jus-
tice will be facilitated, and, by the help of appeal
for cessation, the observance of the law will be
maintained, and its interpretation rendered uniform
in all the tribunals. As a complement of those
bases, there will be also submitted to you the
organisation of the tribunals of commerce, and those
bills taken together, when they shall have become
laws, will constitute one of the most important and
the most devoted of my reign.
eMy Government will also submit to your ex-
amination the law on municipal authorities and
corporations, in which, by folio wing the spirit which
presides over that of the organisation of the pro-
vincee, and by giving more latitude to the action of
the municipalities, local and general interests will
be reconciled. The march of the administration
will be thus rendered less embarrassing, and the
work of decentralisation will be completed so far
as it shall be compatible with tha moral, political,
and permanent interests of the State, and with the
duty of the Government to watch over the execu-
tion of the laws.
_ _

" I rely on your giving your attention to the
bill which will be presented to you by my Govern-
ment relative to the exercise of the liberty of the
press, and to another measure of public order,
which, by removing all that is doubtful and arbi-
trary in the present regime, will subject to fixed
rules the suspension of constitutional guarantees,
and even establish by that exceptional situation
enactments to protect individual rights.
" Other important projects will be laid before
you, and among others that of the electoral law,
the codification of the waters, military substitutes,
the creation of the rural guard, expropriation for
works of public utility, grants for irrigations,
abolition of the monopoly of powder, and the re-
form of the octroi and tax on industry.
"In execution of the provisions of constitu-
tion, there will be submitted to you for examina-
tion a bill which fixes the strength of the army
and navy, and the amount of the State budget.
You will find in it no reductions as compared with
preceding budgets the inevitable increase
;
which actually coincides witht the
e
ordinary wants
decreasein the colonial surpluses, causes a deficiency
which cannot bo filled up except by reforms of
such taxes as are susceptible of being made more
productive.
4, At periods of encouragement and of progress
like ours, in which immense material ameliorations
are undertaken and executed, the sacrifices which
- require must be submitted to, in the confi-
the 4- under the shadow of peace those sacri-
dence tha.
compensated for by the ulterior
fices will bol '1
5r537
development of the p:blic riches.
,‘ The respect of
my
-ornment for the consti-
'ice and reason of
tut ion arid for tii" ro laws, the pm,-
the Spani6h ' fidelity of
the diacipliue v.Tth

" I hope, gentlemen, senators, and deputies, that
God, in his mercy, will favour my projects for the
happiness of our dear country. I rely on your co-
operation, full of confidence in your Spanish loyalty.
My gratitude is equally great towards this great
nation, as jealous of its independence and of its
glory
as it is worthy of being happy and pros-
perous.
"It has surrounded my cradle and defended my
right, imposing on myself the sacred duty, which I
fulfil with eagerness, of giving to its happines prio-
rity over my own and over that of my children.
lotstly, it has invested me with the personification
of its new social state, and has identified me with
the constitutional institutions of which I shall
always be the shield and the support."