The Sun.
London, England, 1850-09-10 00:00:00

THE GREAT SALT LAKE.

The American papers publish the particulars of a
report received from Captain Stansbury, an officer of
the Topographical Engineer Corps, who is engaged
in an examination of the valley of the Great Salt
Lake, and a hydrographic survey of that singular
sheet of water. The dispatch comes down to the 16th
of March. Captain Stansbury says :
" The provision train was dispatched down the east
shore of the Salt Lake, under Lieutenant Howland,
with orders to report to Lieutenant Gunnison, whilst
I, accompanied by Dr. Blake, with a party of four
men and 16 mule,i, addressed myself to make the tour
around the western side of the lake. We were pro-
vided with one soldier's tent, and one wall tent fly,
for protection from rains ; but they were of little we,
as but in one or two instances could poles be pro-
cured for stretching them, so utterly destitute of
timber was the region through which we passed.
We found that the whole western shore of the lake
consists of immense level plains of soft mud, inac-
cessible within many miles of the water's edge to the
feet of horses or mules, being traversed frequently
by meandering rills of salt and sulphur water, which
apparently sink, and seem to embue and saturate
the whole soil, rendering it miry and treacherous.
The plains are but little elevated above the present
level of the lake, and have, without doubt, at one
time not far distant, formed a part of it ; for it is
evident that a rise of but a few inches will at once
cover the greater portion of these extensive areas of
land with water again. I do not think I hazard much
by saying that a rise of one foot in the lake would
nearly, if not quite, double its present area. The
plains are for the most part entirely denuded of vege-
tation, except occasionally patches of artemisia and
grease-wood; and they glitter in the sunlight, pre-
senting ths appearance of water so perfectly, that it
is almost impossible for one to convince himself that
he is not on the immediate shore of the lake itself.
This is owing to the crystallization of minute portions
of salt on the surface of the mud, and the oozy slime
occasioned by the complete saturation of the soil with
moisture. From this cause also arises a mirage,
which is greater here than I have ever witnessed else-
where, distorting objects in the most grotesque man-
ner, and giving rise to optical illusions almost beyond
belief. I anticipate serious annoyance from this
cause in making the triangulation. In an estimated
distance of 150 miles on one part of the route fresh

water and grass were found only in one spot,
about midway of this stretch ; and we were obliged
to subsist our animals, that is to keep life in them,
by serving them out a pint of water each, night
and morning, taken from the indiarubber bags packed
upon their backs. The first part of this desert
was about 75 miles in extent, and occupied us two
days and a half to cross it, travelling all day and the
greater part of the night, walking a great portion of
the way to relieve the mules, who were sinking under
the want of sustenance and water. In the latter por-
tion of this first desert we crossed a field of solid salt,
which lay incrusted upon the level mud plain so thick
that it bore up the mules loaded with their packs so
perfectly, that they walked upon it as if it had been
a sheet of solid ice slightly covered with snow. The
whole plain was as level as a floor. We estimated
this plain to be, at the least, ten miles in length by
seven in width, and the thickness of the salt at from
one-half to three-quarters of an inch. A strip of
some three miles in width had been previously
crossed, but it was not thick or hard enough to pre-
vent the animals sinking through it at every step.
The salt ia:.the solid field was perfectly crystallized,
and, where it had not become mixed Kith the soil,
was as white and fine as the finest specimens of saline
table salt. Some of it was collected acd preserved.
After crossing the field of salt, we struck upon a
fine little stream of running water, with plenty of
grass, lying at the foot of a range of mountains,
which seemed to form the western boundary of the
i'nmediate valley of the lake. Here we were obliged
to halt for three days, to give our animals an oppor-
tunity to recruit. The latter part of the desert was
about seventy miles in extent, and was passed in two
days, by prolonging our marches far into the night.
Had we not found grass and water midway of this
barren waste, both animals and men must have pe-
rished. We were, as I have reason to believe, the first
party of white men that ever succeeded in making
the entire circuit of the lake by land. I have under-
stood that it was once circumnavigated by canoes in
early times, by some trappers in search of beavers,
but no attempt by land has ever been successful.
From the knowledge gained by this expedition, I
am of opinion that the size of the lake has been much
exaggerated, and from observation, and what I have
learned from the Mormons, who have made one or

two excursions upon it in a small skiff, I am induced
to believe that its depth has been much overrated.
That it has no outlet is now demonstrated beyond
doubt; and lam convinced from what I have seen
that it can never be of the slightest use for the pur-
poses of navigation. The water, for miles out from
the shore, wherever I have seen it, is but a few inches
in depth, and if there be any deep water it must be
in the middle. The Utah River (or the Jordan, as
the Mormons call it) is altogether too insignificant
and too crooked to be of any use commercially. 'The
greatest depth of the Utah Lake that we have found
is sixteen feet; so that for the purpose of a connected
line of navigation neither the river or the lake can be
of the slightest utility. Such, at least, is my present
impression. Further examination of the Salt Lake
may, perhaps, modify this opinion with regard to the
latter. The river connecting these two lakes is forty-
eight miles in length."

THE PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL

ACADEMY.

The election to this honourable office has become
the subject of newspaper and artistic speculation,
and, as might have been anticipated, several mem-
bers of the Academy are named as the most likely
candidates. Among these we observe Sir Richard
Westmacott, elevated in the ranks of sculpture, and
so long esteemed in the best society for his great
intelligence, and refined and gentlemanly manners;
the veteran Pickersgillo also so long established, and
standing so high in portrait painting ; Stanfield, one of
the most eminent of English landscape pain-
ters, whose works rival the noblest of the
ancient masters, and whose private character, and
personal and other requisites, stand on an equal
footing with those of his elder competitors whom
we have mentioned, or any other of the Forty.
Turner's name is enough to justify his pretensions
on similar grounds. There are, too, Eastlake, dis-
tinguished by pen as well as pencil, and a known
favourite with the higher powers, under whom he
has acted in various onerous capacities connected
with the progress of art; Edwin Landseer, an
artist unsurpassed in his line, and living on intimate
terms with the best classes of society ; D. Roberts,
in art, social status, and fitting attainments, in-
ferior to no one ; and finally, Leslie, with abilities
for the palette and the ars loquendi, needed by the
President, which would render his elevation, per se,
unexceptionable. The election rests with the mem-
bers of the body, and there is a veto in the Crown.

It will thus be seen that there is no want of an ade-
quate field out of which to. choose the new President ;
a choice which must have been made at this period,
from retirement, even had the chair not become va-
cant by the melancholy event which has made it so in
the course of nature. Upon whom the lot is destined
to fall, it would be premature to speculate at a sea-
son of the year when so many of the electors
are out of town on their autumnal tours ; and conse-
quently their sentiments cannot be distinctly ascer-
tained. Yet we think we may, from our acquaintance
with the body, venture an opinion that Sir R.
Westmacott stands about the fairest chance among
all the probable candidates. Mr. Eastlake enjoys
a handsome income in connexion with the Royal
Commission for the Exhibition of 1851, and other
sources, which it may be thought he would not
like to give up in exchange for the honour in view,
which, with the claims upon it, is not of a very
profitable kind. Sir E. Landseer is stated to be
another competitor very likely to be successful, as
we have heard from some of his brethren ; and Mr.
Pickersgill is a favourite, on account of his long
standing and station in the art. At any rate, the
31 of November ensuing, the regular anniversary of
the Academy for the transaction of its important
business, and election of its members, must decide
the question, and we cannot but feel that it will be
satisfactory to the country to congratulate the
individual chosen, on whomsoever among those we
have indicated that choice may fall. Literary
Gazette.