The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-12-17

From the New York Times.
American Geographical aud Statistical socie-
ty.-1he Grinnoii Land Controversy.

1
sliy; aud afterwards eonosrsaslone. al which Captain
Gibson, well knosa for bis suferngs a, the hands 0
his late travels in the Eastern Archipelago illustrated by
maps and some curious descriptions OF the remarkable
n inhabitants OF that region.
The president OF The society, George Bancroft esq., oc
suped the chair and Vice President Henry Grinne esq
I ~. Hawks, and several members, we're present.
Sevttai books. &c.. were presented and among other
donations were map of the world drawn in the four
eenth century, copied from original attributed 10 Ra
nulphe de Hyggaden, exhibiting The very limited geo
gfaphical knowledge OF that period very minute
beautifully executed by native Chinese also, one o
f China, and OF pekn. the same scale; and Chinese
razor used IN shaving The beard and heada rude sma
instrument, the blade being very wide and short. and
in use this continent and in Europe. The laer wa.
Prescated by John X. Duer, OF the United Sta na,y
n THE GhiSxELL LAND IN THE ARCTIC REGIONS
III Dr Hawks from The special committee to whom this
suo}ect was referred, reported progress.
Ihe land IN question lies the north extremity of the
wellington channel, IN about IS degrees north latitude
and English both claim 10 be hs first discoverers Of his
land bu there can be little doubt that The credit is due
@ Capan De Haven. OF the lhip Rescue, who first
in 1850, and that Captain Penny who discovered it in
1851, and called Prince Albers Land" from The fact
o1s beng first seen on his highness's birthday did 20
unaware of The Tact thai the Americans had previously
i been there The committee reported that The map they
Produced wss not completed. but would be in January,
h and they would then be prepared report fully they
nefcfhre asked leave to proceed with their invest
lhe suhNfat has been treated oi, and the American
ciaims strongly uged, in two pamphlets written by Col
4 Force. Il is singular concdeece thai similar dill
hculy arose with respect To discovery in the Antarctic
regions.
Henry Grnnel, esq, said he thought he could en-
tighten he committee considerably If he heard be-
sion, the English ofacc.s gave evidence themselves
that The point seen by esem in 1851 was The same as
,ba seen by De Haven N ls1o-lhe bearings OF Mount
/ franklin. highland lying to the east ward being de.
scribed by both ss The in Captain Pennys des-
patches.
The namss Of So veal applicants for admission 10 the
Dr. II Awks offered series OF resolutions, in appoba.
llon OF he Project OF Mr. + B. Hunt for establishing a
geogr pascal room IN the Congressional Library, in
cout 40 at erection at Washington
lr. John Jay brought forward proposition for a
co AvenIon at Brussels. convenient place, for
? iomoing the establishment of and unlIorm sys.
OF weights and measures, with common standard
and introduced report of committee OF the British
House OF Commons in favor of decimal coinage.
king The pound sterling the unit, TO be divided into
len,hs, with which object the forin new coin, had
been last year struck They recommended another coin
to De made representing ahundredth, and The arhng,
now l-960b, TO be made L. ,000th. The subject was in
accordance with Mr. Jays WISHES referred the eXecu-
+ tive committee To report
Joshua Leavil, esq, offered resolution that the ex.
ecnve committee take measures 10 for this
cRiy rooms in The building about TO be erected for the
Historical Society, provided it could be done without in
voiving them in debt.
DR. Hawks took occasion to remark that, though there
was agreement 10 that effect il hal always in private
conversation been part OF their views TO provide such
accommodation Tor this society.
The president expressed hope that they would al the
next legislature obtain charter and the Historical
Society, he thought would not be very bald TO
ment
The resolution was adopted
Mr., Disiurnell called attention 10 naitering re-
marks IN speech the read an extracD made by Sir
Robert Murchison at the Geographical Society in Lon
don in reference to the American one. which he consld
cred very gratifying and well worthy their noce-a
view which fully concded in by the members
present
The business Of The meeting being disposed of they ad
4 Iournsd,M the I'd Tuesday IN January.
ooNvERsAztoKr.
Dr. Nawks, in the course of the meeting introduced
\ Captain Gibson with some complimentary remarks. He
was well known, he said 10 them by repule, in conse
qsenee Of hs recent suengs at the hands Of the Dutch
u IN the Eastern Archipelago. He had lately been kind
il enough TO show him (Dr maps OF the islands
he had travelled, and had given him such interesting
formation with reference TO them that be had requested
him 10 repeat 10 the Society, which he had proposed
to do mol as formal lecture. but interesting feature
OF stance
Captain Gibson having heen introduced, accordingly
display ed some maps OF Dorneo, Suman, Java, and
contiguous smaller islands, and proceeding 10 de.
scribe 'hem when II was proposed that the business OF
the meet,cg be completed. This being DONE the presi-
dent vacated the chair and Captain g. resumed his agree
aho and graphic descriptions
The fret island described that oil Bali lying 10 the
east OF Java. sxlyegh mile, long This principal
ly remarkable Tot being extremely popuous-the in
habians numbering not less than 920, 900 OF the most
war'ke people IN the Eastern Archipelago. They were
superior race OF people, having brown hair and eyes,
and aoseIher OF an organization nearly approaching
own. They were genuine Hindoos in their religious be
hei and the only ones in that region but their origin
coul not be traced with any degree of accuracy. their
early history being very vague and involved in much
obscurity rs that OF the MaIeys
Their language WAS partly Ssnscrit and Javanese
Their population having become 80 large they had CON
ceived the idea OF emgrang The larger island Of Pa
pua. and had sent to the OF Singapore ask the
protection OF the Eogsh II they did accomplish this
exodus there could be bat little doubt that they would
extermlnafe the abogines The faIrest 10 be
found IN Western Suma,ta--,he PuIo Mas, who had
blue eyes and light, fair complexion
The lrland of Bali Consisted OF seven kingdoms-a
heparchy. The Pulo Mas totally unlike the Bali
nese. and were PaEars oi different order He then de-
scrbed an extraordinary OF beings found in the
southeastern part OF Sunara called the Orang kooboo.
tkooboo sgn,iying brown,) or brown OF Snma'ra
who appeared to form the lowest scale OF humanity, and
They were covered with hair, and scarcely human
but were recognised by the Maays slaves and hunted
to be nsed as beasts of burdcnhe only labor they
nsrusied with These were 1chthyophag, nearly
all the races there There legend that they were
the descendan's Of the slaves of Alexander the Great OF
whom there we're many legends ex'ant. They could not
be taught .he OF garments al all but would decorate
themselves with colored bs of cloth and rags Their
language barbarous dialect OF Malay, and entirely
labic did il possible to teach them any
oiher They had nothing approaching the institution OF
discover. they bad no idea OF any spiritual being; bat
fellow prisoner, Captain Van voorden. said that they
would, when injured pleased, assemble, male and Ie
male. round tree in which other races believed good
and evil spirits 10 ve and strike their heads agana it,
They however contributed 10 the purposes of commerce
in collecting benzoin OF gam benjamin The mode of
dealing TO leave red or coored clo,hs. and 10