Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-10-21
BRITISH SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATION.
AT the. late meeting Of this Society the following
we're the principal topics under discussion:

were the principal topics under discussion:
AUSTRALIAN EXPLORATION. -Before the Geographical
Section communication read by Capt G. STURT
laye to the Australian expedition The expedition II
appears the northern coast, at the
Victoria river traverse the country between and the
Albert examining any rivers 1t might intersect and
deavor the northern limits of the desert From
the limited expedition at first contemplated such track
would have been advisable but, if her Maesys Gov
eminent contemplated enlarged investigation Of
the Interior its range must be extended and such
knowledge Of the whole northern interior might be
quired would render further examination and expense
necessary; ALSO that the leader Of any expedition
should have general instructions to traverse and examine
certain portion of the continent leaving it to his udg-
mcnt regulate his movements according to the nature
Of the country and the state of his supplies 1t was
thought desirable to urge the Duke OF Newcastle the
very great advantage that would attend the completing
of the great survey Of the continent at the same time that
the interior survey going on. The impression OF
Capt Sturt was favor of the existence of inland
in direction almost due south of the Victoria The
paper included much interesting information connected
with Australia, and the desrabity OF such an expedition
as tending to promote civilization and the extension Of
the blessings Of christianity to lands in state Of
idolatry and barbarism.
RUSSIAN PROGRESS AsIA-Before the section Mr.
B. SEYMOUR NJ p read extracts from the M s. notes Of
travel of General Fabyisr in Central Asia from Teheran
to Herat Bakh Candahar and along the COURSE Of the
Helmund and around the lake Sstan In the course of
this paper the argument upheld that there is
tera obstacle the invasion Of India through the Seppes
has stealhy and gradually been approaching the
Several interesting details also given to the
gress Of Alexander in bygone days and the probable
progress of hostile army in our times The passages
read went to that there could be lack OF river
room, Of fuel or provision for an invading army.
The Chairman (Sr r. MURoHIsoN) said the statements
made by Mr. Seymour were exceedingly valuable as re-
garded those portions of the continent of India which
had been referred to- but with respect to any contem
plated encroachment, suggested by the writer, on
India by Russia in the way described he considered it SO
Quixoc that she would never attemptt He could state
that from his experience OF residence in India
During regns the Russians had attempted to get pos
session of the little prncipaty of Khiva and they had
been able to accomplish it. The invasion Of India
would require such large army that he had always
looked upon 1t physical impossiby, and he knew
what it was expose army to the chance OF total
want of provisions. Russian expedition was formed
to cross between Ara and the Caspian Sea- it was found
impossible to take 5000 men, and it reduced to
800 and even that small army had great difficulty in
reaching the sea of Aral
Mr. SEYMOUR stated that between Ara and the Caspian
Russia had formed lines Of wells, which were In the
hands Of the Cossacks.
Col SYKES considered the thing perfectly visionary.
With regard to an invasion Of India by the Russians,
nothing less than 100000 troops would do it, besides
they must carry provisions and Keep up proper COM
missarat to be effective when they arrived in India
They could march to the Indus without the risk Of
army being altogether lost In support OF his opinion
he insanced what had been effected by Lord Keane in
India and the loss he sustained lie repeated that Russia
could never reach the banks Of the Indus with 100000
men in a condition for any effective operations.
Mr. SEYMOUR said he had only stated that the Russians
did not consider it SO.
The Rev. Mr. ARTHUR said it was general impression
that India had in all been considered exposed to To-
reign aggression but there was greater falacy
He referred to several historical facts in support of this
view and did agree in the opinion that there was any
apprehension of an invasion OF India by Russia
THE PREsToN STRIKE-In the Statistical Section, Mr..
H. AsHwoRTH, of Bolton gave detailed history OF this
strike from which it appeared that 1T lasted thrtsix
weeks and that the total loss to the Preston community
was e533, $50.
MEN persus ApEs-Professor OWENS lecture on man
like apes in the chronological Section, drew together an
immense audience The lecturer rejecting as fur as pos
sibe the technicaties which sometimes make scenunc
discourses repusive to mixed audience proceeded to
define known species Of those large taess apes which
form the highest group of their order quadumana and
consequently make the nearest approach TO man ne DE-
termined the geological characters Of the known
orang outangs and chimpanzees as manifested by adult
specimens pointed out the relative proximity OF these
caricatures of humanity to the human specles ana lnd
Gated the leading distinctions which separate the most
anthropod of these apes from Entering then, up
the subject of the varieties Of the human race the
Professor defined the degree in which the races differed
from each other color stature and Of the
skeleton The unity Of the human species is demonstrate
ed by the consancy of those astrological and dental cha
which the attention is more particularly direct
ed investigation of the corresponding characters IN
the higher quadnanG. Man ID the sole speces OF MS
genus the sole representative of his order. He has no
nearer physical relations with the brute kind than those
which arise of the characters that link together the
great group of pacental mammaa, called "unguicuata
In conclusion the Professor briefly recounted the facts
present satisfactorily ascerained respecting the anti
guilty of the quadrunana and Of upon the surface of
the earth At the time of the demise of Cuyer in 1852
no evidence had been obtained of fossil quadumaao and
the baron supposed that both these and the bdnd were
of very introduction Soon after evidence with re-
gard the fossil quadruand was obtained from different
quarters In the eldest eocene tertiary deposites IN
Suffolk specimens Of jaws and teeth were found which
unerrng indicated the former existence Of species Of
monkey Of the genus Macacus Macacus eocenus About
the same time the tertiary deposites from the Hmaaya
mountains gave further evidence Of the qaddrumand;
jaws astragal and other parts of the skeleton
having been found completely perfed, and referabe to
the genus called Semnophecus, which is now restricted
to the Asiatic continent.
Dr. Lund discovered in Brazil remains Of extinct
patyrhine monkey, SURPRISING any known ecbus or my
ctes in size; the platyrhnes peculiar to South Anne
rica Lastly in the middle tertiary series in the south
of France was discovered fragment Of the lower jaw
proving that that period species of the long
ed ape must have existed But fossil remains have
been found in the regularly deposited layers Of the
divisions mot even the piocene of the tertiary series
Human bones have been found in doubtful positions
in the dedrtus at the bottom Of the Cliffs but in
tranquil undsturbed deposites, participating in the mi
neral characters Of the undoubed fossils Of these depo
SITES The petrifed negro skeletons in the cacareous
concretes Of Guadalupe Of comparatively recent
origin. sThus therefore,, concluded the professor IN
reference both the unity of the human species and to
the fact Of being the latest he is the highest OF
all animal forms upon planet the interpretations Oh
Gods works coincide with what has been revealed to us