New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-07-12
HUMBOLDT AND FREMONT.

Among the scientific honofs paid TO Col. Fremost,
pioneer Of American discovery, certainly not the
east notable that conferred by the King Of Prus-
ia in "the great Golden Medal of Progress in tho
ScienceI" Tie manner of its communities alton added
rare value to the gift. II was cent with a most COM
Elementary letter Of Baron Humboldt who took occa-
sion TO add the warmes expressions Of his own per.
sona reepect and admiration. AS this letter has appa-
renty been overlooked in the notices recently made Of
Fremont by the press, we avail ourselves of the
advance sheets of the biography in the course Of
publication by Derby & Co., Of this city, to lay it
before readers. One sentence of Huubodts letter
We have marked in italics; it was conscientious
tribute paid 10 the Senator then it is highly sgnif-
cant of FremOnts " friendship to liberty and to the
progress Of intelligence" nOp.
The following is the English translation OF Baron
Humboldts letter:
"TO Col. FREMONT, Senat0r-It is very agree able
to me- Sir to address you these lines by my ex ,elent
friend our Minister to the United States, NJ de Gerst.
After having given yOu 10 the new edition of my As.
poets of Nature, the public testimony of the admra-
ton which is due to your gigantic lsbors betweea ST.
Louis, OF Missouri. and the coasts of the South Sea
feel happy to offer you in this living token (dans ce
petit signe de re, the homage Of my wsrm kaow.
edgmebt. You have displayed noble courage ia
distant expeditions, braved all the DANCES Of cod and
famine, enriched all the branches Of the natural sci.
trely unknown to us.
"a merit 70 rare has been ACKNOWLEDGED By a
sovereign warmly interested in the progress OF ysca
geography the King orders me to offer you the grand
golden medal destined to those who have labored At
scientc progress. nope that this mark of the Royal
good WILL will be agreeable to you at a time wbeo.
upon the proposition Of the illustrious geographer
Chas. Ritter the Geographical Society at Berlis has
named you an honorary member. For myself, must
thank you particularly also for the honor which YOU
have done in attaching my name ana that of my fellow
IA hnypr nd tptf Nc
ghborng to those which have been the object of our
labOrs. California, which las so noble resistef a.
ntrodnct'ou ot Slacery, wsH be wortkay ycpresene<
oy Trend Of L5erfy and Of the progress Of intet-
gence.
Accept, pray you, Sir, the expression Of my high
I'd afectionate cOnsio ration
Your moe. humble aud most obedent servapt
SANS souci octobsr7 1880"
On the envelope thus addressed
ITO Colonel Fremont Senator
With the great Golden msdai'
For prosrs.s IN the sciences
BARON HUMBOLDT"
The following is .he pubic testm ,ny of the Bsron
admiration Of the gigantic abors Of Fremont referred
to in the letter, ocnta aimed in the new or third
editions of his Aspects Of Nature, and which. as
reference, becomes natural sppendsnt to the letter
Fremont's map and geographical inveotig 4.ions
comRf.heoo the eStenrye region from the junction of
the hansas River with the Missouri 10 the FAN. OF the
Columbia, ana 20 the missions of Santa Barbara aud
Pueoa de los Angeles, in New CALIFORNIA; or space
OF % cegrees OF longitude and from the 3lth TO the
i5th parallel Of Latitude. -Four hundred points have
besn detennir led hypOsometnoaly by baromc,ric OBJ
servatons, and fo- TIE most part, geogra phcsy by
as'ionomical observations. 80 that district which.
with the winnings OF the route, amousts to 5000
get graphical niles from the mouth Of the Kansas to
Fort an COVE! aad the shores OF the Pacific al It
40 miles more than the distance from Madrid to
TObosk has been serted IN profile, -nowing tho
relative nights above the level of the
A. haise frat yybO I'D
20, k to represert eeoenoeti: profile, the form cf
eutne oount,ies--oBsG tee lberao Peain,uls, the
high LANDS o. Mexico. ana the Cordleras o. South
At.eric. rbe erl'ferpectVe projections ot Sies-
ran t:avelet the Able Chsppe, we're forsced en-
mere enc generally lljucgec estimsCns Of the fall Of
riversl tas siven me peculiar plelsCro to the
geogre pbcal hod OF representing tbs fern Of the