Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-11-25
THE GAZETTE.
oftl,e Globe.
MONDAY EVENING, NOV'R. %.


The expedition about to be dispatched by
the British Admiralty to undertake scientific
circumnavigationi the globe is described at
great length by the Nature. The vessel set
apart for this purpose is the corvette Challen-
ger. of >, BOG tons, under the command OF "
s, Mares, r. N, we'll known as the author OF
valuable work on seamanship, who has seen
\ great deal of active service, formerly IN Arc
tic exploration. and latterly in the Suez survey,
which he now leaves to head this expedition.
On the scientific staff are Professor Wyvllle
THOMPSON. L. i. S., as director; }. \. Buch-
anau, of Edinburgh. University, chemist; H;N.
Moseley of Oxford, naturalist; DR.. on WI
emoes Suhm of Munich, naturalist; John
Murray, of Edinburgh University, naturalist.
The three naturaliSts take charge respectively
Of the inyertebrata, the vertebrate, and botany,
Professor Thompson assumes the charge OF the
also assigned to duty. The whole expedition
is under the immediate direction of the hydro
graphic department OF the Admiralty, and the
Shin Is fitted out with magnificent collection
of scientific apparatus.
The Challenger will sail from Portsmouth Tor
Gibraltar, the first haul of the dredge being
made in the Bay of Bscay, if the weather
should chance to be favorable. From Glbral-
tar she will proceed to Madeira, thence to
ST. Thomas, the Bahamas, Bermuda the
Azores; from thence to Bahia, touching at
Fernando Norohna; then across to the Cape
Of Good Hope, and, after a stay IN that neigh
borhood, southwark to the Crozctts and Ma
riou Islands and kergueens Land. A run
southwark will then be made as lar as possible
to the ice and the course thence be made to
Sydney, New Zealand the Campbell and Auck-
land groups. Torres Straits. New Guinea, and
New Ireland will then be visited. \ long cruise
of perhaps year will then be made among the
Pacific Islands, thence the expedition, passing
between Borneo and Celcbes and visiting Luzon
and its neighborhood, will proceed to Japan,
where stay of two or three months Is expected
Thence northward.to kamskatka, whence run
will be made northward through Behrlug 5
Straits, and then through the Aleutiau islands,
southwark TO Fancouvers Island, and so
through the deep eastern region OF the Pacific
by Easter Island, and possibly by the Galapa
Cos Archipelago to the Horn, and thence home.
The voyage is expected to take about three and
half years.
It is difficult (says the Nature) to over-esti
mate the immense benefit science must derive
from an expedition such as this. Apart from the
results of Intense interest which may be expect
ed from the deep-sea work, the principal object
Of the expedition, and which must go tar to
elucidate subject on " hich our knowledge Is
at present of the most imperfect description,
abundant opportunity will offer for the accurate
investigation of the animal and vegetable llic
of many highly interesting and yet imperfectly
known or totally unexplored regions. The in
vestigation of the Horas of such islands as Fer
nando Norohna and the Marion and Crozett
groups cannot tail to yield most instructive re-
salts, and it is needless to speak of the intense
interest which centres in New Guinea.