The New York herald., 1876-11-30
YHE GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY.
Interesting Proceedings in the New
Hall Last Night.
THE GREAT DARIEN CANAL PROJECT
An Important Paper on the Spitzbfrgen Seas
by German Explorer.


new house a. No. IL West Twenty ninth street, was
continued last evening Tho proceedings, however,
took the shape Of the usual business meeting than
On Tuesday night A large assembage OF ladies and
gentlemen filed the handsome rooms OF the society,
among them beng Hon. Peter Cooper, who was an at
antve listener TO the paper Of the evening. and to
he remarks which made Chief Justice DAILY
vas again absent in consequences OF ndispositon, and
his place taken by General I. d. Myers, OF tho
vice presidents OF the society
The Chairman 1rsl introduced Hon. Manuel NJ
Peralta, Minister Resident OF Costa RIGA, who
SpoKo q fow words concerning tho projected
canal across the isnmus OF Daricn, a subject
which intended that shall discuss length at
future meeting OF the society He merely said last
night had been pretty well settled that OF all the
routes developed by tho explorations OF the United
States government tho Nicaragua route which passed
hat State and Costa Rca was the best Fpr the pros
,cuton OF that work. he said, two things were ne
,essary-means and absolute neutrality OF the canal
tpon which means depended. II that neutrality
Ecre guaranteed hc had NO doubt that abundant re-
sources would be found Ho was able he addod. TO
Itate officially that as his government was con-
termed, was prepared 10 guarantee such neutilty
Mr.. Alexander Humboldt v. II. " d. Hocck, of Ber-
In, then introduced, and read his paper giving
account of recent journey to the Spitzbergcn Seas
md boat journey througn Russia and Finnish Lap
and
rHE ADDRESS
"Of what use Is Arctic exploration?" 'How can IL
benefit manklnds" were the questions propounded by
The speaker on beginning his DISCOURSE They had
been to him often, he sad Of late that It seemed
10 HIM the Arctic explorer had first TO them
Ing and more everything from an ex-
Irene practical standpoint Frpm tho disasters at
descriptions OF Kane the idea bad become prevalent
that Tho attempt 10 enter those cebound regions is
only connected with the greatest peril aud sacrifice.
The world at large had formed picture oil vast
gion, covered with perpetual snow and ice,
utterly barron almost devoid Of life, without
vegetation, the AWFUL stilncss broken only by the
terrible grinding OF the rushing masses, they
como together with startling noisc or the giant tee
bergs closing one upon the other, threatening he
aight, covering the earth like shroud; the short
hummer OF perpetual daylight What wonder that,
with such picture of desoation In the mind, tho
question should arise Oi what interest TO science
commerce can such region be? The question Of
Polar exploration, the question of Arctic discovery,
Tor moro than three centuries past, had been COM
mercial speculation, ana the questions OF
sa. we're rar, either 81 secondary spscala.on or en-,
proven that the discovery OF northwest passage Is OF
little value TO commerce. and that The merchant has
but little chance in those Arcc regions,
septon Of the pursuit OF whales. seals warusses-
since then commerce had abandoned the field, and
science lays this great Arctic land comprising
moro than 1900 600 square miles. The expeditions
sent out from Germany in the last lew had been
more Tor the purpose omakng scientific observations,
and collecting material in the different departments OF
nat oral history, and now nearly every year such
expedition was sent out TO the North.
The speaker described tho arrang made for
pr vatc expedition to the spzbcrgcn 1875 1t
his by Professor Hartman Presi-
dent oil tho African Society and Vice Prcsdcut Of the
Geographical Society; Professor Wirchow President
the Anthropolosca Society," and Professor Rcichcrt
Director Of the Royal Anatomicu Museum, all OF Bcr-
I'm. HIS Instructions werc TO make deep dreugngs
and measurements determining tho temperatures of
the deep climates aud the oceanic currents COL
ecing geological and other material, ana,
completing these, TO return overland and
make anghropolOgical Investigations
rardcd the inhabitants OF the northern coasts
Leaving Hamburg oy steamer early IN tho summer
Tho party followed the Norwegian coast the
Arctic circle TO Hammcriest, the most northery town
On the gioOe, whcrc ship chartered for their
them. The wild and beautiful scenery OF the
jagged rocky coast was vividiy described BY the
sps akcr, who evidently has the eye OF an artist The
vessel was manned by eight stout seamcn, undcr the
command OF an old seal hr"sug Norwegian captain,
and Mr. Humbold.s party consisted Of an assIs'an.
vessel held ITS course toward Cape North,
where they dropped anchor A. midnight Tho sun
falling in soiteped splendor directly upon the headand
the biack. rocky hlilsdcs covered with patches of
snow the perfect calm OF The sea, stretching away
toward tho north perfectly lmitlcss OF water
were all pictured 20 that the audience seemed actually
TO stand upon the deck the ship aud the whole
through the crysa! Arc;ic atmosphere The sea
oil Sptzbcrgen large, shallow wnter, from 100 GEO
fathoms deep, lying between Sptzbergen and Nova
Zembla was Of great interest. as the GuIt Stream nils
wedge, the base OF which lies between Bear
Island and the coast OIL LapoHQ. And this
wonderful warm current exerted powerful
Influence upon tho climate Of that region after sing
over 5000 miles OF the Atlantic. rhe speaker
struck with wonder when landing upon the Island OF
Tran,soc, IN 10 degrees north latitude almost on u
parallel with Greenland he found the hiIlsdes covered
with beautiful trees and flower gardens While thcre
the speaker made excursion up into the hills across
tho narrow channel to hunt up herds rcndeer
The way led through beautiful valley, walled IN on
ether s;dc by high perpendicular clltls. behind which
lay the reservoirs oil snow and which poured their
melted into the valley high rocky lodges
"A
the sea small streams that intersectcd valley.
Tho rround covered with bright green grasses
terns while nowers-such as the blue forge,.ne
aud the purple geranium-dotted tho earth, and
patches OF wntc reindeer moss hid the naked rocks
here and there The balmy air reminded him OF the
perpetual spring that IL said TO on tho high
piaieaus Of thc Andes Although II was near ten
O'Clock ut night, the sun was shining warmly;
cna ulron '0aae trees, some Of which Which wers from rom
thirty to forty feet high, he threw himself
the ground with his coat OF and took out his journal
10 make u few MISUNDERSTANDING upon what a re-
mark able world OF ours this iswhcn his rcvcre
interrupted by liant musical sound, and suddenly he
found himself attacked by swarm OF mosquitoes,
winch soon became troublesome that he had 10
leave IL mostly account OF the insects nosting
the valleys summer that the Lapps leave their
ter quarters and with their large herds Of reindeer
wander up INTO tho mountains and high piatcaus bor
derIng on the coast
and tue cncounteredson the voyage, the
that sunued themselves upon the edges aud walrus
hunt indu Red In Tor amusement urDIshod matter for
The operations were very successful yielding valua-
bio results and greater part OF material gath
cred during The voyage n now In the museums or
Berlin, whore II is being arranged and determined
They lound the bottom IN the lesser dcphs-Ifoii
nfty TO 200 fathoms-to consist mostly OF sand aud
gravel greater depths such as 500 or 600 nthous,
tnere seemed to be more mud bottom. In this
numbers OF small shells, many varieties OF the mol
Iusca ultitudes Of calcarcors and arenaceous shells
OF tho more minute organisms, the most predominant
OF which were those OF the ioraminiiera aud radolaria
Tho submarine vegetation was much more mcsgre than
might be expected.
Toward the beginning OF August the little vessel WAS
driven by winds and fogs 10 the southeast. When the
cleared they sighted land IN the vicinity o
Cape Britwiu tho southwest coast o Nowaya Scmia
ana the weather continuing thick they stecred south
ward aud entered Porsangor FJord. Thence they sailed
along the aud anchored oil Swerhvltklubuen-an
immense rock-anordng one Of the greatest resting
places for birds the northern hemisphere TINS
huge headlaad rises OF The sea like perpendicular
wal traverscd by numerous Jutins, parallel Shelves
the rock has crumbled away and lett ranges Of
convenent breeding places Tor The numerous sea birds
resortIng 10 the coast in summer
Nam fnCursiOna the country IN