Page:A Voyage of Discovery and Research in the Southern and Antarctic Regions Vol 1.djvu/37

Rh of an antarctic expedition for scientific objects, were informed by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that it had been determined to send out Captain James Clark Ross on such an expedition, and the council were at the same time requested to communicate to them, for their information, any suggestions on those subjects, or on other points to which they might wish Captain Ross's attention to be called, in preparing the instructions to that officer. The council, having due regard to the magnitude and importance of the question submitted to them, considered that they would best fulfil the wishes of Her Majesty's Government by a subdivision of the inquiry into different parts, and by referring the separate consideration of each part to distinct committees, consisting of those members of the society who were especially conversant with the particular branches of science to which each division of the inquiry had relation. These several committees, namely, those of physics, of meteorology, of geology and mineralogy, of botany and vegetable physiology, and of zoology and animal physiology, after bestowing much time and great attention in the investigation of the subjects brought under their notice, have each drawn up very full and complete reports of the results of their labours. These reports have been considered and adopted by the council, and have been incorporated in the following General Report, which the council present as their opinion on the matters which have been referred to them by Her Majesty's Government. They take this opportunity of declaring their satisfaction at the prospect of the benefits which are likely to accrue to science from the expedition thus liberally undertaken by the government on the representations made to them by the Royal Society and other scientific bodies in this country, and in conformity with a wise and enlightened policy. They also desire to express their grateful sense of the prompt