а.

jable

.

172 Mr. Edmonston on the Situation and Prospects, &c. [MARCH,
two or three small ships of war on different routes; one
to make for Sir Thomas Rowe's Welcome, or Repulse Bay;
another for Fox's Farthest, and a third to look into every creek
and corner on the coast of Baffin's Bay, as far even as Lancaster
Sound or further; though there be no great likelihood of the
entrance being made this time so much to the northward.
· Why also might not the Davis's Straits? Whalers be encou-
raged by a bounty to sail a few weeks earlier than usual, and to
employ the time in exploring the coast all the way to the fishing
ground ? . In a word, suppose any thing and every thing to be
done most likely to promote the great objects in view; namely,
the preservation of our dear countrymen and the character of our
country.

Should the apprehensions set forth in this memoir be treated as chimerical, I can only express my hearty prayers that the event may prove them to have been so; or should it be objected that the proposed measures would be premature, the time not having ye arrived when they may be called for, I reply, that it is not the time to send help when it is needed. Months must elapse before it can by possibility reach them, and months or weeks, nay days, are too precious when the time of their trouble comes. Every one will allow, at least, that the aid had better come too soon than too late; and that hundreds of thousands of

: pounds had better be expended in superfluous precautions than ihat a single man should perish by neglect or delay:

I trust that the department of the public service to which the management of all this affair has been exclusively confided, is fully and feelingly alive to the duty which it has to discharge on this occasion. Nay it is by no means improbable, that the measures now suggested have long been in contemplation. Most unfeignedly shall I rejoice should this prove true.

But public boards cannot find leisure to attend to every thing ; and I am so unreasonable as to think, that on such an occasion, we ought, if possible, to be prepared for all chances. We cannot forget that La Perouse might have been saved or heard of had ships been timely sent out in search, instead of waiting years beyond the extreme period allowed for the fulfilment of his instructions. But France was then in her political agony. For her, therefore, there was the appearance of excuse or palliation. For us there can be none. But even as it is, the name of Perouse can never be uttered or thought of without feelings of the deepest sympathy, regret, and indignation. Besides, nothing satisfactory could be anticipated from the labours of those sent out under Entrecasteaux; for they were evidently more engrossed by their party squabbles, than with the noble object of their search; and, in fact, when the commander died, they actually quarrelled on these paltry grounds, and separated. Again, the very character and mode of conducting the expedition were

sufficient to ensure disappointment. Their purpose was, or ought to have been, 'search, and nothing else; to touch or look in every where ; to rest no where a moment longer than was indispensable. Instead of this, they were provided with naturalists, astronomers, geographers, engineers, and all the paraphernalia .and instructions suited to à voyage of discovery; and consequently spent much of their valuable time in details foreign to that sacred duty which should have occupied their sole and undivided attention. And to crown the whole, the two ships were dispatched together; instead of taking separate routes, by which the chances of gaining their object would have been at least doubled. However, not to dwell any longer on the mistakes of our neighbours, let us endeavour to profit by them, and above all, let not the bitter reproach lie against this country of having " left undone that which she ought to have done."

ARTICLE II.

Astronomical Observations, 1822, 1823.

By Col. Beaufoy, FRS.

Bushey Heath, near Stanmore.
Latitude 51° 37' 44.3' North. Longitude West in time l' 20.93".

hich

Jan. 22. Emersion of Jupiter's second

1. satellite..
Jan. 24. Immersion of a Gemini by the

{

6h 46' 39.0" Mean Time at Bushey.
6 48 00:0 Mean Time at Greenwich.
5 58 05:5 Mean Time at Bushey.

the

moon.

But

Feħ. 13. Emersion of a Pisces by the

6

16 55.0 Mean Time at Bushey.

ARTICLE III. Meteorological Register kept at Helston for 1822. By M.P. Moyle, Esq.