'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from January 1847 to May 1849. Edited by the Secretary. Volume VIII.' [‎16] (31/496)

XVI
addition to, any observations which may be made with the common actinometer,
the Society would recommend to the consideration of the mission the simple con
trivance of Necker j where, by the use of a coloured card, so much of what is desired
to be known may be determined : the wind gauge of Mr. land, one of the simplest
and most portable of instruments, will give all the indications that are wished for
on the strength and velocity of serial currents.
“ These comprise the majority of the most prominent points on which the Geo
graphical Society would most desire enlightenment, though to no branch of human
knowledge are they at any time indifferent. They are satisfied that to most of
them Captain Cunningham, Dr Thompson, and Mr Strachey, would most likely at
any rate devote attention; they forward this letter in compliance with the wish of
the Secretary to the Government of India; satisfied, that if what they have done be
regarded as superfluous, no worse view is likely to be taken of it, and supposing,
at the same time, it may just be possible they have touched on some point which
may stimulate enquiry.
“ I have the honor to be, Sir, your most obedient servant,
<c (Signed.) G. Buist, Secretary to the Society.”
<{ Geographical Society’s Booms, Town Hall, Bombay, 6 th September, 1847.”
“ No. 33 of 1847.
“ To the Secretary of the Bombay Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society.
te Slit, In continuation of my letter of the 6 th instant, in reference to the informa
tion desired by the Geographical Society on the subject of the Vestiges of the
Northern Ocean which might probably become traceable by the Mission about to be
sent into Chinese Tartary, I have now the honor to enclose, for transmission to the
Secretary to the Government of India, copy of a letter from Mr Robert Chambers,
requesting explanation on a similar class of subjects to which the Geographical
Society called attention; entertaining no doubt whatever that the Mission will be
as anxious to gratify the wishes of a distinguished man of letters as of a learned
corporation, where the objects of both are the same.
“ TI ‘ e Iowermost > or twelve feet, beach spoken of by Mr Chambers, is traceable al
around our shores. It forms the Bombay esplanade and drill ground at Colaba
l a .i Q W 10 J e ^ le ^ ower ground along tire Concan. It is peculiarly conspicuous
• , ,, en ’. an _ a t° n g the shores of the Gulf of Suez, where it extends many milei
“to V ™ 1 " , Another of the beaohes of Mr Chambers probably constitutes
the whole of the desert portion of Scinde, and of the salt plains betwixt the Indui
and Ajmeer. Ascending still higher, we find the most unmistakeable evidences o
the existence of a former ocean all over the desert betwixt Cairo and Suez, at a,
not blT ffr = “ 0r d06S 16 appear t0 What altitad * ^ch things ma,
or wherever M r ' f r ^ pr ° bable ’ in fact > that in all salt deserts
m- wb reverMuna e of Soda rs to be found in great abundance, other evidence,
Sd of t ,at r/ l ' eatdiStanCe ’ ofthe f o™er presence of the ocean at *
»na ,1 ZZ“ 0 °” P *" d “ > "W" « f ll “ »»