nd offices.

Dr. Rosen, well known to travellers in Palestine for his knowledge of
sacred geography, was fortunately one of the party admitted, and he was
able to make a ground plan of the platform. This, with the observations
recorded by another of the Prince's party, has given clearer knowledge
of this world-renowned spot. The existence and exact situation of the
cave, the views of the enclosure within and without, the relation of the
different tombs to each other, and the general conformity of the
traditions of the mosque to the accounts of the Bible, and of the early
travellers, were now, for the first time, clearly ascertained.

The Prince's visit was on the 7th of April, 1869. The story of the visit
spread throughout the lands of Islam; and therefore this one incident of
the Prince's Eastern Tour is here referred to as showing its national
importance, and that the prestige of England is still great in these
lands. But we must resume the record of speeches in England, where it so
happens that the first of consequence was made at a meeting of the Royal
Geographical Society.

THE ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY.

_May 24th, 1869._

Of all the "learned societies" in London, the Royal Geographical is the
most popular. Perhaps it is because there is less "book learning"
required for its membership, than that love of travel, enterprise, and
adventure, which characterizes all true Englishmen. Professor Owen once
said that in the new Hall of the Geographical Society a statue of
'Robinson Crusoe' should be the central figure. It was a wise and
suggestive, though humorous proposal, for few geographers have not
received early impressions from Defoe's immortal book. The whole globe
is embraced in the objects of the Society, whether in the Old World or
the New, whether the explorations are in the frozen regions of the Pole,
or in the deserts and forests of tropical Africa.

The anniversary meeting of the Society was held on the 24th of May,
1869, in the Royal Institution, under the Presidency of Sir Roderick
Murchison, to whose energy and enthusiasm geographical discoveries, and
the prosperity of the Society, have been so largely due.

When the health of the Prince of Wales, as their Royal vice-patron was
given, the President referred to the appointment of Sir Samuel Baker,
the Society's medallist of the year, to the government of Equatorial
Africa. The good-will and patronage of the Viceroy in this instance was
esse