WCP4308

[1]

Copy sent to F.R.S. [1 word illeg.] July 23 for Earl of Clarendon.^1,2

To the President³ and Council of the Royal

Geographical Society of London.

Mr. Alfred R. Wallace begs leave to lay before the Council of the Geographical Society an outline of his proposed expedition & to solicit its support and interest.

He proposes leaving England in the Autumn or Winter of the present year, and, making Singapore his head quarters, to visit in succession Borneo, the Phillippines [sic], Celebes,⁴ Timor,⁵ the Moluccas⁶ and New Guinea, or such of them as may prove most accessible, remaining one or more years in each as circumstances may determine.

His chief object is the investigation of the Natural History of the Eastern Archipelago in a more complete manner than has hitherto been attempted; but he will also pay much attention to Geography, & hopes to add considerably to our knowledge of such of the Islands as he may visit.

It is therefore his earnest desire to provide himself with such Astronomical & Meteorological instruments, as are required to determine the position, [ie?] Latitude, Longitude & Height above the Sea level, of all his stations.

The expense however of the journey from England is so considerable, that he finds himself unable to make the necessary outlay, & he would therefore wish to know, whether the Council of the Royal Geographical will feel justified in recommending her Majesty’s Government to grant him a free passage to any convenient port in the (turn over); [2] Archipelago, and therefby enable him to supply himself with the necessary instruments.

Through the influence of your Medallist, Sir James Brooke,⁷ who has kindly promised him every assistance, he has little doubt of success in exploring the great Island of Borneo. He understands however that the permission of the Governments of Spain & Holland is necessary to visit the interior of any of the Islands where they have settlements, and he trusts that the Council will give him their support in endeavouring to obtain such permission.

As some guarantee of his capabilities as a traveller he may perhaps be excused for referring to his recent travels for nearly five years, in South America, where alone and unassisted he penetrated several hundred miles beyond any former European traveller, as shown by the Map & description of the Rio Negro, which he has had the honour to lay before the Society at its last meeting.⁸

During his travels in South America he relied entirely on his duplicate collections in Natural History to pay his expenses, and he shall follow the same plan in his proposed journey. On his homeward bound voyage from Pará⁹ he suffered the loss of a very extensive and valuable collection together with all his books & instruments by the burning of the Brig "Helen"¹⁰ of Liverpool (in which he was a passenger) on the 6^th. of August 1852,— a loss which has rendered necessary the present application to the Royal Geographical Society.

[3]

1853

Alfred R Wallace

Rec[eive]^d June 30¹¹