As the southern nations of Europe had discovered an entrance to the opulent commerce of India by the south, so the northern nations began to enquire for a similar passage in an opposite direction. In 1497, Sebastian Cabot, by the command or permission of Henry VII. at tempted to discover a passage to India by the north of America, in which he, and many who followed him, ne cessarily failed. After the failure in this quarter, it was next attempted to open a passage by the north of Eu rope and Asia. 'With this view, sir Hugh Willoughby proceeded with three ships in 1553. He perished with his crew at the mouth of the river Petchora, in the east ern part of the government of Archangel. Another ship, separated in a storm, returned to England ; while a third, commanded by Chancellor, made a discovery which in some degree compensated the failure of the main object ; for, entering the White Sea, and the mouth of the river Dwina, the English captain was surprised to hear that he was in the empire of Russia, subject to a powerful and opulent monarch, now delivered from the dominion of the Tartars, and ready to burst into the system of European policy. Chancellor proceeded im mediately to the court at Moscow, which was equally surprised and pleased by his unexpected arrival. The boldness and novelty of the enterprise, the importance of the discovery, that commerce might be conducted by the Arctic Ocean so as to open new sources of opulence and prosperity to his dominions, delighted the barba rous sovereign. The cargo was speedily sold ; encou raging privileges granted ; and the trade with Russia to the new town of Archangel, founded in consequence of this adventure, first began to open the views of Eng land to that extent of commerce which now encircles the globe.
From this period, the progress of in the north commenced. The journey of Strahlenberg, and the well known travels of Pallas and others in Siberia, the voyages of the Danish and Russian navigators in the Arctic Sea, have gradually disclosed the northern re gions and limits of Asia ; while the discovery by Bhering of the strait which separates this continent from that of America, with the more recent discoveries of the immor tal Cooke, and the unfortunate La Peyrouse, have mi nutely unfolded its eastern coasts.
Thus has modern navigation encircled in its whole extent the immense continent of Asia, and precisely as certained its magnitude and its form ; while the efforts of individuals, and the conquests and embassies of the European powers, have disclosed many new inland re gions, and rendered us more intimately acquainted with others formerly but little known.
Many, however, as are the acquisitions which the geography of Asia has received from the discoveries of modern times, much still remains to be done in this quarter of the world. Of some of its regions we yet know little more than the existence. Of the interior of the vast empire of China, we remain almost pro foundly ignorant. Of the eastern provinces of the Russian empire ; of Independent Tartary, or those wide and interesting countries to the east of the Caspian ; of Thibet, where the sources of the Ganges are still un discovered; and indeed of the whole of central Asia, our knowledge is almost entirely conjectural. With the states and kingdoms which occupy the further penin sula of India, we are but imperfectly acquainted. The extensive kingdom of Persia presents a thousand doubts and difficulties, both with regard to its ancient and mo dern geography. Even Arabia, and the eastern parts of Turkey, remain in considerable obscurity ; and the classic province of Asia Minor still presents to the tra veller an ample and illustrious scene of research. With a few exceptions, the great outlines only of Asiatic geo graphy are marked out ; the smaller lines have yet to be drawn ; the intervening spaces filled up ; and minuter information procured. But while so many improvements are still wanted, even in the geography of Europe, is it surprising our knowledge of the more distant quarters of the earth should be so deficient ? From the constant and extensive intercourse, however, now maintained with the regions of the East, it is reasonable to expect, that the progress of Asiatic geography will continue steady and uninterrupted, until this most ancient and interesting portion of the globe be fully disclosed to the eager curiosity of mankind. (A)