GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETIES are as sociations formed with, the view of obtaining and disseminating geographical knowledge. This is attained, in the first instance, by mem bers undertaking distant travels, at their own expense in some cases, in others assisted by the funds of the society or grants from govern ment; and, in the second instance, by lectures delivered and works issued under the auspices of the society, or by papers read and commented on at the periodical meetings. In point of seniority the first of these associations is the Societe de Geographic of Paris, founded in 1821. The German Gesellschaft fiir Erdkunde held its first sittings in Berlin in 1828, under the presidency of Ritter, and has counted among its members many of the most famous of modern geographers. By far the most import ant of these institutions in Europe, however, is the Royal Geographical Society, established in London in 1830. The principal travelers and geographers of Great Britain, or indeed of the world, are or have been connected with this society, and such names as those of Living stone, Burton, Baker, Speke, Barth, Wallace, Cameron, Stanley, Thomson, Johnston, Bent, Curzon, Markham, Nansen and many other well-known travelers, are to be found attached to papers in its Journals (1831-80, 50 vols.)
and Proceedings (ceased in 1892), or in the Geographical Journal, which it has issued since 1893 in monthly parts, and which includes the society's proceedings. It also issues a Year Book,' pamphlets, etc., and large sums are de voted annually to aid the cause of geographical research, or as awards and recognition of serv ices rendered to the science. The Russian Geographical Society, founded at Saint Peters burg in 1845, has greatly extended our knowl edge of Central Asia and Asiatic Russia. Fol lowing the lead of other nations, Italy has her Society Geografica, founded at Florence in 1867, and issuing an annual Bollettino. The Amer ican Geographical Society (q.v.) was founded at New York in 1852 and the National Geo graphic Society (q.v.) at Washington, D. C., in 1888. The Royal Scottish Geographical So ciety was founded in 1884. It publishes an ex cellent monthly magazine, and its members number between 1,500 and 1,600. The Royal Geographical Society had a membership of about 5,000 in 1916, and about 50,000 volumes (besides an invaluable collection of maps and charts) in its library.