Lieutenant Dawson published in the Times of Wednesday what he
calls his "first and last manifesto" in answer to the censure pronounced upon him by the Special Committee of the Royal Geo- graphical Society for not pursuing his journey to Dr. Livingstone after receiving from Mr. Stanley the news of Dr. Livingstone's dis- covery and information as to his state of mind. The reply is very much to the purpose, and certainly shows that in a very new and trying situation Lieutenant Dawson did what, on the whole, seemed to him most honourable and most consistent both with his original instructions on the one hand, and the new light he had gained upon Dr. Livingstone's wishes on the other. We do not doubt that Lieutenant Dawson might equally well have come to the resolve to pursue his journey, to deposit the stores himself with Dr. Livingstone, and then to assure the sensitive old man that he would neither persecute him for his notes, nor attempt any rivalry with him in relation to the scientific survey, but only act under his instructions and by his permission. Such a course, we are inclined to think, might have been better, and certainly more in keeping with the probable wishes of the English public, which loves all enterprise. But what he did decide upon was quite reasonable and intelligible, and we confess that we do not think that the Geographical Society are fair to him in censuring him for doing what not only he, but Dr. Kirk, to whose counsel they had especially recommended him to have recourse, approved. Lieutenant Dawson pushes the matter quite too far when he speaks as if it would have been dishonourable to go forward to Dr. Livingstone, even in order to dissipate his suspicions. But this is not a case for censure. It is a case in which to acknow- ledge that an honourable man has used his best discretion, though his decision may not quite please his friends.
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