Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-05-19
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lfRoM the QUARTERLY REVIEW. I
THE POLAR ICE

THE POLAR ICE.
Among the changes and yicissitudes TO which
the physical constitution 90 orr clooe is pcr-
peiualsy subject, one ofihe most Ntraordiuary
aud from which ihenost in;ere sting and impor.
tabt results may be anticipated apnears TO
have taken place IN the course ofthe last two
or three wears, as3 is stili in operation. The
CONFUSION oF an earthquake aud tho eruption
OLA volcano, tnrce themselves into notice by
the disindy aud devastation with which. in IA
greater or less degree, they are almost ALWAYS
attended buj the event TO which we a.!ulc
mas been oqn.ety accomplished thatit might
have remained unkliSwu Uut for an eNlraOrdi-
Mary change winch few intelligent uavigatOrs
Feharhedun tie state cf the arctic ice, and the
reports OF the unusual quantities OF this ice OBJ
served III the Atlantic. AS il 4 subject in
which tue British islands are particularly iute-
rested, we shall enter into some detail of the
facts and of sheir probable consequences.
II is generally admitted that Tor the last
iCEr huhdred years, az extensive portion of the
eastern coast Of Old Greenland has been shut
up by an Impeuetrabe barrier ice and with
II the Ill tated Norwegian or DaUIEh colonies
~hiCh had been established there for more
than an equal leagth OF time preceding that
unfortunate catsstrophe, and " ho were thus
cutoh at once from all communication with the
mother country that various attempts have
been made from time 70 time toaDprOAch this
coast, with The view of asCtrtainirg the fate of
thcu9lorlunate COieniSIs, bUt Ip vain, the ice
beng every where mperviuus a5d that all
hopes being at length abandoned that part of
this extensive tact OF laGd which faces the
east, took The appropriate name of Losr Green
land.
The event TO which we have alluded is the
disappearance" OF the whole, or greater part of
lins vast barrier ct ice. This extraordinary
fact, so lntcreStin. 20 science and humanity,
appears 20 rest ON no slender Foundation Both
It's disappearance from its long rooted position,
ana ITS re-Ippearancc in more southern ,ati-
tude, have been witnessed b. various persons
worthy OF credit. 1t had been chserv ed IN the
summer months of the year ISIS and more par
ticuiar'v u those OF 1916 and 1917, by ships co.
ming from The West Indies and America as
well rs By ih"se soiHg oft to Halifax and New
toundiaud, thatisiaUtls of ice, unusual IN mag
ntnde and number, occurred in the 4 t,Antic
mary of them rs far down as the fcrtlcth patal.
lei Of iantnre. SouIe of these were detached
Ice-berBs, from hundred To hundred and
Unity feet above the surface oi the water, and
several miles IN circumference others were
hae-islands of packed ice. presenting 30 vast
sne&tent OF surface thdta slip from Boston il
sah'I 10 nave been three days entaugled in IL,
~esi the tai OF the Grand Bank OF Newiound-
la'ri. The ship of the Unitas Fratrum pro-
eeeding to the missions on Old Greenland, was
iasi year eleven days beset on the cGast Of La.
Drduor, with the zee bergs, many OF which had
huSc rocks upon item, gravel. soil and pieces
cI wood. The packet from Halifax passed in
April last, inanntaiu Of ice nearly two hun.
cred ieet ~ height, aud at least two miles in
circumference. BY accounts from Hewfound.
land, Haitian, and other northern ports of a.
meTca, 1t would appear that greater guanti-
iies OF ice were seen in the months Of May
ny the oldest IaVigators aud that tho whole
Island OF Newfoundland was so eompletely enyi.
Toned Win 1t, that the vessels employed in tie
nshefy were unable 20 get cut 10 sea 10 follow
tbeir nsua. occupations. Tie source from
NEcd taeSe enormous masses Proceeded could
. not long be concealed. 1t was well known %
the Greenland fishermen, that from Staten
hook, the southern DrOnODtory of Old Ciresn
land. an uninterrupted barrier of ics stretched
NORTH easteriy, or parable nearly to Tie coast
approaching frequently tothe very shores Office
Lana ana tllat the small iSla1d, situated in lat
I'll deg III min, long. deg 80 min w Gated
,'aa Nlayen's island "a sort of landmark, which
those engaged in the seal fishery aiwaySeudea-
Nored to make0 had of late years been com
Pie'eiy enYel0ped IN ice aud that from this
poInt II generally took more eesterly airec.
ien iiii II became fixed to the shores Of Spitz
bergen, from the 10th TO the S0th degree oil la
tiinde.
Tie more centralpa ofthis immense area
OF zoe, WINCH occupy tIe md channel between
greenland and Spitzbergsn, separate from time
10 time into ge patches, ard change their DO.
iiiioa accoI dingto winds and tides; bat the re.
neral direction in which they move with tbe
current u from EortheaSt to southwest, or df
fectly towards that part of Old Greenland
where the Danish colonies we're Suppressed to
be established, and which are immediately op-
Posite IL Iceland. Here itwouId seem tIoss
Slasses became kind of fixed nucleus. rOand
which succession of Seating fields Office at
sached themselves, till the accumulated barrier
probably byits own weight and magnitude and
burst its letters, and has been carried away 20
the southwark. This at least appears to be
She most probable conjecture, though another
circumstance will hereafter be adverted TO-
not unworthy of attention, iB euleavorng 10
account for the phenomenon.
II had Dceu cOgjectuFed by philosophers,
thar the remarkable chHincss ct The atmOs.
phere daring the two last summers. and more
particularly with westerly winds, could only |
b. owing TO the accumulation, or rather 60 TIE |
approximation OF TIE polar ice to fiie south
ward. Ihe reports OF the Greenland fisher
men, on their rstUru H August, 1917 connect |
% with aCc0uuts Of the ice sven in tie Atlantic |
cOrrObOrated this lay, 0thssis. l., that month |
Shore Appeared iu the ueWspaVCTs a l-lfdgidph |
stating, that, l." lu Inc course etthe sPdsOn, The
comHardeT0f "A brig from Bremen, after max
ing Jan Magen's isiaHd iu aboui5i de- y stood |
tO tlf westward ~ quest OiSe4s fiiat y dee
~ iOnud laud TO the westward thdt he thcn |
sailea nearly due north along t,n. coast with !
ont seeing zee, observing thc bav aud inlpis /
esd other appearances Of tige land. H. he came !
70 iat 81 deg. 80 uiin when hr found thst he /
rOud steer ~ tbe westward, which hs did for /
several DAYS that hc then lost sight Of i.nG /
and directed his course 10 the saUt'luerd sud /
sastRdrd aud iB 20 deg. N.tcli in with tie lif,t
fsaing vessels hc bad secn.' v G. took some /
paiu4 20 ascertain the iGth Of this statement, 1
aHd foasd % cVrfo3Jraicd IN almost every par I
tiCular by five GiHCrent maStets &c wbHlers I
belonging 80 Aberdeen, aud 10 London. 10 I
whom. 90 different tIses, Oiof OCkru (the per- /
ron alluded io, master at the Elcauora Of Ham 4
bsrQ, not ef Bremen. bad gwen au account Of I
the course sshiaii DE yteeitd aiuug tie sasterp /
10 tne dcgrce OF LETTUCE a'aVe mentioned (
and % prsars from the joint testimony Of tie +
Cagiaiu aud sufreou Ci the Princess Of " dlcs I
81 Aberdeen, Shat tdQ rscAOHtii- ~ his log .