The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-03-12
EXTRACTS FROM FOREIGN PAPERS.
THE ANTARTiC EXPEDITION.
From The Svanev Herald, august 10


Her Majesty's ships Erebu. and Terror, comnah-
ded by Captains Ross and Crozer after stay oil hee
weeks in this port, making magnetic ana ouoi ooso
vations for which purpose temporary ooSoi
was erected on Garden Island removed heir apparatus
on Wednesday last and proceeded TO sea the Hollow
ing day. ,o,o
These vessels left England September, 1889
they called al St Helena and the Cape Of Good Hope
and established observatories at those places and then
nroceeded to kerguelan's Land, from whebce they
steered for the land discovered by the French and
American expeditions of discovery the greater part
of which they traced. But the season forbade fur
Their progress and enough had been done to prove the
theory Of Gauss, who placed the Magnetic pole IN
that neighborhood to be incorrect. The vessels ar
rived in Hobart in August last, where they es
tablished magnetic observatory, as recommended
by the Royal Society, and sailed again IN November
taking a course to the northWard, touching inc
Auckland and Cambell Islands Land was discover
ed on the 10th January in lat II So long III H. ana
line of coast stretching direct south, run down as
far the 10th degree then taking an eastern.
the expedition sighted two mountains, emi'uhs h,e
and smoke and the borders of an immense Ice nela
were thereafter traced direct for three hundred
miles Returning their former position be-
yond the volcanic mountains, they enoeaVoreo W
penetrate westward, as the land tended In that direc
ton giving hopes of reaching the exact spot which
their indicated the true position OF the
magnetic pole, and which had been passed within one
hundred miles, when running down the newly-dscoV-
cred line of coast but their progress was speedily ar
ice.
The expedition then rstraced its steps northward
until arriving at the first discovered land, with the
view of penetrating westward and rounding the iandi
but the fields of ice DISTRACTED their progress when Oh
rected to the Southwark and the vessels proceeeueu
in a porth-westery course, with the view OF making
the nearest land marked by the Americans IN their
charts but which they could not find, although they
re-crossed the ground for that purpose Alter keep
ing in the course for some days, the expedluoh
fo
7th April.
The voyage Of the Erebus and Terror has hitherto
been emnently successful although the exact spot
indicated the magnetic pole was not attalned us
position was satisfactorily determined, and lhe re-
putation and honor Of England has been fully sus-
tanned in the antartic regions countrymen having
the merit of penetrating IL degrees further south than
the French or Americans.
After touching at New Zealand and Chatham Islands,
the expedition will take the course again, and
is expected that the ensuing winter VIII be spent WIN
in the antartc circle unless the objects OF the route
are attained and they enabled to reach the ak
land Isles before the winter sets IN but TINS Is more
than Capt Ross himself expects to accomplish. Inc
plans Of the expedition are not completed until the
southern pole has been circumnavigated II Is mere
FORE intended to proceed again to the southwara from
the Falkland Isles and to reach the Cape OF Good
Hope before the winter of 1884, ending the 1ourth
season that shall have been spent IN the antaruc
zone. ~
We are glad to learn that the commodore and ON.
GERS of this important and interesting expedition OF
discovery were highly gratifed at the reception they
have met with in Sydney in particular from ms TX
celency the Governor, and from all amongst us VINO
take an interest in its objects, and they would gladly
have their stay prolonged to accept all those at
tentions had their duties permitted It,
Capt Ross we understand has written TO the Adj
miraty, advising the immediate placing Irlgate on
this station required principally for New Zealand
The necessity for an additional naval force IN TINS
.oo hove
we think it cannot be longer delayed
THE. STEAM NAVIGATION OF G. BRITAIN
From the Journal DIES Debas
England is increasing in an extraordinary manner
her means of communicating with every part OF the
world On March 20, 1910, contract was entered
into between the Government and the Royal Mall
Steam Navigation Company, by which the latter en-
gagged to organize line of steampackets between
England and the Gulf of Mexico. In less than ~
months from the signing of the contract the running
of these vessels has commenced
The conditions imposed on the company were that
they should build IA large steamers each OF 4Ohorse
mower and capable of carrying the heavy artillery
now in USE All these vessels were to be completely
found in every respect From the time tiie company
should be prepared to commence the running OF these
vessels they were to despatch at equal intervals,
twice IN month a steamer which should first car
nv the mail to the island OF Barbados, and from
thence into the gulf of Mexico and the company were
hound TO take measures for the landing and receiving
mails at all the different points at which they were &c
touch in an interval of exceeding y days Except
IN case of accden from their arrival at Barbados to
their departure from SANTANA, IN the Island OF Hayt
on their return 10 Europe ,
The Government, on its part, engaged 10 pay 10 the
company annual sum OF 124U,UUJ PayaDe, III equai
proportions, every quarter.
Not 20 months have elapsed since the contract was
signed and already eight of those stupendous vessels,
ready for sea, have assembled at Southampton whch
is tn be their point of departure. These vessels are
thntrf rinI IN hIph
said to be magnificent; and IN their 'rial 70 "mch
thew have been submitted have shown their amazing
powers, none of them performing less than twelve
knots an hour and one of them, the Clyde, 10. The
remaining six vessels will be at Southampton by the
18th January. One of these fine vessels started last
week for her VOYAGE and will be the first vessel that
has made the run between Europe and the Gull OF
Mexico by steam power alone. Others Will follow
in regular succession.
This activity does honour to the directors OF the
company but it is not only to the continent OF Amer-
ca that the English direct their attention In the other
hemisphere they evince less efforts to unite their
Indian possessions with England by means OF rapid
and regular communications. The port OF Bombay
has become of the most important points OF the
globe for steam navigation. Her steamers regularly
DIV to the mouths of the Indus the Persian Gull the
Red Sea- and Suez, where they every month trans
port the correspondence from India China, and the
Indian Archipelago, carrying back IN exchange the
correspondence of Europe with Asia. The last cou-
rer which by that route was the bearer VI no less
than 80 900 letters for Europe Tins is not all Inc
Presidences of CALCUTTA and Madras would also have
their communication with the mother country with
out being compelled to make use OF the BOMBAY line
and have therefore established separate line OF
steamers which from Janry, will run to Suez, touch
ing Ceylon Madras, and Calcutta to take and car
nv passengers from and to those different ports
Four steamers, of 50Ohorse power each are already
ready for this service. In the meantime every exer-
ton is making at Bengal for the extension OF steam
navigation of the magnificent river Gauges in short
time the voyage from Calcutta to Benares, which cost
the unfortunate Jacquement SO much labor and time
will be performed easily the voyage from Paris
IN Hay