New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-10-09
rhe nri1tah antarctic .E1i,edition.

b SWAIN.
The British Antarctic Expedition.
In our summary of Foreign Intelligence re-
cciyed by the Acadia we noticed the return to
England of the British Expedition to the South
Seas, under the command Of Capt. JAMES Ross,
of the ship Ercbus and Capt. CgozrER Of the
Terror. We find in two successive numbers oil
the London Literary Gazette selni-officlal his
tory of the Expedition and a general statement OF
It's results Had we room should gladly pub
fish the whole account but an outline OF the
progress and discoveries of the Expedition must
for the present suffice. Three years have been
consumed in the enterprise which seems to have
been conducted with eminent ability and I'M
wearied perseverance and to have been crowned
with important results.
The two vessels left England on the 29th Of
Sept 1889 and reached St. Helena Jan. q, 1910,
having meantime made somewhat clrcutous
course by Madeira, Porto Praya, st. Paus Rocks
and Trinidad for the purpose oil determining the
minimum, magnetic intensity and the nature Of
the curve connecting those points in which it is
weakest. 1t was ascertalned that the large space
of the Atlantic traversed in the voyage possesses
less magnetic intensity than any like portion of
the Earth. The position Of the magnetic cqua-
tor was determined and the basis for subsequent
observations of the changes to which it may be
liable was then laid. Leaving st. Helena Feb.
9Th the expedition reached the Cape OF. Good
Hope March 18th, 1910: at each Of these places
a magnetic observatory was established and OK
perimcnts were made OH the temperature and spc-
cific gravity of the Sea at various depths. kcr-
guelen's Island was reached on the 18th of May
the magnetic observations being still continued
and on the 29th, Ghe day fixed for simultaneous
experiments) the instruments were noted every
two and half minutes for twcnty-iour hours A
magnetic storm occurred also proving the vast
extent and the infinitely rapid progress OF mag
netic influences. Fossils were obtained and large
seams of coal discovered.
FIRST YEAR.-Thc peculiar duties of the OK
petition commenced at the Auckland Islands in
Nov. 1910 by perfect series of magnetic obscr-
vations. Capt Ross while here learned Of what
he calls the anticipatory attempt of Lieut..
WILKES and the French Com. D'Urville and
the Literary Gazette appends to the statement the
following note concerning the American eypedi-
ton:
':Ths was pairy proceeding, when the preparation OF
the English Expedition explore these Antarctic and
Southern Pole fully known. try 10 be before
hand pith il ,caS only morthy " failure
The Gazette, or probably Capt. Ross through
the Gazette, seems to suppose that the American
Expedition was suggested and undertaken solely
in consequence of the British. That this is ut
terly untrue is evident from the fact that the law
authorizing the Expedition was passed in Con
gress as early as May Ia, 1896, and the British
vessels did not sail till 1899 If Capt. Ross
deems that 'paltry proceeding which was
only carrying into effect law which had been
enacted for nearly four years, what shall be said
of his own conduct when, as he himself states
on hearing of the American Expedition, for the
cypress and aro,ced purpose OF anticipating II,
he violated his instructions, or, as he terms 1t,
wisely used his discretionary power. and altered
his route, directing his course for the utmost
South, at about the 10th degree OF east longitude.
On the 18th of December he Quilted Auckland
Islands and entered the Antarctic Circle on New
Years Day, 1871. A gale from the North blew
the vessels off the pack-edge and on the 9Th they
reganed it III latitude 65o 40 5. and longitude
I74o Is E., and an entrance was effected. They
pursued their course southwark through II, amid
fogs, light winds and snow showers and on the
morning of the 9th, after sailing above 200 miles
through the ice, they gained clear sea and bore
away southwest for the magnetic pole On the
llth, latitude ZOE Al S, longitude 1870 Sc E..
land was discovered at distance of nearly 100
miles, between them aud the pole, and presently
they saw II rise in mountain peaks, covered with
eternal snow, from 5000 to 1000 feet high, and
With glaciers from the vast mountain brows cx-
ending far into the sea. This is said to be the
outhernmost known land ever discovered They
could not land upon it, but took possession of
some igneous islands to the southeast in the
name OF Queen Victoria.
The combined observations had placed the mag
nctic pole al about l6S S and Capt. Ross deter
mined to penetrate as far as possible South for
the purpose of passing this and 50, proceeding
Eastward, TO accomplish lis circumnaygaton.--
They accordingly stecrcd South along the land,
occasionally finding igncous islands, and on the
2Sth mountain was discovered in lat Z 70 81
s. long 1879 E. IL 400 feet above the level of the
sea, emitting flames of smoke. This splendid
volcano was named Mount Erebus, and an ex-
tinct crater near it Mount Terror. Southwark 4,
barrier OF ice $50 feet perpendicular hight stop
ped their progress they accordingly explored 10
the Eastward, and on the I'd of February reach
cd lat. $50 4 S. the highest they were able 10 at
tain. On, the 10Th, having traced the iceberg
800 miles, and finding farther progress lmPrac.
ticable, they commenced their return, and III Its
course they succeeded in reaching lat 'eS L )