New-York tribune., 1874-04-27

lODeS
inouirers. Prof Newcomb has given most interest
ing and categorical reply that is perfectly salts
factory. The astronomical paper furnished by Prof
Alexander seems to tear away the last hope OF habit
ability in apy part of the solar system except the
earth for Prof Proctor has shown that none of the
urinary planets were fit to be the abodes of life
and now Prof Alexander disposes similarly of the
satellites Those who interested in meteorology
will find much of interest in the calculations OF
Prof Loomis concerning the law of storms; and
Prof Newberry gives information of scientific value
respecting fossil plants Of the SiIurian age
RESULTS OF THE POLARIS EXPEDITION.
BY DR.. Z. BEsSELs.
This manuscript was entitled the History OF
Smiths Sound from Geographical ana Geological Point
of View and some other General Results OF the POlars
Expedition.
IL probable that Smiths Sound must be regarded as
the best OF The three gateways the pole channel OF
almost 800 nautical miles long and paccs scarcely
o5 miles wide, separates Greenland from Grnne Land
ana the archipelago south of II. Connecting 1t with
Banln's Bay and Dayss Straits, we can regard this
channel as one having for its geographical homologue
only the Red was discovered in July 1916 when
Bylot and Bafn in smacbs OF 56 and 50 tons. sailed
through Daviss Straits 20 TO NJ when Bain discovered
Smiths Sound and described It deep bay For more
tudu <VV Jch t1c S"'s
the northern Pillars OF Hercules,
John Ross in 1873 nearing the Sound described as
bounded by a range Of elevations, which lie named
Ducna Mountains. lngeted In 1852, searching for the
survivors Of the Franklin Expedition sailed over the To-
25 N, which has been passed Only twice sue. Ihe
most norhery points deterphed oy MN m are f9,In
Kane followed the heels OF lngeield the next year
sledqe parties travelled TO Cane Constitution
coast in $40 He Supposed enormously that Cape
nOrthprumOSt point or GrCenaun
Thirteen years ago Hay reached the boundary o naV
gab water the Sound nj latitude IS, IS, ana cOuld
nenetrate no further The POars. under Capt. Ha
more fortunate. and reached so lo the highest latitude
Tue land found between 80 and so seems to me TO be
Of Tsa fom m o
direction That entire tract OF land ana probably the
limestone. having at times almost perpendicular clns
OF hight of 1900 feet with occasionally lower
elevations covered with IIrcguarly distributed hllland
mountains Systematically disposed ID ranges Garnets
collected In this locality were found identical WIN some
az Fiskernesset in ar. go NJ and very characteristic
white quartzite identical with that OF Cape Alex
ander. Besides these there were collected hornDende
rock gneissc granite sandstone and other specimens
of rocks found II position considerably south Ol fOlarls
Bayeyen abradorite Ike thar OF the coast OF Laora-
dor The identity of these specimens with rocks near
TIA was recognized by several Esqulmaux from that
place to whom Dr. Bessels shower them. From these
observations be concludes that me direction OF the geo
logical drift is from south to north.
on the North American continent in general the main
material been sOuthWafd from north
erly atitudes, fact paralleed in the North German
gan; in Sweden and Llpland by drift from SpzDergen;
I'm Iceland by debris from both spZbergen and North
Eastern Greenland. Smiths sound therefore
exception TO the general rule, and we must conclude
drift transported by hOatng ice IDS and
icebergs and Lot by glaciers Among many specimens
itude named he only found one piece showing glacial
scratches. This silurlan limestone Identical wta
and not mistaken other than that OF the n.nedi
ate vicinity. He sought IN vain for errac blocks OF this
limestone further south than the original deposit None
of IL was TO be found between 16' aud 1872.
Along the east OF Davs's Strait aud its northern
continuation narrow, warm current n)ws moving
frofn IN ~
hour turning 10 the west oil JOnes sound ana there de-
hected to the southwark by the cold Arctic current The
velocity of the latter differs according locality and
season, but exceeds IL miles per day. At Smiths
sound and Kennedys and Robesons Channels, the ex.
pediuOn observed n0rtbery current with velocity Of
SIP miles per "a hours The current spoken Of by In
geed setting north " miles per day Cape sau
marez must have been local eddy near the
eddy into which the Polaris drawn aud carried
rapidly to the northward At all other localities the
carry any drift material from south to north evident
Still we find between $40 and $50 minerals and rocks
that doubtless had their origin in South Greenland ndi
eating that the current must at some time have had the
opposite direction. This condition could only have been
produced by tue fact that the separation Of Greenland
from America must have occurred 10 the same direction
that the current flowed. The outlines and form Of
the southern end OF the strait Is the older is APP
parent from the fact that the southern portion
also ords the southw Oi Greenland are
by far numerous and deeper than further north.
Let construct ideal current chart OF that period
when both countries were yet united According to the
theory current must have moved along the east
having the full strength OF an unweakened current In
washing the end OF that bay. Thereby considerable
atmospheric precipitation as rain was oceasoned accel
Grating the growth OF the glaciers, which moved
toward tho valleys, and there formed spurs The lords
conslder as the former beds Of these spurs
What was the agency which caused the separation we
can only surmise. There are two probabilities either
the channel is a fssure which gradually widened be.
cause OF the influence OF the current or II has been
eroded by the action Of glacier the south end OF which
gradually melted down. The latter hypothesis seems
the probable OF the two, and may regard the
channel Itself as formerly an Immense hord. But We
at the than at the head while with Dlviss Strait
aud its continuation exactly the reverse 10 the
greatest depths are found at Its entrance.
In reality nothing else could be expected. We know
that bottom Of the North Atlantic slowly but con-
tnualy sinking. and has been ever since tue miOcene
period. Among other evidences Is the fact that the Ber-
Inudas rest coral foundation. This motion reaches
far north and includes part OF Greenland AT Disco
for instance colonial storenOuse mad to he removed
from "a small the main aud because It's site was
inundated by Almost every high water.
Further north the land rises Kane and Hayes saw
terrsceke formations, which Herschel regarded as old
sea-beaches The Poaris xpediton detected similar
appearances There was decided proof OF the rise of
tue land north OF Humboldts Glacier, and many ter
races were seen, though too much weight must
gwen 70 ths appearance, similar terraces can be
formed oy the melting of snow. In the Halls
land, there was evidence of Its rise IN the discovery OF
crustacea IN freswater ponds more than thirty feet
above level which could not be reached by the
highest Spring tides of 81 feet Also elevations OF
shells and the baianus identical with those present
living in the neignbOrng Later, mixed with tbese
remains we're found numerous pieces OF DRIFT
wood The expedition also discovered fine limy mud
900 feet above seaevel. showing by ala OF the niero
scope specimens OF PolyitIagsiG,
These facts 10 The rise and sinking OF the land must
be as important factors the change OF
of tbe bottO OF IL probable that the
former conditions OF depths underwent change they
melt In the middle OF Days's strait and Bain's Bay
dropping debristhey carry and gradually producing
shoa That the separation OF Greenland from America
must occurred south 10 nOrth more nan
probable. How thIs took place s as yet open Ques-