The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-02


monthly mean was that for July. The ioWsss
reading showed 371s deg. Reaumur.
THE EFFECT OF EXTREME COLD.
The effect OF such extreme conditions OF the
aepera'ure upon .ne oDay mas oeen greatly e1
cultles OF breathing pain IN the chest.
Sc., as resulting under such circumstances;
but we did not observe anything OF tine Kind Al.
though most OF Us were born IN southern climate
we all bore the cold easily and we had sailors who
never once wore lur coat. When the tempera.
lure had reached its lowest degree during our
Arctic sojourn we were still able TO smoke our
cigars In the open air The cold becomes insup-
portable only when the wind supplements IL. and
the latter always causes rise In the temperature.
The effect OF the cold varies according TO the mOs-
ture IN the air and personal temperament Tbs
very same degree OF cold winch was very disagree.
able on one occasion is AT another time matter
OF supreme Indifference.
In order to ascertain the moisture in the air We
employed the ordinary psychrometer or the dry
and the moist thermometer. When the tempera-
was very low, however. the observations
with this Instrument were no longer trustworthy,
and had to be entirely abandoned In the winter
as the smallest errors would produce great d1G
terence In the absolute moisture.
In order to ascertain the evaporation OF the ice
In the winter l exposed carefully encasured ice
dies to the open air. and their loss OF weight waa
determined every two weeks.
In the winter the air seems always to contain
atoms OF ice. THIS Is not only to be seen on q
clear day. but also In the astronomical observa<
tions. With telescopes one obtains but very sell
dom so clear picture OF the stars as we did,
# oiIen occurs that in spite Of perfectly clear
sky, very fine ice needles iali upon the ground.
1t Is lmposs6ne 70 detsrmne the QUANTITY Of
the snow deposited by the air and that whired
from the ground cannot be drawn IN snow srorms.
During the first winter, when we we're far away
from the land. the small quantity OF snow waa
extraordinary as compared to the great mass
which almost buried the snip In the second
winter when we were below Francis Jose ph's Land.
Equally remarkable was tile contrast In the guam
THY OF ram between The second and third summers.
In the first we mad only late IN the year little
rain, while on our return IT frequently poured.
already in July, Tor days and days.
The clouds are naturally different, the heavy
s sITi as om Of the conds Is either Inc
monOtonous gloomy gray OF the lifted fog or cirrus.
In the place Of the clouds we had the gloomy logs
some times rising higher and higher at others,
as though nailed TO the ground. The sky ID
scarcely ever clear Tor rwenty-four bOursl
after few hours behind the thick masses OF log.
However gloomy these perpetual foes are, they
tions o the ice; they are the means oil binding tho
warmth OF the sun aud live more on the Ice than
on the direct SunOeams
Our sounuings extended all over our route. and
We lound that the depth OF the sea increased
degrees east Of Greenwich, we found q depth Of
40O metres, but as we proceeded toward the west
Josepn's Land there Is a bank which stretches to
Nova Zembla and beyond this the depth Increases
again. the entire sea coast OF Spitzbergen Is =
meters. Lieutenant Hoplgarten, with instruments
constructed especially for the purpose, broughs
frequently specimens Of the bottom to the sur
lace.
In connection with the soundngs the measure
ments OF the sea temperature were made with the
aid OF Casea's thermometers Thsy were con-
tinued IN the winter and showed thar the warmth
slightly decreased with the depth. he also made
the usual observations OF saline properties Of
the water at various depths
Until the ship was hemmed IN BY the ice. the
measured The Importance OF these meas ure.
Is n
weather on which they depend. 1t Is quite wrong
to draw inlerences from these simple figures as to
"a q n w q m n
THE ANIMAL LIFE IN THE SEA.
During our DRIFT we employed the drag net very
snort distances, as is usually done, but kept IL
generally on the bottom for nal1 day a. time.
ner VIII probably anord q pretty COM
plete representation OF the animal Life on
sHs the 9s 9sS
that the net came tirely ull to the surface. The
was sa IN Ias
having no facilities TO transport them. The col
lection was arranged BY DR.. Kspss, ana alter our
Our other collections had to be lett behind on
board the ship, but they were not considerable, as
we touched land only IN the winter, when every
thing was covered with snow. True, we possessed
pretty complete collection OF young birds, bus
known. or especial value were our sixty.seven
bear skins, some OF which were superb specimens.
The higher s2imal lie Is but slightly repre-
sented In this sea- Its principal occupants are the
Ice bear and the seal. VI the hfst there were such
wr armed Zee
made US some disagreeable surprises, but was al
WaSS Telcome guest as ne T supplied Us W,s6
in two species-the PhOca hdrbGta and the PhocG
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES there was open water
between the Ice fields, but not IN sufficient num-
bers TO repay q hunt. The walrus We saw only
once IN the vicinity OF Francis Joseph's Land. OF
whales we only saw the ''whlte whales' In the
vicinity OF the coast, but OF these we met good
many.
further we went from 1t the rarer they became.
and during cur homeward journey on the ice =
bro was al ex1tem Nsy rare sign6;
However interesting these observations may be,
they DO not possess the scientific value which they
might have under other circumstances They
give US only picture or the extreme effects OF the
forces OF nature in the Arctic region, bus IS re-
CARDS the causes we remain as ignorant as we
were before, and the reason is that the stimuli
taneous corresponding observations are wanting.
Not until we possess these shall we be able to
draw the correct references as to the origin
and nature OF those abnormal conditions
OF the north. The key to many OF the mysteries
OF nature Il only mention magnetism, electricity,
&c.), the solution OF which has been attempted
Nc ae Nrn foe O SO as
expeditions are simply International races for
honors for this or That nag. 80 long as the main
any one has ever zone Defore-so long these
mysteries Will remain unsolved.
completing the Arctic topography which has con.
trolled all the Polar expeditions should yield place
these problems, however, viii only be ef.
1ected when all nations who desire to remain in
ene van oil cvlZatlOn agree TO unite their euOrtS,
utterly regardless OF ali national rivalry. To
secure decided scientific results we must have .
number OF simultaneous expeditions whose 90.
jccI iG must be 10 make simultaneous observations
ut various points OF the Arctic region with the
same instruments and according to the same
instructions. Only then shall we obtain the ma.
terial Tor the solution OF those great problems OF
nature which the Arctic Ice can supply us; only
then can we reap the reward for that mighty ex.
penditure of labor, brains, prlvation ana money
which has been wasted IN the Polar regions.
SO far as the attainment OF the highest latttudes
is concerned Arctic explorers are divided In their
opinions-some favor the sleigh, others the ship.
The frst may perhaps be preferable ior the pur.
pose named. but II higher aims are 70 be pur.
sued, then the snip Is the only adequate basis az
operations, and one must not nourisn the Illusion
that both objects can Dc united. 30 she one
must always remain subordinate to the other, or
else they win constantly interfere with ono
another.