The New York herald., 1879-07-15
EXPLORATION IN 1879.

WHAT THE EXPLORERS ARE DOING IN VARIOUS
AUSTRALIAN. POLAR AND AMERICAN ExpLoRA-
TIoNs-rHE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE YEAR.
From the London Times July 81
We had hoped to have been able to chronicle the
complete accomplishment in one year of the North
east Passage by Nordenskj0ds expedition. For
the opening up of the Siberian sea trade great
deal has been done during the past year.
and regular route from Europe by may
be said to be fairly established The modest
Dutch Arctic expedition in the William Barentz to
the Sptzbergen-Novaya Zemlya Seas collected
considerable amount of data on the ice, sea
and meteorological conditions of the region while
Captain Tyson. in the Florence. on the Greenland
side. brought back than enough to justify tho
expedition. Captain Johanssen's discovery OF Lew
island the northeast of Novaya Zemlya is an in
terestng event in the Arctic exploration of the past
year, as is the small Danish expedition to the Green
land interior In Russian Lapiand and its shores
Lieutenant Sandeberg has been doing some careful
scientific exploration at the other end of Europe
the connection Of the trianguation Of Europe with
the Algerian system has been all but accomplished
AFRICA
Africa swarms with explorers, professional. anna.
teur and missionary-English. French. German.
Belgian. italian. Portuguese. Egyptian. Much is
hoped from the expedition under Keith Johnston.
which recently left England for the region between
Dar salaam, Lake Nyassa and Lake Tanganyika.
Altogether there has been q steady, substantial
increase Of our knowledge of Africa and its
people during the past year. In Asia there
has been quite as much activity in Africa.
quite army Of Russian explorers having
been out. Colonel Prjwasky's journey from Kulja
Lobnor concluded early in the year. In one of tho
most important of modern times. giving US an accu
rate knowledge OF interesting region, previously
almost unknown. His narrative has just been pub
lished in England by Messrs. sampson Low 4 Co.
In the Cobb Desert and the Atai Mountains Potanin
has beef. doing good work: and the recently pub
lished results of journeys in the Pamir Mountains
by Muskkeof, Sensston Skassi and Others enable us
correct much that is conJectural and inaccurate
on our maps. The account of the special mission 20
Karategin the Rssische Rere abounds with infor-
nation on this little-known, neutrality-suspicious. Gen.
trail ASIAN State and its people; and Mayefs expora
ton of Hissar and the Amu-Darya region is OF the
first importance. Our readers know what Captain
Burton has been doing In Mdan. while Italian
explorer has been successfully attempting south
Arabia. The narratives. Of Baker. Gill. Morrison
and Mcintyre (of the China Mission) have made us
better acquainted with China and its people while
Dutch expedition has made important additions to
our knowledge of inland Sumatra. Our own Indian
survey steadily progressing the narrative in the
last report of the Mullahs journey up the luuus
virtually completes knowledge of that river.
The staff attached to the Afghan expedition will bring
back many spoils to science
AUSTRALIA.
In Australia Sergison's expedition in the northern
territory and FORESTS in the western to be noted
though one Queensland westward does not
seem have made much headway. DAbertis. in
his two recent papers read in London. has given the
chief results OF his long and thoroughly scientific
exploration OF New Guinea. The gold discoveries
in the island by Mr.. Goldie caused
much stir in Australia. though the straggng
bands OF adventurers that have gone to collect il
have not done either themselves or the natives much
good. Mr. Goldie has added little TO our knowl-
edge of the interior and the southwest coast. The
narrative OF the French explorer Raray of his visit
TO the north of the island given this year to thu
Paris Geographical Society: his study was mainly
of the people. We recently gave the results OF
Miclucho- Nzclay's visit to the Peew Islands. DIR.
o. Fusch of the Berlin Museum, has recently started
journey OF exploration to Southeast Asia and
Australia; from qualified an observer the best re-
suits may be expected
AMERICA.
In North America, the Canadian and United
States surveys have been steadily at work Mr..
Ober has been exploring several of the West India
Islands. mainly as a naturalist. Crevaux has been
doing capital work in the practically unknown iii-
terror of British Guiana. while two American ex-
peditions have gone to the Amazon and the Madeira.
The latter has already obtained pretty satisfac-
tory information to the extent to which tha
Madeira may be used trade route. The narrative
OF Morenos exploration OF Southern Patagonia has
helped to fill up the map of that Regions The Bra
zian government have taken steps to obtain correct
longitudes for their chief cities The convention for
the cutting OF y canal across Nicaragua is notable
geographical event of the past year.
Altogether though there has been brilliant
achievement to mark the year. there has been sub
and accurate knowledge of the earth's surface
The death of Dr. Pctermann. of Gotha, has been a
serious loss to tho cause of exploration aud to
scip IL opOp