Fair play., 1882-12-16
Il sic g;ns the Poles.

While the attention of the political
world has been absorbed by military
events in the bli>>ful land OF the
raaraphS. the scientific world has been
busy with the grand undertaking of 3
thorough c-iiratiOn of the unknown
and inhp>pitaDie polar region. Fourteen
international stations have been selected,
uat lh,. total cost VIII be about SiUO, p0o.
Learned men are very confident that
observations and Investigations con-
ductcd on such grand scale will solve
many obscure questions concerning at
:no~pher.c. magnetic and electric phe-
nnnIcna.
The idea OF international polar expe-
d.tipns belongs to the famous Austrian
scientist. Karl Neiprecht. He holds that
the polar regions at this day present the
richest field for Investigation in all
branches of natural science. Ii the
former polar expeditions have not en-
richcI SCIENCE in proportion TO their
cost. the reason. in his opinion, IS that
their object WAS 10 discover new lands
and new straits, or merely 10 reach the
pole. while the physical phenomena OF
the polar REGIONS were too little. II al all.
studied He advised that the programme
of future polar expeditions be entirely
dilicre !. and that instead of geographic
cal discovery scientific investigation
should be kept in View. and that many
simultaneous expeditions should he ar
ranged on Il general plan.
Vriprrcht's idea was well received.
The first international polar conference
was held at Hamburg i'll 1879; the Sec
ond n, Bcrne in 1850: and the third at
81. Petersburg in 1881. Ii has been de
ci,led that the following named stations
shall be simultaneously occupied from
Au~ust |, ISe2, to September |, 1883:
In the North Polar region. Barrow
Point, in l,9 degrees west longiiud" and
Il degrees north latitude. by the Ameri-
cans: some point in North America. IN
abou, lI5 degrees west longitude and
81 degrees north latitude hy the English;
| Lady Franklin Bay. l25 degrees west
| longitude and 40 degrees north latitude,
by the Am ,ricanS; tioi;hIap BAY. IN
Greenland. - degrees west longitude
and III degrees north latitude. 10y the
| Danes: Ilogarth Island. in Dayis' Strait.
ly the Germans: Ian-Naycn Island, be
! tween Greenland and Norway. by the
Aus,rians; Spit,hergen by the Swcdes;
! BpSSccap, in Norway, 10y the Nor
we"ians: Sodank,Illa. in Finland. by the
/ Firms; Nova Zembla and the mouth Of
! the Lena bv the Russians; Dih>on 5
/ Harbor. ut the mouth of the icnlscI. by
| the Dutch. In the South Polar region:
/ Cape Horn. by the French: south Gcor-
~ia Island, - degrees west longitude
and % degrees south latitude. by the
| Germans.
| At all these stations during the entire
YEAR there are To he ma,ic hourly mag
n.tic AMI meteorological observations.
| On the lst and 18th of each month mag
| urtic observations are to br ma ic every
| five minutes simultaneously v ut all the sta
tions. The meteorological observations
are To include the temperature OF tue
/ air, the soil. and the Sca-watcr; barcme-
,ric pressure and humidity of the air;
evaporation. direction, and force OF the
! wini:'appearanre. quantity. and direction
of clouds; sediments. storms. hail. fog,
rime. dew. the aurora borealiS. magnetic
currents of the earth. ocean currents;
the thickness. structure and movement
of ice; depth of the sea: physical anu
chemical properties oi ihe .et "a'''
tides, atmospheric electricity and refrac,
ton. Collections are To be made OF
samples in zoology. botany. mineralogy,
and geology.
1t is said that the Germans have re-
ceived from their Government large
sum OF money for the undertaking. the,
intend to establish six additional stations
in Labrador and the Falkland Islands
Our Lena expedition left >t. Petersburg
in December of 1881. ami that for Nova
Zcmbia in June last. Our Cover .ment
has appropriated for the polar eNpedl'
,ionS Ij.U1p ruhies.
These expeditions will probably cause
no sensation. as they involve no danger
to life, but they will greatly enrich
science. and we heartily welcome an m
dertaking which will develop among the
nations Of the world Il better under
standing and closer brotherhooi.-St.
Petersburg Gotos.