The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1882-12-14
WHOLE NUMBER S15.
Besieging the Poles.

While the attention of the political
world his been absorbed by military
events in the blissful land of the
Pharaohs, the scientific world has been
busy with the grand undertaking of
thorough investigation of the unknown
and inhospitable polar region. Fourteen
international stations nave been selected,
and the total cost will be about $780, 600
Learned men are very confident that
observations and Investigations con-
Quoted on such grand scale will solve
many obscure questions concerning at
mospheric, magnetic and electric phe-
nomena.
The idea of international polar expe-
ditions belongs to the famous Austrian
scientist, Karl Veiprecht. He holds that
the polar regions at this day present the
richest field for investigation in all
branches of natural science. If the
former polar expeditions have not en-
riched science in proportion to their
cost, the reason, in his opinion, is that
their object was to discover new lands
and new straits, or merely to reach the
pole, while the physical phenomena of
the polar regions were too little, if at all,
studied. He advised that the programme
of future polar expeditions be entirely
differe t, and that instead of geographi-
cal discovery scientific investigation
should be kept in view, and that many
simultaneous expeditions should be ar
ranged on a general plan.
Veiprecht's idea was well received.
The first international polar conference
was held at Hamburg in 1879; the Sec
ond at Berne in 1880; and the third at
St. Petersburg in 1881. 1t has been de-
cided that the following named stations
shall be simultaneously occupied from
August l, 1882, to September l, 1888:
In the North Polar region, Barrow S
Point, in 159 degrees west longitude and
II degrees north latitude, by the Ameri-
cans; some point in North America, in
about lis degrees west longitude and
81 degrees north latitude, by the English;
Lady Franklin Bay, 125 degrees west
longitude and 20 degrees north latitude,
by the Americans; GodJhaab Bay, in
Greenland, 80 degrees west longitude
and GA degrees north latitude, by the
Danes; Hogarth Island, in Davis Strait,
by the Germans; Ian-Mayen Island, be-
tween Greenland and Norway, by the
Austrians; Spitzbergen by the Swedes;
Bossecap, in Norway, by the Nor
wegians: SodankulIa, in Finland, by the
Firms; Nova Zembla and the mouth OF
the Lena by the Russians; Dikson'.
Harbor, at the mouth of the Yenisei, by
the Dutch. In the South Polar region
Cape Horn, by the French; South tIeor-
gia Island, SO degrees west longitude
and 55 degrees south latitude, by The
Germans.
At all these stations during the entire
year there are to be made hourly mag
netic and meteorological observations.
On the 1st and 18th of each month mag
netic observations are to be made every
five minutes simultaneously at all the sta
tions. The meteorological observation:
are to include the temperature of the
air, the soil, and the sea-water; barome
tric pressure and humidity of the air
evaporation, direction, and force of tn,
wind; temperance, 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 ant
chemical properties of the sea-water
tides. atmospheric electricity and refrac
ton. Collections are to be made o
samples in zoology, botany, mineralogy
and geology.
1t IS said that the Germans have re
ceived from their Government larg
sum of money for the undertaking, the
intend to establish six additional station
in Labrador and the Falkland Islands
Our Lena expedition left St. Petersburg
in December of 1881, and that for Nova
, Zembla in June last. Our Government
has appropriated for the polar expedi
tions 45, 900 rubles.
These expeditions will probably caus
no sensation, as they involve no danger
to life, but they will greatly enrich
science, and we heartily welcome an un
dertaking which will develop among tn
nations of the world better under
, standing and closer brotherhood.-St
| PETERSBURG GOLOS. =,