Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-14

The Plan Of the International Expedi.
tiOns TO the Polar Regions.

From the ST. Petersburg Golos
While the attention Of the political world has
been absorbed by military events in the biissful
land OF the Pharaohs, the scientific world has been
busy with the grand undertaking Of thorough
investigation of the unknown and inhospitable
polar region. All the civilized nations of Europe
and America take part in the task. Fourteen
international stations have been selected, and
the total cost will be about 100000. Learned
men are very confident that observations and
investigations conducted on such grand scale
will solve many obscure questions concerning
atmospheric. magnetic and electric phenomena.
The idea of international polar expeditions
belongs to the famous Austrian scientist Karl
Veiprecht. He holds that the polar regions ct
this day present the richest field for investi-
CATION in all branches of natural science Ii tie
former polar expeditions have not enriched
science in proportion to their cost, the reason,
in his opinion. is that their object was to dis
cover 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 program of future
polar expeditions be entirely different, and that
instead of geographical discovery scientific
investigation should be kept In view. and that
many simultaneous expeditions should be
arranged on general plan
Veiprecht's idea was we'll received The first
international polar conference was held at Ham,
burg in 1879; the second at Berne in 1850. and
the third at st. Petersburg In 1881 1t has been
decided that the following named stations shall
be simultaneously occupied from August LIST,
polar region, Barrow's Point. in 1859 west lon
gtude and 10 north latitude, by the Ameri-
cans; some point in North America, in about
115o west longitude and 90 north latitude.
by the English; Lady Franklin Bay. 1862
west longitude and 7O0 north latitude by the
Ra in md
west longitude and 6io north latitude by the
Danes; HOgarth Island, in Davis Strait. by
the Germans; Ian-Mayen Island, between
Greenland and Norway. by the Austrians
Spitzoergen. by the Swedes; Bossecap, in Nor
way, by the Norwegians; Sodankula, in Fin
land by the Firms; Nova Zembla and the mouth
of the Lena, by the Russians; Diksons Harbor.
at the mouth OF the Yenisei. bv the Dutch. In
the south polar region: Cape Horn. by the
French; South Georgia Island, 39o west longi-
tude and $50 south latitude, by the Germans.
At all these stations, during the entire year.
there are to be made hourly magnetic and
meteorological observations On the LIST and
10Th of each month magnetic observations are
to be made every five minutes simultaneously
at all the stations The meteorological Obserya-
tons are to include the temperature of the air.
the soil and the sea water barometric pressure
and humidity of the air; evaporation, direction
and force the wind; appearance quantity and
direction of clouds; sediments. storms hail, fog,
iine, ue", the aurora DOTeallS magnetic cur
rents OF the earth. ocean currents: the thickness.
structure and movement of ice; depth of the
sea; physical and chemical properties of the sea
water; tides, atmospheric electricity and refrac-
tlOn. OBJECTIONS are to be made Of samples in
zoology, botany, mineralogy and geology.
1t is said that as the Germans have received
from their government large sum of money
for the undertaking, they intend to establish
six additional stations 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 expeditions
As. 600 rOubles.
These expeditions will probably cause no SEN
sation. as they involve no danger to life but
they will greatly enrich science. aud we heartily
welcome an undertaking which will develop
among the nations OF the world q better under
standing and closer brotherhood