Smyrna times., 1882-07-12
Science and the Poles.

By agreement between ten nations
of Europe and America, circle of OBJ
servatiOns forming huge ring around
the North Pole will be established and
ready to begin scientific operations in
August of this year. This country has
two stations, and at Discovery Harbor,
Lady Franklin Bay, commanded by
Lieutenant Greedy, the other at Oogia-
larnie, near the northernmost point of
Alaska, commanded by Lieutenant Ray,
Russia establishes one station at the
mouth of the Lena Delta, now so
familiar name by reason of the Jean
nette tragedy, and one in Nova Zembla,
besides possibly a third on one of the
New Siberian Islands. Had these been
established last year, they might have
become life-saving, which is better than
scientific stations; and as it is, they
may aid in the rescue of other Artic
explorers who remain to be heard from.
The Government of Finland will locate
its station on the shores of the White
Sea, at Kubilal or Sodankylal. Austria
has chosen the Island of Jan Mayen, in
the Artic Ocean, northeast of Iceland.
The Dutch expedition goes to Dickson
Haven, in Western Siberia. Sweden
sends a company to Wyde Bay, Spitz-
bergen. Norway will be represented
at BOssekopp, not far from the North
Cape, in Finnmarken. Denmark takes
GOodhaab, on the West Greenland
coast. England, coming tardily into
the national sisterhood, will put a
station at Fort Rae, in the Hudson Bay
region. Germany will have station
at Cumberland Island, Davis's Strait,
and also one in tho Southern Hemis-
phere, about 1000 miles from the
South Pole. In this southern field the
French Government will cooperate,
establishing a station near Cape Horn.
This completes the list. The plan is
to have daily and hourly observations
taken simultaneously at all the stations
with similar instruments, and on an
identical plan, the work to be continued
through thirteen months, beginning
August 1st. The observations will
cover all bra ches of meteorology
magnetism and astronomy, tempera
ture of air and water, pressure anG
humidity of atmosphere, velocity anC
direction of wind, clouds, snow, rain
, auraros, and so on. There will bC
o term-days on the 1st and 18th of cacl
p month, during which magnetic anC
+ meteorological observations are to b.
, taken every five minutes from midnigh
+ to midnight, not only at these pola
+ stations, but at all meteorological an,
magnetic ohseryatOries Of all countries
Of course study will not be limited
a and researches will be made in zoologi
g cal, botanical, geological and geographi
:, cal lines as far as may be possible
II Then in the Fall of 1883 a central CON
e mission is to be established, to gathe
e up the results and make the compare
II tive into a complete scientific record.
e The importance and prosperity
value of a work like this do not nee
/ to be pointed out, This is vastly diff
q erent from sending out so-called sciel
Up tiflc expeditions to hunt for the Pol
q and find suffering and starvation in tl
q ice. A permanent establishment (
IN scientific stations may grow out of tn
d international beginning, with the pro-
10 pect of doing much for the world
X advancement in meteorological an
M other knowledge. The various coul
tries are represented in the expedition
by names ranking high, and in none
IN the companies are wanting men
n ability and ambition, who are devote
u zealously to their cause. If the resu
ne of the years observations in the i
IN regions shall give such knOwleds
no metepFplpgically as will discourage
TO suppress Mr.. Vennor, and keep Il
s's daily papers from spelling picnics
en- announcing wet weather when it
as going to be fair, the thanks of graf
full continent will have been earned.
ia N. y. ErGmtaer,