The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1886-10-07
ANTARCTIC EXPLORATIONS.
SCHEME ON FOOT TEAT MAY LEAD tt
THE SOTTH POLE.

A SCHEME ON FOOT TEAT MAY LEAD TO
THE SOUTH POLE.
4 movement il on foot in Australia,
says the New York Times, to make sys-
tematic entieavor to explore the Antarc-
tic regions, and learn, if possible, some
thing definite in regard TO the great con-
tinent, the outlines of which have been seen
beyond the ice pack, stretching south
ward toward the pole. Duncan Gillies,
minister of railways and of public in-
struction of the colonial government, re
Gently received depntation from differ
ert learned societies of the colony, which
urged the expedieney of the government
taking some practical steps toward ex-
ploring the unknown land and water to
the far south. The deputation suggested
that the enterprise might be made re-
imperative by combining the work OF ex
ploration with the more profitable one
in q strictly rinancia, sense OF whale fish
ing, but at the same time asked the Vac
torian Cove rnment to give liberal en-
enlargement to the project. The premier
assured the delegates that the govern
ment wouid reality grant . subsidy to
aid in scientific discovery IT. the Sonth.
ard promised 10 ask tie other colonies
to do the same In the meantime he
promised TO instruct the ageut-generai IN
LoDGon to learn whether steam whalers
would be disposed tn engage III the enter
prise, aud what subsidy wouid be
required.
Should an exploration party be organ
lied by the aid of the Colonial govern
mept it vii! he the first really serious at
temps to push researches III the far south
that has ever been made under govern
meps patronage. What little knowledge
| we have of the islands and ice pa ks OF
| the Antarctic, and OF the great continent
which Is supposed to exist in that frozen
region. has been gained by expeditions
sent out for magnetic observations
rather than the acquisition OF geographic
| cal knowledge. While navigatoIs have
| been constantly pressing toward the
| north pole, the approaches to which are
comparatively easy, the difficulties Of
| pushing toward the farthest south have
| been such that few nave been bold enough
to attack them. The absence of known
! land, except Graham Land, Endorby
Land, and a few inhOspitable islands
| below the Antarctic circle. and the knowl-
edge o. the great ice wall, which is en-
| countered at about rs deg. south, have
discouraged even the most ambitious of
the Arctic explorers from eXteut; .ng their
researches in this direction. While
Lieutenant Lockwood I'D Sergeant
Brainerd, of Ill. ureely expedition
planted the American flag at SO deg. "a
min. north latitude, the highest point
ever reached in the Antarctic was rs deg.
IL min, and this was by Captain Ross
in the British ship Erebus, as long ago
| as 1912 Ga that memorable voyage the
Erebus encountered an ice wall estimated
at ], 200 feet thick, at 7S deg, and sailed
along it eastward distance of $50 miles
without finding an opening, when the
forming of young ice IN the north COM
| PEELED her to retreat. Since then Ant
arctic exploration has been credited with
10 discovery of appreciable value, aud If
| the Australian government, by subsidlz-
| ing whalers, can lay open the region
around the south pole without the need
| less sacrifice of human lives, it will ac-
| connplish more than the mother country
has ever done with all her fondness for
| geographical research.