Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1888-05-03

An expedition IS preparing in En-
gland for the exploration of the re-
ginns about the South Pole. These
are comparatively unknown. For the
ignorance that exists in regard TO
thcGt there are numerous reasons.
They are far from modern civilization
and of the commercial routes Of the
ocean. The southern portions Of the
W. continents arc rs far from the
Antarctic circle as some Of the
m~ost-;hickly settled and highly-civil-
lied parts II Europe. For instance.
the South Shetland islands, whose dis
covery wa considered rs remarkable.
and which are spoken Of as in the
southern polar region. arc about as
far south Of tho equator n England Is
north Of it. Most If the islands which
have been discovered and which on
the maps seem 10 form n sort Of lev
necklace about il are farther from it
than many northern regions which
support considerable populations are
from the North Pole.
When Columbus discovered Amer
lea he had the desire or intention to
eireumnavigate the globe. He did not
succeed in doing this because the
Western continent barred his way.
Subsequent navigators endeavored TO
pass the barrier both 10 the north and
south They easily succeeded By the
Strait Of Magellan and Cape Horn.
but failed in finding n passage BY the
northwest. by way II Ba fins BAY. to-
ward which the efforts Of nayfgators
were directed for many years. This
attracted attention to the region about
the North Pole. which afterward ex-
cited curiosity. and caused the send
ing Of expeditions Of discovery.
Mariners came into Northern waters
in search 81 whales and walrus ivory,
and the demand for furs lei TO the
formation Of the Hudson BAY Com
pany. which. in the prosecution OF its
legitimate business. added consider
ably TO the sum of scientific knowl-
edge. Later came the expeditions Of
Sir John Franklin and others. sent out
from English or American ports with
a feeling Of rivalry. or for purposes
purely scientific Both continents
project their northern extremities con-
siderably within the Arctic circle. and
in this way furnish an important and
In advancing northward. Tribes liv-
ing up to and within the Arctic circle
can furnish some sort Of assistance
and give information. and there are
har"ors where ships that have made
one summer stage toward the pole
can lie mp in the winter and in the
spring pursue their course with 50
much Of he distance gained.
. In the southern eircumpolar regions
the conditions are entirely different.
Commerce going east or west finds It's
way past the Cape Of Good Hope and
Cape Horn. the souihernmost points
respectively Of the two continents.
without going near them and without
trouble from icebergs There are
not known to be any human be-
ings in any of the groups of
Islands or presumed continents within
the Antarctic circle. or any where near
IL. though some Of them are row.
cred with penguins. a~lbatross.
seals. sea-lious. and during the
breeding season white bears abound.
The climatic conditions are different
from those about the North Pole,
owing. probably. to the distance of
the great masses of land. These give
direction to the ocean currents. by
means Of which the waters warmed in
the tropics are sent toward the poles,
raising the temperature Of the water
u~=SVnd making certain countries
producffre and kabitabIe that would
otherwise be little better than barren
wastes. The cold at the South Pole
can not be more intense than at the
North Pole. but il ) less modified BY
the nearness Of the continents and the
~aGTSsG-T q ==z.z zsus@ he zm=
IN the temperate or semi-tropieal re-
gions. the warm currents which tend
southwark along the shores OF the con-
tinents being cooled or losing their
force before they reach the Antarctic
circle.
The voyages toward the South Pole,
A. compared with those toward the
North. have been few. and the details
they have given have been meager
Their geographical value has been
comparatively unimportant. and
their contributions to science
almost valuelesS The idea that there
was a continent lying 10 the south
ward Of the vast expenses Of water
called the Atlantic. Pacific and Indian
oceans prevailed At a very early epoch
in Spanish American history. This
caused the sending Of expeditions
Eom Peru TO find &c; the first in 1861,
the second in 1906 The last diseov-
cred an island now identified a one Of
the New Hsbrides. not tar FROM Aus
tralia. tho group which forms one u
the bones Of contention between /
France and England they have 10
relation whatever 10 the south Pole
but The expedition being SEN il that
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