The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-07
DYNAMITE VERSUS NATURE.
A Bold Theorist on the Use Of the Elk
plosive in the North Sea.

A Bold Theorist on the Use OF the Ex-
plosive in the North Sea.
Did Nature intend the Arctic sea to be
open and the climate moderate? And is it
possible to do by means of dynamite what
nature has unaccountably omitted to do?
These points are discussed in pamphlet by
Mr.. H. A.. H. Dunsford, @. E.. which has Just
been published.
We need only suppose for moment,
writes Mr.. Dunsford, how matters would
stand If the ice cap were removed from the
north pole. The two warm streams would
in that case flow in exactly the same course
that they now take, but, instead of becom-
ing chilled, as n the case at present, would
flow past the pole and southwark as warm
streams still. They would effectually keep
the excessive cold Of the Arctic regions
altogether. Nature is, in fact, working
toward that end. for the climate Of
the northern part of the northern hemi
sphere has been steadily ameliorating ever
since the commencement OF the historic
period. In the time of the Roman republic
the rivers in Gaul used to freeze over in
winter, and Roman writer's represent Ger
many as land of frozen morasses. Com
pare the climate at present enjoyed by
those countries with this description, and it
will be at once apparent how great change
in climate must have gradually taken place.
The records of the Hudson Bay company
also show that the winter on the shores Of
HudEon's bay has grown shorter at the rate
of one day in ten years, the season during
which the sea is open for navigation being
now twenty days longer than it was 200
ice barrier on the east coast of Greenland
at the time by Sir John Barrow, who re-
garded it as one of the most important,
though least noticed, events in the history
of the world. All this is evidence that the
ice barrier is being steadily driven further
north, and will eventually leave a channel
by which the Japan current can flow un-
checked through the Polar Sea from Behr-
ing's Straits to the Atlantic, in which case
the existence of the remainder Of the ice
cap will be but of short duration, for if
the warm currents can actually reach the
ice they will soon solve the question with
out human assistance. At present they do
not reach it; for the ice cap blocking the
way leaves no room for them (the warm
currents being of course surface water),
they come near it by wide belt of cold
water, for which there is no outlet except
that the coolest part of it escapes by flow
ing under the ice to form the cold streams.
As for the proposition that We can open
the sea, we must remember that the ice is
not of great thickness, that We have now
powerful explosives that are perfectly effect
i've when frozen, and that every mass of ice
detached on the course of q stream flowing
|southward will float away of itself. do
mot, of course, mean to imply that 1t will be
|easy. but that it is within our power to make
la channel wide enough for part OF the
warm stream to pass without losing all its
heat on the way. We may notice also that
explorers have reported an open sea to the
north of Greenland, and that the accounts
they have given us are circumstantial and
|cannot we'll be doubted. The main barrier
with which we shall have to deal will be the
belt of ice north and northwest of Green
land. Of course, until it is completed, the
channel will freeze over every winter, but
|l do not think that the removal of
the ice thus formed will be 80 serious
L. difficulty. Is might be expected.
Ifreezing of the channel will be smooth,
|not hummocky, and after the first snow
fall can be traversed easily by sledges or
|d0g trans, SO that surface or submerged
mines can be laid, enabling the ice over
any desired length of section to be broken
up instantaneously SO soon az the winter is
|over.
The advantage to be gained BY the OPEN
'ing OF the sea and the ameIiorstion Of the
climate can scarcely be overestimated,
THE rendering habitable of the shores of
the Arctic, and the growth there of civil
6zed communities; a direct route to the
Pacific and an immense increase of trade
with the Pacific coasts of America and
Asia; lands suitable for colonization.
within easy reach of Great Britain. and
which in great part belong to the
British empire; valuable fisheries; . con-
Biderable and increasing trade in the Arctic
Itself; and comparative Il not total i'm