Telegram-herald., 1891-03-03

ul1eh eY slass alla lee In tkAs feg&on -
f-ieF are - seorie, ava aNa solcaUlf
aales, aithDoga at GFst gsaaee oEe
e91aa hardly ses h9ss the tsT0 lneCa-
sgv.to'4s elements eoald ps5ssiblY a1lx -
flrn any thing sl James laTs Ross,
sailing ~ kietoriz land ln hls sA,ps
tas Erebus and Terror. s4s two vol
eaa9es t4r ialaasL aaieh d he named after
hls sesse 5. ana sa.eh he places alu9A-,
tas highest lao1atskas II tae work.
M9lnt Ereaas aas IL 8 slate q erup-
tioA. although is sides were covered
~tJh ies aEd sBgw Ag q = GFfhths,
T. 4lilzes saws. ~Neieauses ere bait uP,
as .nguished from other
iaguataias which result from eieYa-
Eien or erosion They consist q
dsAris piled around vent lava and
ashes surround the crater IA alternate
layess- Bit in this south polar region
the snowfall mast be taken into a.
couat as well - the ash deposit and he
iava-ii5w. lt nay be thought that any
volesnic ejeeta would speedily melt the
snow upon which thy fell, bat this
does not ty anV mean necessarily fol-
low. Nolcanie aa the most wiSe-
spread and most abundant material
eieeted, falls comparatively cold, cakes
and then f3r1s one OF the most effective
non conductors known. When such a
layer. few inches thick, IS spread
over snow. even molten lava may fow
over is without melting the snow be
meath. This may seem Incredible. but
l. has been observed % occur. Ia ls25
Lyen saw on the TANKS of Etna glac~
ier sealed mp under "a crust of lava
Now, the Antarctic Is the region Of
thick-ribbed ice. AL exposed surfaces
are quickly covered with.snow. Snow
falls, ash-falls aud lava-hows must
have been hesping themselves up
around the craters during unknown
ages. What has been the result?
These Interesting questions can
De studied round the south pole, and
perhaps nowhere else 50 well"
Notwithstanding the much heavier
ice-couditions, and the natural infer
enee therefrOm that the climatic condi-
tions are severer in the Antarctic than
the north polar regions, Maury is in
clined 10 think-for complex meteoro-
logical reasons which are too long and
technical u describe here-that the eli
mate OF the south polar area is mildor
than that OF the north. The relative
difference between the two polar eli
mates viii be greater than that between
n Canadian and an English winter.
- oil tn ~
this region IS one of the problems await
ing solution" says Griffiths, of Aus
tralia, ''and whatever its nature may
be, the area is SO large and SO near to
Us, that its meteorology must have q
dominant influence on the climate ot
Australia; and on this fact the value OF
a knowledge of the weather of these
parts must rest"
The general value of magnetic sur
veys | couldn't discuss at length here,
but assuming their great value from the
time and money devoted thereto by
eminent scientists and literally Gss
rosed governments | would here insert
the conclusions of Captain Craik de-
livercd To the British Association that
Great advantage TO the science of ter
restrial magnetism would be derived
from new magnetic survey of the
southern hemisphere, extending from
the parallel of 20 degrees south as fan
towards the geographical pole as pos
sible"
Much information might also be OBJ
tanned regarding the auroroe of the
South Polar regions, or the Aurora
AustrGhs.
But | know | am travelling on safe
popular ground when l can commend
the undertaking from q commercial OF
practical" standpoint. In the way ot
possible commercial returns there are
many signs of a hopeful character
while the ccrtainties are reduced to the
very important one of whale fishery
Two Scotch whalers who have studied
the question from the practical side OF
personally seeing the rapid decadencC
OF the North polar whale fisheries say
.yye think it is established beyond
doubt that whales Of species similar
20 the right or Greenland whale founC
+ In high northern latitude exist in grea
mum bers in the Antarctic seas. and tha
+ the establishment of q whale fishery
within that area would be attended
+ with successful and profitable results.
On the other side, teo. | have tried I,
I find some good authority against the
+ general results, but 50 far have beer
+ ATE to encounter only those vague, in
I tangible generalities which we hea,
wagcd so often by those people wh'
can not sec beyond the diameter of ;
dollar in investigating any thing pre-
+ sented TO them.
FREDERICK ScuwATKA.