The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-03-01

w must be taken into account as well
as the ash deposit and the lava flow. 1t
may be thought that any volcanic ejecta
would speedily melt the snow upon which
they fell, but this does not by any means
necessarily follow. Volcanic ash, the most
widespread and most abundant material
elected, falls comparatively cold, cakes and
then forms one of the most effective non
conductors known. When such a layer, a
few inches thick, is spread over snow, even
molten a may flow over it without melt
ing the snow beneath. This may seem to
be Incredible, but it has been observed to
occur. In 1928, Lyell saw on the banks of
Etna a glacier sealed up under a crust of
lava. Now, the Antarctic is the region of
thick ribbed ice. All exposed surfaces are
quickly covered with snow. Show falls, ash
falls and lava flows must have been heaping
themselves up around the craters during
unknown ages. What has been the result?
These interesting ques-
tions can be studied round the south pole,
and perhaps nowhere else so we'll"
| a V spoken of the Antarctic Continent
in a somewhat skeptical way as if the few
facts hardly warranted such a title given it,
but in connection with this it should be said
that there are a lumber of things pointing
to the probability OF such a continent, a set
Element of which would be of no mean value
to science. The evidences of the sciences
therein may be more technical than of pop
ular interest, but they point in the same
general direction and from them is deduced
the fact (which absolutely involve the ex-
lstence of an extensive Antarctic land-a
land which must have been clothed with
varied vegetation, and have been alive with
beasts, birds and insects.n Mr.. Blandford.
the president of the Geological society OF
London, in his annual address recently de-
Hvered, tells US that a growing acouaint-
| n ~ q vIfh fhn nlo~ Of ~ ,-~a1l 81
naturalists to a belief that the higher forms
of terrestrial life originated during the
Mesozoic ~period-stin further to the south
ward, that is to say in the lost Antarctic
Continent for the traces of which we desire
to seek.n
Notwithstanding the much heavier ice
conditions, and the natural inference there
from that the climatic conditions are sever
er in the Antarctic than the North Polar
regions, Maury is inclined to %think-for
complex meteorological reasons which are
too long and too technical to describe here
| that the climate of the South Polar area is
milder than that of the north. The RELATE We
difference between the two Polar climates
will be greater han that between a Cana
dian and an English winter. THE true
character of the climate of this region is
one of the problems awaiting solution
says Griffiths, of Australia, and whatever
its nature may be, the area is so large and
so near US, that its meteorology must nave
a dominant influence on the climate of Aus
tralia; and on this fact the value of a knowl-
edge of the weather of these parts must
rest"
The general value of magnetic surveys 1
could not discuss at length here, but assum-
ing their great value from the time and
money devoted thereto by eminent scien-
lists and literally disposed governments
would here insert the conclusions of Cap
tain Craik, delivered to the British a~ssocia-
ton, that "Great advantage to the science
of terrestrial magnetism would be derived
from a new magnetic survey of the south
ern hemisphere extending from the parallel
of 40 degrees south as far towards the geo.
graphical pole as possible"
Much information might be obtained re-
garding the auroroe of the South Polar re-
gions, or the Aurora Australis.
But I know I am travelling on safe popu-
lar ground when l can commend the under
taking from a commercial or 'spractical''
standpoint. In the way of possible com
mercial returns there are many signs of a
hopeful character, while the certainties 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 decadence of
the North Polar whale fisheries say 1--WE
think it is established beyond doubt that
whales of a species similar to the right or
Greenland whale found in high northern
latitude exist in great numbers in the Ant
arctic seas, and that the establishment Of a
whale fishery within that area would be at
tended with successful and profitable re-
suits"
On the other side, too, have tried to find
some good authority against the general re.
suits, but SO far I have been able to en-.