Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-03-01

copld hardly see how the two incon-
ornous elements could possibly mix 10
Soru, anv thing. Sir James Clark Ross,
sailing nv Victoria Land, in his ships
tho Erebns and Terror, saw two volcan-
oes far inland, which he named after ms
vessels. and which he places among the
bigbest mountains of the world. Mount
Erebus was in state OF eruption al
though its sides were covered WIN ice
and snow. Mr.. G. 5. Grlthths, com
menting on these very peculiar features
saws. "Volcanees are built up, as con-
tradistinpuished from other mountains
which result from elevation or erosion:
They consist of debris piled
around a vent. Lava and asneS
snrround the crater in alternate
LAYERS. But in this south polar region
the snowfall must be taken into account
as well as the ash deposit and the lava
flow. 1t may be thought that any VOL
canic ejecta would speedily melt tne
snow upon which they fell, but thiS
does not by any means necessarily ioi,
low. 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 lava may flow
over it without melting the snow be-
meath. This may seem incredible, but
IL has been observed to occur. lu 1873
Lyell saw on the TANKS OF Etna 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. Snow7falls,
ash-falls and lava-hows must have been
heaping themselves up around the era
ters during unknown ages What has
been the result? y These in
teresting questions can be studied round
the south pole, and perhaps nowhere
else so we'll"
Notwithstanding the much heavier
ice-conditions. and the natural infer
ence therefrom that the climatic condi'
tions are severer in the Antartic than
the north polar regions, MaurY is in
clined to think-for complex metcorO
logical reasons, which are too long and
technical to describe here-that the eli
mate of the south polar area is mildeI
than that of the north. The relative
difference between the two polar eli
mates will be greater than between
| Canadian and an English winter 1.-The
true character of the climate Of this re-
gion is one of the problems awaiting so
luton" says Grilllths, of Australia,
land whatever its nature may be, the
area is so large and so near to us, that
its meteorology must have n dominant
influence on the climate Of Australia;
and on this fact the value Of d knowl-
edge of the weather OF these parts must
rest"
The general yalue 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 dis
posed governments ! would here insert
the conclusions of Captain Craik de-
| liqered 10 the British Association that
''great advantage to the science of ter
reStrial magnetism would be derived
from a new magnetic survey Of the
southern hemisphere, extending from
the parallel Of forty degrees south as
far toward the geographical pole as
possible"
Much information might also be OBJ
tanned regarding the GiW0r0e OF the
Sout Polar regions, or the 1lUOrd aus
traits.
But I know I am travelling on safe
popular ground when ] can commend
the undertaking from commercial or
"practica" standpoint. In the way Of
possible commercial returns there are
many signs OF hopeful character. while
the certanties are reduced 90 the very
important one Of whale fishery. Two
Scotch whalers who have studied the
Iqueston'f from the practical side Of per-
sonally seeing the rapid decadence OF
the North polar whale fisheries say:
! 1--WE think 10 is established beyond
doubt that whales of a species similar
to the right or Greenland whale found
i'm high northern latitude exist in great
numbers in the Autgrtic seas. and that
the establishment of a whale fishery
within that area would be attended
with successful and profitable results. .
On the other side, too, ! have tried
TO find some good authority against the
general results. but so far | have been
able to encounter only those vague, in
tangible generalitieS which we hear
waged so often by those people who
can not see beyond the diameter OF 4
dollar in investigating anything pre-
scented to them,
FREDERICK SCHwATKA.