The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-10-02

Stout Dundee Whslers to- Investigate the
Mysterious Southern Ocean.

Mysterious Southern Ocean.
There sailed from the Northern port
of Dundee on September 9th two Of a
sma, feet Of four whaling yessels-the
otlier two sailed on the Sth-the fate of
which will be followed with considerable
interest.
Their mission, it is true is mainly a
G numerical and prOsaic one, but there
arc circumstances surrounding it which
invest it with something of the halo of
romance. The vessels are not bound for
the icy waters IF the North, which, with
in certain well-dehned limits at all events,
are fairly familiar TO many hardy mari
ners
Their destination is The Antarctic seas,
a region of the globe to which there still
clings much of the mystery and fascna-
ton which ever belong 70 the unknown.
The voyage may, indeed, be said to be
almost entirely one of discovery, and 1t
is this fact which has attracted 20 much
attention 10 the departure OF the four
Dundee whalers, and which will cause
many both in this country and elsewhere,
10 look with more than usual anxiety Tor
their safe return.
For a number of years past the I'm
dustry" associated with the shores of
Greenland and which ut one time was or
considerable Importance has been steadi-
" on the decline There was much CAPT
tai invested in it, but latterly there has
been little or no return and often there
has been a very serious loss. Enterprise,
however. knows no limits and II II can
not find scope in one part OF the world
it sets off in search of it in another. 1t
is only in accordance with the htnesS OK
things that this latest expedition 70 new
ground" should have been htted out Dy
British capital and be dominated by Brit
ish pluck.
Men experienced in such matters be
lieve that the harvest that is now de-
MED them in the far North will be found
in the far South, and should this opinion
be confirmed the discovery will be one
of considerable Importance.
The strange thing is that serious at
tention has never been directed to this
region before. 1t is true that half
century ago a London merchant did make
some sort of an attempt TO explore, from
a commercial point of view, the Antarc-
tic ocean, and obtained from the Coy
eminent of the day grant of the Auck-
land Islands, to the south of New lea
land, as a basis OF operations; but his
first attempt proved a failure and he
never made another Whatever may be
the ultimate result Of the present expedi-
ton. it will certainly not be abandoned
till every effort has been made that can
be made to ensure its success.
The great silent sea into which the
four Dundee Whalers will sail IS, as we
have said, comparatively uneXplored.
While toward the North Pole the nm
its Of the unknown have been pushed
back considerably further than 80 de-
grees north latitude, the South Pole re-
zion within the Antarctic circle IS, with
certain small exceptions still blank on
the worlds map.
Sir John Ross half a century ago,
carried ont perhaps the most system
attic examination Of the expanse that
has vet been made; but the Challenger
during the famous cruise only just
crossed the Antarctic circle, 50 that
there is still ample opportunity Tor the
wrestling of some of Nature secrets
from their hiding places in the vast
ice fields Of the South.
The area selected as the DESTINATION
of the whaers lies between the merld-
ian OF Greenwich aud longitude 80 de-
grees west. 1t is accessible from Eng
land bv a direct route lying between
the continents of America and AREA
of some seven thousand miles IN length.
The vessels have been equipped as
steamers. but it is intended that most
of the passage shall be made under san
and with an average speed OF i've knots
an hour the voyage will, it is calcu-
lated. be accomplished in two months.
-Four months will be spent endeavorng
TO complete cargoes, and the vessels
EXPECT to reach home again about the
month Of May Each ship will carry
crew of forty men; all the command
ers are experienced BayigatOrs ana tne
surgeons on board have been supplied
With instruments which will enable
Thorn to record fully the results Of me
troroIoeical and magnetic observations,
To take soundngs, bring up specimens
of the sea bottom, collect flora ana
fauna, and so on.
The expedition. therefore, has another
and more important interest than the
commercial one. and it is quite possible
that from scientific point Of view the
results may be Of considerable value.
1t is Just possible, too, that Antarctic
exploration. which has been neglected
for some time. may receive a fresh I'M
petus from the discoveries of the whal-
erS.