The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-10
Research Around the South Pole.

IL seems certain tnat, attera nal1 century,
| there Is to DO practical revival OF Inter-
| est in Antarctic exploration. Geographers
have been working toward that end for
several years The International Geo
graphic Congress at Berne. in 1891, warm
ly advocated the renewal Of South Polar
research The majority Of authorities on
Polar exploration live in Great Britain. and
there the present movement centres. 1t
has the support Of the Royal and Scottish
Geographical Societies and the influential
advocacy OF such men as DR.. john MURRAY
OF the Challenger expedition. and Admiral
SIR ERAsTUs OMMASSEY OF the British
| navy. The indications are that, within the
next year or two. moro than one we'll
equipped expedition will start for the vast
unknown expanse OF the Antarctic regions
The time IL ripe for such enterprises IL we
are ever to have anything more than our
present misty knowledge OF that part OF
the world. Scientific men have collated
with the greatest care all the reliable facts
that have been learned about South Polar
lands and waters; and the chief result they
have attained has been to set forth as DR..
KARL FRICKEI has done in his recent paper
on the Origin and Distribution OF Antarc-
tic Drift Ice" the complete inadequacy OF
our present knowledge.
1t is a fact that we can place little de-
peIdence upon a great deal OF the iniorma-
ton that appears upon our South Polar
charts Capt. SHARP entered in his log on
Nov. IA, 1851: "On this day we could per-
ceive land. from which. at noon. We were
due west" His approximate position at
that time is known. and the authorities
long ago agreed that what he saw was only
ice: aud there Is reason to believe that
many OF his SUCCESSORS. scanning the horl-
zon through the snow-hlled air. or during
the confusion OF gale. have placed land on
their charts where none exists. All or near
ly all the inaccuracies contributed TO tho
charts by occasional visitors to South Polar
waters for nearly three centuries. are per-
petuated on tho maps Of to-day. Merely
from the standpoint OF human curiosity,
which has been Unsuitable In the pursuit OF
geographic facts. 1t is important now that
the discoveries OF the earlier explorers be-
verified and their mistakes corrected. We
know OF mistakes that are still perpetuated,
Both Ross and Capt. MARES sailed over
parts still marked as land on many charts.
One Illustration will show how little we
are prepared to draw satisfactory infer
ences as to the exact physical conditions
prevailing In South Polar regions. Our
sailors have found drifting. far north. to-
ward Cape Horn and the Cape OF Good
Hope. immense icebergs. sometimes miles
In extent. coming apparently from great
land masses. The study of the Greenland
Ice cap and icebergs has advanced 80 far
that some interesting deductions could ba
drawn with regard to the origin OF these
southern icebergs and the nature OF the !
Antarctic ice capit we knew the associated
influences that help to produce them. But
We know almost nothing definitely OF the
prevailing atmospheric pressures and tenn
peratures OF the high southern ATTITUDES. In
other words. our knowledge OF tho prevail
Ing climatic conditions is wofully meagre:
and upon climate chiefly depends the for
nation OF great Ice cap. SO. In respect Of
most other phases OF Antarctic phenomena,
We know too little Of the environinR
conditions 10 have scientific knowledge
OF them.
Many people who read In THE SUN OF the
Antarctic meeting Of the Royal Geographi-
cal Society last week. may have been sur
prlsed by the statement OF DIR. JOHN MUIR
RAY. that the South Polar continent may
have an area OF 4O00OOO square miles.
Though this 10 pure conjecture. no Reogra-
pher will DO astonlshed II Il prove true
The statement is based upon tho fact that
the dredging operations OF the Challenger
In Antarctic waters gave evidence OF prox-
Unity TO continental rather than 10 oceanic
lands; aud further. the lands discovered
on all sides OF the Antarctic elrcls-Rnderby.
Kemp. Wilkes. Victoria, Graham, and Alex
ander l. Lands-have none OF them been
seen In their entire extent. In each case
the top Is covered by an almost unbroken
Ice sheet, extending outward from the |
coasts into the sea and terminating in pre-
clpitous clins. the Great Ice Barrier OF South |
Polar explorers.
There are plausible reasons for believing
that these lands around the Pole and ex- |
tending toward It from near the siKty-sixth |
parallel. may all be parts OF the coast OF . |
great continental mass. II Or. NURRAY's