The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-08-15

yks5ssx wsssgEn 80 s~sa-czss circle e Eszxz
sxSt We wEsa 20 Eaerw & s1s SsakszsS1zAA
sa1g2 q she sH<arcEae LIS s1-s@1 nsta-z
ssssrey-s8ya r1s1AS - kces AS a1-ne s*~ssns-s.c
rsAn e~ssss.. az. as J sEz1x- fs@-xaasa aEssy
Es-e -ass .sez 81 .aa5 ice. We $50 -
kaam sssw aeas see mzss< rsoyas sser the
Ixn# art shEEasv or 10. = grNzt arxa-
eyessaz zsea eOgeEs the sQ1tA H8le. eSE-
Tsst5-s.nE 20 tne 2tw aafcznssTz1 rezsson
oxss she xzsrx 5ss-s62rg southern ocean Ns
vAas observations aTossE1 tns SOUTH naas-
rhgae pole Ee Mkga 70 Ezo@ the eE~cs1Iz-
fson II IGss o1Gan w4seEs aro3ua AnE&rc-
Tia a. 6EnesanE seasons % the year. gs
wlsh faEEAr knowledge ~ the marine or
;anzs1sg 81 he Eassrctsc r~g3aras 4sg cosn-
gzrssaa ssstn those L me arctic.
TO e-snfsAssx4s the interest gsg tAzeae russ-
tsaz.s ! gray state shAt I have recently
ssra wE ~ q ifst es over 80 rsarine species
wEtea are eerurso1 % both s1e arctic AID
aasares.c regions bus - far we at
pFes@a. knea thESe wss1lty disappear from
fnA Shallow and deep water os Ina inter-
wgafrE tropics. So that We have this cssr-
teszs n2alzy~-tfs marine t&s9aa ans fora
It the zr1gse ard antarctic. although ssa-
arates4 from each osh@r IS widely IS e1e
pcl-s are. yst mere closely allied 70 eaca
eSasr thar shy osasr e. sEES OF fora OF the
surface ce tie EARN. Who viii deny the
interest attached &c such probIe;as7
- Z step toward ghelr solution We wish
G Br4tIsb antarctic naval expedition to
sound es1t Ehe great southern ocean. 10 lay
dawn the contour lines OF IRE antarctic
continent ard 10 carry out researches IN
varasus directions. We're a party # men
Ike Nansen's landed st Cape Ada5r in
EscsoyiA Land they would probably travel
70 the p0ls and return IL q single season.
To comprehend tbs existing distribution
Of Phenomena OF tie surface OF orr globe
we nuat kncw tina past history Of TIE polar
reglons.
The possession Of such information might
give Il great impetus 70 The intellectual de-
xelopEnenf OF future generations
The opportunity 10 meet asl these eager
demands og the Sciep tic world now
spreads Itself before Captain Ge.laeh ard
his brave companions. Nor are the pic
tures cg the terFors Of the gloomy southern
reas os Ire altogether without g,ean OF
light "a brighten their gloom. In marked
contrast with the grim description % Cap
tain Cook are the words OF Sir James Ross,
wi2o IN describing an incident Of his three
years voyage. says.
''6'n some days the sun shoue forth with
great hrillsaucy from perfectly serene
and clear sky Of a most Intense indigo blue
and tbs members Of the expedition gazed
with feelings of Undesirable delight upon
a scene OF grandeur and magniiceuee be-
y0nd anything they had ever before seen
or could have conceived
Alone IN seas of lee.
In one feature Of the trip the Belgiac Is
particularly unique Hitherto IL has been
held by students Of the possibilities OF ant
arctic exploration that no vessel could
safely venture alone into the antarctic cir
Gle. IL a serious accident should occur no
chance for escape would remain, owing 10
the great distance Of the unexplored re-
gions from the nearest places inhabited by
human beings. In th!s and the tremen-
dols floating islands OF Ice that sail the
southern seas lies the chief danger To ant
arctic expeditions. Some of these bergs
reach the enormous size OF several miles
IN area, and 1000 feet in thickness. In
deed. Sonic Of the adventurous mariners
who have dipped into the southern seas
below the line of general navigation testify
10 having seen icehorgs 2.fslo feet in height
and thirty miles in length.
The great ice barrier that has brought
every exploring voyage- 10 the south pole
10 sudden and complete termination viii
undoubtedly be one OF the most difficult
obstacles that will confront Captain de
Geriachs party.
This unending stretch of an impenetrabIa
wall OF Ice rises DO feet from the water
and Is the outward edge of glacier which
the SHOWS OF centuries have built To a
thickness of 5000 feet.
Slowly this stupenGous mass of frozen
iAAketA AssbtdsAS ils grinding nArCh or
centuries seaward. And yet right at It's
foot lie the most convincing proofs Of the
existence OF continent within the snys-
FERROUS precincts OF the antarctic circle
This consists OF the Shiny coze Ak the
base OF the Ice barrier. in which Is con-
tanned tiny particles Of granite and quartz.
rocks characteristic OF continental land.
The Belgian expedition viii call at the
Canary islands, At Brazil. at la Platte
and at one Of the farthest Falkland ISL
ands. in me Straits Of Magellan 10 replen-
ism stores. Then the vessel VIII set sail
Tor the Antarctic ocean. which IL objects
10 reach at the commencement Of the fine
anstrai season. which is usually about Oc-
tobef -. The vessel viii run little 10 tn,
east or Graham Land which lies between
~ degrees and ~ degrees south iatitude and
O. degrees 10 - degrees west longitude
Thence there viii be clear passage 10
running a Little to the east of Graham
I@nd. aud thence into the SEA Of George
", pushing as far "a possible toward the
south. On TIE approach Of the rough sea-
son. that Is In March. 1875. she will return
toward the north and reach Melbourne.
The following summer. after having Re-
he"ed her stores in Melbourne she will
start toward Victoria Land in latitude 20
degrees 10 y degrees south. and longitude
los degrees east, with the view of rs.trYlse-
the 8ustral magnetic pole II Is expected
that the Bclgiac VIII rctun about 1900. by
way 81 Australia. the Strait Of Sunda, the
Indian ocean and the Suez canal.
The world VIII await with anxiety the
news froW the far-aWay southern s=as an
the ho9e that this expedition NAV exrs<3
in gfary OF achievement and usefulness nf
iv@uH those even az Ross IN isaac th,
Challenger trip ga 1N1A and th, numerous
NhaHhS expeditions 81 Larsen Barches-re-