The record-union., 1899-03-27

annual range is about $50 degrees. and
in Siberia the difference is even greater.
But it is impossible to find any spot
well out at sea where the range in the
shade is anything like this.
Now, inasmuch as there is little land
in the Southern Hemisphere, it is
doubtful whether there is place
south of the equator where an annual
range of tempera ature like that of Mon
tana is observed. South Africa, which
extends only 35 degrees from the equa-
tor may have some pretty hot wealth
er, and so may Australia, which reach
es a trifle further south, and has a
broader continental expanse than that
of Africa south of the twentieth paral-
lei. But in neither of them can such
cold be experienced Cat sea leveD as in
Kansas or Nebraska. It seems unlike
ly that South America-either in the
north, where it is broad but blessed
with the equable climate of the tropics,
or in the south. where the rapidly mar
rowing continental wedge comes more
and more under the tempering influence
of the adjacent ocean-ever witnesses a
range of temperature of more than lOD
or 125 degrees.
Especial interest attaches to the con-
ditions prevailing on the patch of land
that is supposed to encircle the South
Pole, and to extend nearly or quite
twenty degrees of latitude therefrom.
Here is an area somewhat larger than
Australia. In the winter time 1t is not
improbable that the cold there is some
thing fearful. Not only is that half
of the year seven days longer than the
northern winter, but the earth at the
June solstice (the winter solstice of the
south) is further away from the sun
and gets per cent. less heat than the
Arctic region receives during the cold
est period of the northern winter
Eventually, after two or three scientific
parties have spent a winter there, espe-
cially if they succeed in pushing We'll
inland the world will know something
about this.
The summer temperatures are of
more practical Importance, however, for
it is upon these that a successful land
ing depends. The Antarctic coast is
haunted by icebergs and icef1oes, and is
almost unapproachable even in sum-
mer. The fact that this expanse is a
land area, and not an ocean Qike the
immediate environment of the North
Pole), would suggest the probability
of a mild summer in Antarctica. But
an exception to the general rule seems
to be afforded here. This immense tract
of land does not appear to warm up
as does the center of North America or
of Asia in summer.
IyI.. L. i, IL Il. ~ Nf
ice and snow that probably overlies the
Antarctic continent. 1t is well known
that in the United States so long as a
temporary coating of snow and ice re-
mains upon the ground in spring the
weather refuses to warm up. To re-
duce the temperature of a cubic foot
of water from 33 degrees to 80 and
then convert the liquid into ice, more
heat must be distracted than is re-
quired to reduce the temperature from
81 to 33. And SO, to melt ice and raise
the temperature of the resultant water
to SO degrees means the absorption of
much more heat than is needed 10
raise the temperature from 33 to "a.
But whether this be the correct expla-
nation of the anomaly or not, the fact
remains that the vicinity of the Ant
arctic continent in summer is often
colder than, one would expect
Cook, one of the first explorers to
seek the South Pole, encountered in lat
itude 90 such cold as froze his sails,
covered his rigging with ieicles and
killed a litter of pigs he had on board;
and this in the middle of December,
which corresponds to June in the north
ern hemisphere. The next summer he
found the weather still colder Finally
he reached south latitude II, and was
then stopped by ice.
subsequently, Sir John Ross, some 60
degrees of longitude further west,