The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-04

however, though extremely difficult; but 1t
must not be attempted by men with imper-
feet knowledge of the subject The ap-
parent but deceptive ease Of the work here
is sure to send iH-prepared adventures to
grief within the next few years. 1t is
possible to fix station within 200 miles vt
the probable position of the greatest dip
of the needle and the travelling will he
over high, ice-buried lands; a region sim
liar, perhaps, to the interior of Green
land, where the experiences of Peary and
hansen have shown that exploration is
safe and reasonably certain. Efforts to
determine the South Magnetic Pole are
sure to return material results, and If the
right men with the right equipment make
the effort they will certainly be rewarded
by the accomplishment of their ambition.
Unknown south Polar Region.
Whatever we say of the geographical
South Pole must be prefaced by the pro-
fession of absolute ignorance of the sub
ject It Is the center of an utterly uneX-
plored region. about 100000 square miles
in extent Previous 10 the voyage of the
BeIgica no expedition had been sent be-
vond the polar circle for sixty years and
there never has been an expedition prop
erIy fitted out to reach the south iole.
The nearest approach made to 1t was by
the British explorer, James Ross IN le40-
With two old gunboats under sail he press
cd beyond the zone of the sea-ice which
guards the Antarctic, to a large ice-frce
bay. On the western side of this bay he
discovered a high mountainous country,
blanketed with perpetual ice, ana extend
ing from latitude II degrees 40 minutes 10
the head of the bay at about 70 degrees %
minutes. .-
From what we saw of the Antarctic
lands south of Cape Horn it is clear that
the previously conceived impoSsiolllty OF
landing on South Polar lands is mis-
conception The Belgica made twenty de-
barkments and it was discovered that II
was possible to land on nearly every ISL
and and neck of land Offering project
ing northerly exposure. From the eXpe-
rience of the Belgica 1t would seem that
a permanent base of operations might be
established close to the 18th parallel oil
the Victoraland of Ross This is the
only point offering a promising route TO
the South Pole. The possibilities OF reach
ing 1t will depend upon the character or
the inland ice. If II is a smooth, even
surface without mountain ridges or eX-
tensive crevasses, sSch as the interior OF
Greenland and If this land-ice extends
to the pole. then 1t is within the power
of man. with present means, to tread on
the spot; but if 1t is otherwise. then there
is only a small prospect of reaching the
southern axis.
We as Americans have a special inter
est In everything polar The hardy Nor
wegian, hansen, has taken from us the
homo, of having been farthest north, but
altho gh the Norwegian newspapers In
form us that Norwegians only are fit for
polar service. we shall ere long, find many
Americans on foot in efforts to dispute
with hansen and his countrymen the hon
or Of the "farthest north" The North
and the South Poles, by right of extern
sion of territory, and by the newer right
of Expansion" belong TO the Americans
There is surely no good reason why the
Stars and Stripes, In the hand of Yam
See, or perhaps his wife, should not be
flung TO the virgin breezes far beyond the
present borderland. Why not pin IL to all
four poles?
Frederick A. Cook.
Note by the Editor-With reference to