The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-11-10
POLAR REGIONS

ploration is not, asst is popularity sup
posed, 10 reach the north or the south
pole. but to secure knowledge concern
ing the regions within the polar zones.
There is 4 blank space of about three
million square miles around the north
ern axis. and another of about eight
million square miles around the south
ern pivot We thus have at the two
poles an unknown area equal to the
combined spread of North America and
Europe In this region there would BE-
room for two hundred countries as
large as the State of New York, and
then there would still be space for the
British Isles, Germany France anu
Spain. In region of such incompre-
hensible extent is there not the prospect
of material discoveries OF interest and
value to mankind? In the dawn OF the
new century of boosted progress and
enlightenment is it not confession of
regrettable darkness to find that an
area equal to one-quarter of the entire
globe is still a blank upon our charts?
IL is the habit of many people TO de-
cry the efforts of polar explorers as
being bare of results comparable to the
expenditures of life, time and money.
Fortunately for the progress of terres-
the men who measure everything by
dollars and cents, and such men seldom
penetrate far enough into the,records
of exploration to find the far-reachins
effect
The result of polar exploration in the
past has been productive of great re-
suits. but these results enter SO natu-
rally into the development of commerce
and the various branches of natural
sciences that. like the contributory wa
/ tiers OF river. the original source Il
| lost in the new stream. To see the ul-
innate use of the results of research
within the frigid zones is, at first glance
Oiucut. but brief analysis OF the
| outcome OF work Of the past viii ind
| cate the complex but very Important
no fulness Early voyages into the
frozen seas were directed only by ambi-
lions TO conquer new lands for CONNER
ciaI purposes. From their efforts IL now
follows that We have a knowledge OF
Alaska with it's limitiess gold, of tbs
lreat northwest territory, and, indeed
all Of British North America, with its
known wealth of furs and its unknown
beds Of minerals. and of Spitzenberge
and much of Siberia. AS a result o
the work of these forgotten explorer.
we have developed "a sealing industry,
fur trade and a whale fishery, which
have brought a wealth of billions o
dollars To naIQNa duNtHluItIS. II Il
true that in this work lives have beer
! lost and much money has been spent
but the investment has paid a profit
not TO the pioneers. but To the succeed
ing generations. many hundred time
greater than the original outlay.
The aim of the modern polar effort !
b not. however. TO discover a new passag
to reach the profitable trade Of tn
. Orient. or 90 find new avenues for tn
, development of commercial enterprises
/ It ~ 10 gather Information. the bette
7 To understand the conditions of tn
% earth, not only within the Arctic circle
I but at the equator, or in our own 10
CaIity as well. To attempt to study tn
Z natural history of the globe without
Z specific knowledge of the two pola
{ areas Is like attempting To study tn
{ physiology of the human system with
, out "a knowledge of the circulation.
! Is no more possible To understand tn
physics Of the regions in which we liy
e without a better knowledge of the pola
unknown. than IL is to understand tn
function Of the stomach without clea
4 conception Of the influence of the brai
b, upon IT, We must go 30 Greenland an
o TO the Antarctic 10 learn the condition
o during the glacial epoch of the land
l. upon which we live. The sand Of Lon
4 Island and the bouldcrs of New Jerse
= cannot be we'll understood until "
study the mOraines of the polar gls
Cfars In meteOrology there are varioI
. problems which are hidden by the han
= OF Nature behind the icy polar wall
I, The number and the Importance
these problems will depend upon futu1
development The science of forecas
=, ing weather is still i'm it's infancy, bl
- upon it's perfection depend thousands
p lives and millions of dollars. We car
not hope 10 find the origin and destiI
r. 81 nd oil h1r
- dred other weather peculiarities uni
-" the atmospheric conditions, the terre
. trial topography, and the interchanl
OF air and sea currents are careful
. noted at the pole. In geology and
= meteorology there is much TO be game
" by a continuation Of polar exploratio
The keys which will open the doors
SHOWS; the search will be difficult. b
we must persist i'm looking.
Terrestrial magnetism is still a nan
for something Of which we know we
little. what is Il? How does it oriE
O. nate. and what about its functions al
of its distribution. These questions G;
10 only be answered by theories. T
Sc northern magnetic pole has been a
70. proNimately located by Ross. but
ig moves. and needs a re-investigatiC
is BorChgrevink is returning with the r
he port that ne has located the sou
ne magnetic pole. but this has been do
before him by four other expedition
Sc and still II we draw a circle with
IL diameter Of 900 miles on the still u
r. known Victoria land. n will only
p possible 20 say that the pole Is with
80 this circle. The compass. upon viii
es every land surveyor and officer depen
nd for directions. Is trustworthy or oth'
wise I'm direct proportion TO our increa
in the knowledge of the exact locati
Of the magnetic poles and the behav
Of the needle I'm various parts OF
!. globe. but particularly at the pol
he When We consider that the thousar
Mt OF modern ships. with their preciC
am Cargoes OF human lives. and the 81
-, vry Of the ever valuable land areas
w mend uDOu the cOmpaSS which in II