The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-02
AREAS YET UNEMPLOYED
Honors Awaiting Adventurous
Souls in the Future.
The Coming Century Likely to
Ecliuse the Present In Fathoming
Mysteries That Environ UndiscoV-
cred Regions of the Universe.
Marches Toward the South Pole.

In an exhaustive article in the Clio
bus" a well-known periodical devoted 10
geography, Dr. Rurolph Andree sums up
the achievements of the century in regard
to geography. and while he claims that
the nineteenth century may well be term
ed the century OF discoveries, he comes 10
the conclusion that it will still be the
work of many years before the surface Oh
the earth is known. The unknown parts OIL
the globe are illustrated in series Oh
charts in which the terra incognita' is
represented in black.
Concerning the regions around the
North Pole about which nothing is known,
the tasks of future explorations may be
briefly indicated as follows: IN the Asiat-
ic- European Polar Sea, from Wrangei
Land in the east to north Of Spitzbergen
in the west, the unknown is bounded by
the drifts of the Jeanette in 1881 and OF
the Fran in 1S94-1S96. In north Greeniahu
geographical knowledge does not extend,
generally speaking, beyond Lockwood
farthest point in 1882, Cape Washington,
and Peary's searches in the vicinity of In
dependence Bay, 1892, but besides these
that part of the eastern coast from Cape
Bismarck (Rayer, 1870 to independence
Bay, with the ocean in front OF 1t, is I'M
known. Nearly determined is the extent
of Grinnell Land toward the west, while
of the extent OF the Ellesmere Land south
Of it and about the ocean north OF Parry
archipelago absolutely nothing is Known
Large parts of the coast of Baffin's Land
also need exploration. In this respect the
next few years are likely to add materi-
ally to the geographical knowledge of the
north polar region, for not less than four
expeditions on a large scale are nearly
ready to start.
The south polar region, where the most
extensive unknown territory is located,
will also be attacked next year all along
the line Most of the land IN this s.on
is fixed by supposition upon the maps.
Actual knowledge of land around the
South Pole reaches only at six points be-
yond 20 degrees latitude; at 40 degrees
east longitude, where James Ross in 1910
discovered Victoria Land and it's vol
canoes and Borchgrevink in the winter
of 1S99-1900 found the magnetic South Pole
and reached the highest southern latitude
so far, IS degrees so minutes; at $50 de-
grees west longitude, where Ross in 1872
found land which is probably CONT
mental mass; at ITO degrees west longi-
tude Cook, 1IID; at so degrees west
under De Gerlache, during the winter OF
1888 1888 drifted beyond II degrees so
minute south latitude; at 80 degrees west
longitude. where Weddell penetrated to "a
degrees 80 minutes south latitude, and
finally at 10 degrees west longitude
Gross. 1879. The enormous extent OF the
unknown south polar region can best be
illustrated If its limits are transferred
to map of the north polar region. 1t
will then be found that the boundary
would include Norway Siberia. and North
America down to 60 degrees north lati-
tude. taking in the entire northern half
of Alaska.
For the completion Of the map Of the
Asiatic continent the researches of the
nineteenth century have established new
and exact bases, yet there are still
smaller and larger regions which are en-
tirely unknown. Much remains to be done
in Tibet, despite the successes OF Rus
sian, English, and French travellers and
Indian surveyors. This is particularly
the case of the land north of the route
of Main Sinh us74-1s75), south of the
Kwenlun and west of the route OF the
journey of De Rims in 1898. North of
the Kwenlun and of the routes of
Prschewalske and Hedin, stretching to
the Taruio, are extensive unknown des-
erts. The eastern half OF the Himalaya
is known only in incomplete outlines.
The highets peaks of the earth in this
region have been measured by trigonome-
try from the flats of the Ganges River.
but their bases nor their tops have not
been reached.
Unknown in the sense of modern re-
search is also the territory east of Bhutan
across the Tsangpo. Brahmaputra, and the
Yangtse-kiang In the southern part of
Arabia is the so-calier vacant quarter,
as will be seen from glance at the map,
an area more than twice the extent of the
German Empire.
In Africa the researches have been par
ticularly active, and what is known of this
continent is almost exclusively the result
of work in the nineteenth century. But
there is still much darkness in regard to
this continent. and the classic question,
Quid novi ex Africa? Will probably be re-
peatcd for many years. A territory little
known is between the Niger in the south,
the chain of GASES OF the Tidikelt in the
north. the route of LEM in the west, and
the routes of Barth and Duveyriers in the
east. Much remains to be done in the
Congo State. Here the courses of the
larger rivers have been surveyed, but the
vast territory between the water courses
is unknown. Hard work for courageous
travellers also is required to explore the
region of the sources of the Congo and the
adjoining part of British Central Africa,
Portuguese West Africa and British East
Africa The south of Madagascar is also
unknown.
1t may be surprising to many people
that explorers have wide range of work
in North America, yet glance at the
black spots on the chart will show this to
be the fact. Researches in the far North
west and in Alaska. caused by the gold
finds. only begin to show how much re-
mains to be done here despite the energy
with which the Governments of the United
States and of Canada push surveys year
after year. Much territory in Labrador
and in the regions between the great riv-
ers and lakes Of the North is also still un-
explored.
A glance at the chart of South America
saws that this part Of the Western Henri
sphere is almost as unknown as Darkest
Africa" OF the Andes in Peru, the peaks
in Bolivia, and the central mountain
chains in the south Of Venezuela and Gui-
ana nothing is known. A large number of
rivers have been explored within the last
twenty years. but others still are waiting
for the courageous traveller.
OF Australia, Arnhem Land in the north
and the extensive deserts in the east of
West Australia are unknown, and the
north and south of South Australia have
only been crossed by few routes at great
distances from each other.
The face Of the earth is known in great
outlines, but to portray 1t in it's detailed
features is still impossible
Marcus Daly's Kindness.
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