The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-01-13

bank, the ice gates close as IL to say.
"You may look. but You must not enter"
The battle, however, should he fought.
though 1t promises to be the fiercest of
all human engagements. Science de-
mands it, modern progress calls for It,
for in this age blank upon our chart is
blur upon our prided enlightenment.
measure of success is certain to follow
southern efforts and the victory should
be crowned by the Stars and Stripes.
Problems of the Magnetic Poles.
There are two other poles that are of
equal interest and in many respects more
important since their location enters more
into the daily routine of life. l refer to
the magnetic poles. There are, then, four
terrestrial poles. Two upon which the
globe revolves through space. the geo.
graphical poles, and the two magnetic
poles which point the mariners compass.
The two magnetic poles are two points
on the earth not exactly opposite each
other. Their location is more or less of
a mystery. The northern spot to which
the magnetic needle points Is at or near
the southern projection OF Boothia ISL
and. about 1,400 miles south of the geo
graphical North Pole, along about the
96th meridian west of Greenwich. This
region was explored by Ross seventy years
ago, but the subsequent behavior of the
needle has led to- the belief that the pole
has since moved. The South Magnetic
Pole is somewhere within the high noun
tains of Eastern Nictorialand. The exact
spot is about 1900 geographical miles
north of the south geographical pole
along longitude 146 east of Greenwich.
| The North Magnetic Pole is the most
accessible of the four poles 1t is possible
to push a supply ship to within hundred
miles of where the needle stands verti-
cahy and from there, with small boats
and sledges the many observations which
are necessary could be prosecuted. The
work of Sir John Ross in this region was
| done at a time when the science of ter
res trial magnetism was in its infancy. His
| Instruments were primitive and imperfect,
and his methods, for present purposes
entirely unreliable. To make magnetic
survey of the regions about the North
Magnetic Pole is far more important than
a knowledge of the northern geographical
| pole. 1t offers no obstacles Comparable
to the hundreds of mixes Of moving ice
which will have TO be crossed and re-
crossed in the regions farther north. one
hundred thousand dollars, in the proper
HANDS would certainly complete this most
valuable work.
South Magnetic Pole Is AttRinn liable.
OF the South Magnetic Pole we know
next to nothing. 1t lis just as important
as its northern companion, Not less than
six positions are assigned by experts 20
this negative pole. These positions are
from one to five hundred miles apart. If
we draw a circle five hundred miles in
diameter on the eastern end of the great
continental mass known as WITHSTAND, It
would be possible to say that the South
Magnetic Pole is somewhere within this,
but no more definite point could be fixed.
Reaching and locating this pole is entire
~ practicable, though extremely difficult,
but it must not be attempted by men
with an imperfect knowledge of the sub
ject. The deceptively apparent ease Of the
work here is sure TO send ill-prepared
adventures to grief within the next few
years. It is possible to fix a station
witnln two hundred miles of the probable
position of the greatest dip of the needle,
and the travelling will be over high, ice
buried lands; a region similar, perhaps,
to tine interior of Greenland, where the
experience of Peary and hansen have
shown that exploration is safe and rea-
scnably 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 ef-
fort they will certainly be rewarded by
the accomplishment of their ambition.
Frederick A. Cook, M. d.