New-York tribune., 1903-06-16
THE WORK OF THE GAUSS.

The German Antarctic expedition has re-
turned to civilization sooner than might have
been expected and without being able to report
any startling achievement The Gauss was
expected to find winter quarters on the nine
tieth parallel of east longitude, or about due
south OF Calcutta. 1t was hoped that she might
penetrate the ice to latitude 20, near the still
hypothetical Termination Island, but she did
not come within three and one-half degrees of
that region. When the ship frozen in, the
season had advanced to February %, which cor
responds to August % in the Northern Hem-
sphere Only month remained before the
arrival of the equinox plunged the area inclosed
in the Antarctic Circle i'll darkness. For this
and other reasons exploration with s!edges was
not pushed very far. The winter base of the
British expedition eighty degrees to the east
ward. more than twelve degrees further
south; and Captain Scott managed to work his
way poleward to a greater distance from his
ship than seems TO have been covered by the
Germans Inasmuch as DR.. Drygalski, in
charge of the latter, had provisions enough for
three years il is somewhat surprising that he
should abandon the enterprise so soon. As yet
lit is uncertain whether he met with unforeseen
discouragements or felt that he had accumu-
lated all the information he wanted In either
case, he has departed from the original pro-
barrier of the Antarctic continent westward to
a point beyond the meridian of Cape Town.
However the value of the expedition is by
no means limited to the discovery of land not
positively known before in the vicinity of DR..
Drygalski's winter quarters A vast amount
of data relative TO ocean depths, marine forms
of life and auroral and magnetic phenomena, TO
say nothing of geological and botanical speci-
mems, viii have been secured. These viii sup
plement similar facts and material collected by
other expeditions. and prove of great impor-
tance to a number of sciences. Quite apart
from the close approach TO the pole, these OBJ
jects alone have long been thought to afford
adequate reason for such undertakings as that
Of the Gauss. When all of the results of her
work are digested there will doubtless be ample
cause for congratulaton.
Now that the Germans have left the field at
tention will be directed afresh to the British
who are likely to stay out at least another
year: to the Swedish expedition which sailed
simultaneously with the other two, and the
Scottish party which was dispatched a year
later. Further news from Captain Scott can
hardly be expected for several months Cap
tain Bruce was last heard from on January 81
this year, when he left the Falkland Islands, off
the coast of Patagonia, to explore Weddeli Sea
southeastward of Cape Horn 1t is too soon to
feel any special solietude for him. Dr. Otto
Nordenskjold is not quite so experienced navi-
gator his famous uncle, but really knows
more about the kind Of work in which he is en-
gagged than the commander of any of the other
expeditions here referred TO- Much confidence
may be felt in his safe return. The Swedes are
operating I'm nearly the same quarter as the
Scots. AS they have a sub-station in or near
the FaIklands their ship viii probably be re-
ported first from that point. Whether DR..
Charcot, who originally intended to lead a
French expedition to the North, but afterward