The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-06-30

UST now there Is a re-awakening
fO0 of interest in polar explorations
- and Commander. Peary is anx
ious to again face the rigors of the far
north in an attempt to reach the pole.
This desire is natural on his part, for the
new explorers springing up on all sides
may be able to reach the coveted goal
under favorable conditions after he has
spent the best years of his life in vain
effort He declares that If $4,000 is sub
scribed he will lead another expedition,
provided its projectors do desire. Yet,
If Peary makes no more trips his name
will always be inseperably connected with
polar affairs.
The arctic circle has been so thorough
ly explored that navigators are now turn
ing their attention to the antarctic re-
gions as offering a newer and broader
field. In some respects the south pole
is a far more interesting subject for in
vestigation because it is not so well
known and no man can say what Sc
crets are locked behind the impenetra-
BILE walls Of ice. A number of expedi-
lions are now working south in the ant
coveries are awaited with much interest.
There seems to be a growing impression
that the north pole will be eventually dis
covere& just as scientists believe that
the problem of aerial navigation will soon
be solved. Scientists and explorers are
working too hard for their efforts to
come to naught. The latest expedition
to start for the north pole set out from
Norway in the whaling ship Gjoa. The
party will go to Kink Williams Land,
off the Greenland coast and will Their
strike out for Behring strait. This route
has never before been attempted in that
direction.
The "Auld Brig of Ayr, made famous
by Robert Burns, is again falling into
decay and a6o0 has been voted by the
corporation to have 1t repaired. We re-
member that in his poem Burns made the
BRIG of Ayr" Indignantly contrast itself
with its now rival. the .conceited gowk,"
as having for many a year stood the
flood and tide" The poem was published
for the first time in Creech's edition of
Robert Burns works, and the poet re-
ceived just about the sum it will take
to repair the cid bridge. The BRIG of
Ayr is q very ancient structure, and is
supposed to have been erected in the
fifteenth century. In the year 1896 a grant
by charter was given for the "upkeep"
Of the bridge, and in 1891, one year before
the discovery of America. it was being
repaired when James " passed through
Ayr on his way to Withorn. The new
bridge was begun in 1856 when Burns
wrote his quaint poem.
Military and naval mourning for royalty
is now restricted to a band of crepe worn
on the left arm, a custom which. in Eng
land, dates from the time of Cromwell.
At his death the Roundheads were in
structed to "affix a black band to the
left arm for a period of six months In
the reign of Queen Elizabeth military Of
ficers manifested their grief by reversing
the shoes of their horss, by covering
their caps, arms and ordnance with black
cloth, and by wearing black gauntlets.
In the eighteenth century royal mourn
Ing consisted of black epaulets, black but
tons, saddle cloths gloves and scarfs 1t
is said that even now in England the
Loyal North Lancashire regiments Of