The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-26
WORK or THE SCOTTISH EXPEDI-
TON IN ANTARCTICA.


We heard while ago that the Scottish
Antarctic Expedition had returned HON,
after discovering II new part of the Antarctic
continent during its second years crlils,
In the unknown waters Of Weddcll Sea
south Of tho Atlantic Ocean. Scarcely
any particulars were given and geographers
have been waiting with great interest for
the report and map which have recently
app,a OIL in the Sc jHish Geogrd phica
Hdgdzinc.
On Jan. Fl OF last year the Scotia left
Buenos Ayres for the south on her second
Journey. She made n quick passage TO
Weddell Sea. steered southeasterly course
and carly in March surpassed her southern
record OF the previous year and also Ross =
iurthest south in 1s43 She was passing
easily through open pack whore tho
previous year she had found pack too thick
to be penetrated.
All tho while the depths had been over
1900 fathoms Then there was sudden
shoaling to 1,l3i fathoms, and at the same
time land was reported ahead. This was
In TO 30 s. and ITO So w
Steaming toward the barrier, they found
II was lofty Ice wall stretching In a north
east and southwest direction, efTectuallv
barring further progress 10 the south.
Close, heavy pack prevented a nearer
approach than two miles SO they steamed
along this barrier for a distance Of more than
$50 miles TO tho southwest, till they reached
$50 30 s.. 21o sO' W. whore the barrier was
two and half miles of and the depth Of
water was only $50 fathoms They had
followed the coast OF Antarctica fer moro
than $50 miles whom they we're caught in
the pack and believed they were frozen in
FOR the winter
A gale drove them further south 70 74oI'S.,
22e W. whore the depth was iGi fathoms
two miles off the land Fortunately the
Ice opened four days later and the Scotia
made her escape to the north. The newly
discovered part OF the continent was named
chief subscribers to tho expedition
Owing 70 the weather conditions they
were unable to land, and thoy have been
asked how they knew that this towering
Ice barrier is n part Of the Antarctic CON
tinent. They have no hesitation in saying
that it Is and give these conclusive reasons:
All their soundings from GO 10 100 s.
we're $500 to 200 fathoms In 72o s, the
soundings shoaled TO 300 fifty miles from
the barrier. Thirty-hve miles from the
barrier they shoaled TO l,ioO and 200
rathoms, md two miles from the barrier
10 100 fathoms. This alone would answer
the question whether they had approached
q land mass instead of a great area Of Ice
In the open sea.
They also found that tho vertical cliff
OF ice 100 to $50 feet in height at the border
OF the ocean rose very high inland in undu-
lating slopes and faded away in height
and distance into the sky. They could not
estimate the height OF this true inland ice
Of Antarotica, but probably 1t was many
thousands Of feet.
Then again. on their journey south they
had met very few seals and birds. hut now
they we're seen in myriads. Penguins,
especially emperors, many petrels and
terms swarmed in every direction They
we're the Inhabitants Of the beaches and
rocky cliffs of the land which had suddenly
confronted the expedition.
Coats Land is undoubtedly a great prom
ontory of the southern continent pushing
out to the north. for Weddell further west
had reached the same latitude with no land
in sight The coast Of Antarctica further
west has therefore a more southern posi-
ton. The expedition proved by this dis
covery of land that Weddell Sea Is con-
siderably less extensive in area and depth
than was formerly supposed.
The expedition made many other inter
esting discoveries. which need not be Inen-
toned here except to say that within one
mile of the spot marked on Antarctic charts
as "The Ross Deep" they made a sounding
Of 2 600 fathoms whore Ross had reported
sounding of 1000 fathoms. no bottom.
So after sixty years this sounding. and with
it the hypothetical contour Of the South
Atlantic based on it. have been obliterated
from the map. This. however. implies no
of Ross's splendid work OF
exploration in the Antarctic. His error
was doubtless due to his inadequate sound
ing apparatus and TO the existence of a
very strong current which the Scotia dis
covered in this region.
Three Of tho four recent Antarctic ex-
petitions discovered parts OF the Antarctic
continent. The discovery Of the Scottish
expedition Of more than $50 miles IF coast is
in Weddeil Sea south of the Atlantic Ocean.
The discovery Of the British expedition
OF Edward VII. Land is east of the known
coast Of AntarCtica called Victoria Land
and about / 200 miles southeast of New
Zealand. Gauss Land, discovered 10y the
German expedition, is south Of the Indian
Ocean. Thus new parts of the continent
on three sides of it have been revealed
Graham Land, on the South American side.
liz confidently believed 10 be a part OF the
continent. but though the Swedish eSpedi-
ton did not eI tend its known coast line. il
made discoveries which have greatly
changed the outlines of this land mass.
1t has been practically proved that theun-
known Arctic area is sea and the unknown
Antarctic region ia continental land, and
the work of tracing the edge OF this land
will provide plenty Of labor for future
expeditions.
Rural Delivery Leads 10 Good Roads
! From the Dee Uoincs Register aud Leader.
Il believe that rural mail delivery il going
to be one OF the str ongcst agents IN bringing
nh hattar country roads. =" SAID John NIL