THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH POLES.

Evening Post, Volume XLV, Issue 94, 22 April 1893, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH POLES.

Each polar region is interesting in its own way, and we are not at all entitled to say that the exploration of the ono would be of more importance than that of the other. It is certainly the North Pole which has hitherto attracted the greatest amount of attention, but the chief reason of this is probably the circumstance that it is situated in our own hemisphere. There is a striking difference between the two poles. The South Pole is bui rounded, at a considerable distance, by a great ocean, while it is probably situated

in a largo continent covered by an ioamen3e ice-sheet, thicker and much more extensive than that of Greenland Tho exploiation of this icesheet would be a scientific event of the highest importance, and no one can doubt that one day it will be carried out. Tho Arctic regions, on the other hand, are on all sides surrounded by extensive land masses, while the neighbourhood of the Pole itself is covered by water. For this reason sailors have entertained the most fantastic ideas about an open Polar Sea, by which a short passage might even be found to the riches of China and India. They have tiied to reach the Pole from all sides, but everywhere their hopes have been wrecked on the floe of ico, and the Polar Sea has bten the grave of many a sailor's dreams of fame and wealth — Dr. Fridtjof Nanson, in tho Geographical Journal.