ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11650, 11 May 1901, Page 6 (Supplement)

ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION.

WHAT IT MAY ACCOMPLISH.

With the lauftch of the Antarctic ship Discovery by Lady Markham, the expedition takes* its first prominent step in becoming a realised fact. The ship has been specially built at Dundee by the Dundee Shipbuilders' Company, whose yards have perhaps seen more ships built for work in the Polar seas, either as whalers or as exploring vessels, than any others in the world. THE MYSTERY OF MAGNETISM. The modern conception of scientific research is that of a pushing business concern, and not the pursuit of learning for its own sake. The first answer, then, as to the gain to be obtained from such an expedition is in the study to be made of that science so inseparable from that of electricitythe study of magnetism.

Without the knowledge of terrestrial magnetism and its varying effect upon the compass needle in different parts of the globe navigation would be impossible. Some of the most reliable data which the mariner lias for the correction of hi< compass was made long ago in wooden ships such as the Discovery. Nowadays the results obtained in iron ships are so widely diverged as to" make it imperative that for the sake of precious lives alone more should be known about the magnetic- conditions of the earth and the manner in which they vary. To do this tne Discover}- has been built of wood, and the magnetic room on board her is so situated that all iron is at a safe instance, fn order that the compass-needle may not be affected. Part of her work, then, is to determine some of these magnetic changes on her way out. and also in those uncertain magnetic areas between the Cape of (rood Hope, Australia, and Cape Horn, not to mention the location of the ~outh Magnetic Pole, which will materially assist in arriving at a better understanding of the magnetic conditions of the earth.

This work alone is worth the whole cost of the expedition for the benefits it will add to navigation, not accounting for the increased safety of navigating the Southern seas. THE story of THE tides.

Another extremely important point that requires investigation is that of the tides. One need only glance at a map of the world to see that the Southern Hemisphere contains twice the area of ocean surface than floes the Northern Hemisphere, and it is this gieat southern ocean that is really the centre of the tidal system of the globs.

The tide which carries the barge tip the Thames to-day was really born in this vast ocean expanse some days ago. evidently, then, something should be done in this direction, and conclusive facts obtained, for perhaps in the case of our coal supply being considerably reduced we may have to turn to the tides for the generation of power for our manufactures : in fact, such a scheme, for the sake of economy alone, is only comparable with the harnessing of the Falls of Foyers or Niagara for the supply of motive power. These and many other points have not been lost sight of by those planning and undertaking the expedition. Two others, dealing with the scientific side, may be mentioned: first, that of the geology. From the nature of the rocks it will be possible to say whether the Antarctic Continent, be it of large area or only one made up of small islands, is a connecting link between South America and Australia. Should this be so, and it is highly probable, there is no reason why the land should not be rich in minerals, but whether the miner would face severer climatic conditions than those prevailing even at Klondike would remain to lie seen. The second is meteorology. The study of the wc- : 'ther in the Southern Hemisphere is of necessity in a less satisfactory state than that of the Northern Hemisphere, on account of the fewer station's; but at the same time atmospheric as well as oceanic circulation i- such a complicated machine that our relatively warmer climate compared with others of the same latitude is dependent mam processes taking place soma thousands of miles awav.