xl GENERAL SUMMARY OF SCIENTIFIC AND 



dertaken, although the newspapers for a time were filled with 

 alleged discoveries made by him in WrangelPs Land. 



We are lacking in details of most of the great European 

 expeditions in the line of North Polar research during the 

 year 1872; one of the most important of these that sent 

 out by the Swedish government under Professor Nordens- 

 kjold was prematurely inclosed in the ice, and exposed to 

 much danger, particularly from the lack of food. 



From the Austrian expedition of Payer and Weyprecht a 

 few notices have been received, but nothing of great impor- 

 tance. Russia, it is said, has sent out a preliminary explor- 

 ing party to Northern Siberia, in anticipation of a larger ex- 

 pedition during the coming year, which will be provided 

 with every means of research, and accompanied by some em- 

 inent men of science. The detailed history of the celebrated 

 voyage of the Hansa and Germania is in course of prepara- 

 tion, and a first part actually published, embracing the re- 

 markable adventures of the Hansa, ending in her destruction, 

 and the survival of the crew on a block of ice over an eigrht 

 hundred miles' journey. 



Efforts have been made in Great Britain to induce the gov- 

 ernment to send out a polar expedition by way of Smith's 

 Sound ; but, so far, the response has not been such as to sat- 

 isfy the scientific men of that country. 



The Antarctic regions are even still less known than the 

 Arctic ; but inquiry has lately been again directed to them 

 by the efforts of Dr. Neumeyer to fit out an Austrian expedi- 

 tion to that part of the world. It is probable that the move- 

 ments in connection with the observations of the transit of 

 Venus in 1874 will also invite further attention to thfs re- 

 gion, as some of the best stations for observation are w r ell to- 

 ward the South Pole. 



A great deal has been done in the way of deep-sea explora- 

 tions, as well by the United States as by her sister govern- 

 ments in Europe. The American Hydrographic Office has 

 fitted out two vessels for exploration in the Pacific Ocean, pro- 

 viding them with the necessary apparatus to cover all branch- 

 es of the inquiry during the voyage. One of the most impor- 

 tant of the efforts of this kind has been brought to a close by 

 the safe arrival of the .Hassler, after a lengthened voyage begun 

 from Boston in December, 1871, and ended at San Francisco 



