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POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



THE PEOGEESS OF SCIENCE. 



There appears to be no abatement 

 In expeditions for polar discovery and 

 adventure. Lieutenant Peary remains 

 in the far north, seeking to reach a 

 point nearer to the Pole than did Dr. 

 Nansen and the Duke of Abruzzi's 

 party, while with the same object in 

 view Mr. Baldwin is preparing an expe- 

 dition, liberally equipped by Mr. Zieg- 

 ler, of New York City, and Captain 

 Bernier is making efforts to secure a 

 similar outfit in Canada. These expe- 

 ditions are perhaps not primarily for 

 scientific research, though they should 

 add to knowledge in many directions. 

 The expeditions being fitted out with 

 the assistance of the German and Brit- 

 ish Governments for antarctic explora- 

 tion are, however, strictly scientific in 

 character. Exploration in the north has 

 never relaxed, but since Sir James Ross 

 returned, in 1843, efforts to explore the 

 south polar region have been sporadic 

 and comparatively unimportant, until 

 the recent expeditions under Captain de 

 Gerlache and Mr. Borchgrevink. The 

 scientific results of these expeditions 

 have not yet been published, though de- 

 scriptive volumes by Mr. Borchgrevink 

 and Dr. Cook have recently been issued, 

 and the latter has contributed to the 

 present number of this Journal an in- 

 teresting account of the unknown 

 southern aurora. The 'Belgica,' from 

 which Dr. Cook made his observations, 

 was not, however, altogether fortunate 

 in its course, and possibly the dramatic 

 interest of the first antarctic night is 

 greater than the scientific interest of 

 the results. Mr. Borchgrevink followed 

 pretty closely in the track of Sir James 

 Ross, and his own book contrib- 

 utes little or nothing to scientific 

 knowledge. He reached by a day's 

 expedition a point furthest to the 

 south, but it is not even obvious 



how he determined this, when he esti- 

 mates the semi-diameter of the sun as 

 16° 17' 1". However valuable the sci- • 

 entific results of the voyages of the 

 'Belgica' and of the 'Southern Cross' 

 may prove when published, there is 

 certainly room for the great expedi- 

 tions now being made ready in Eng- 

 land and in Germany. 



The 'Discovery,' which will carry 

 the British Antarctic Expedition, was 

 launched on March 21 from the yard 

 of the Dundee Shipbuilders' Company. 

 No fewer than six ships with this name 

 have been engaged in British explora- 

 tion, and the present vessel is some- 

 what similar to its namesake, which 

 took part in Sir George Nares's expe- 

 dition in 1875. But it, of course, con- 

 tains all modern improvements, and is 

 of unusual strength. The oak ribs are 

 placed as close together as possible. 

 These are covered on the outside with 

 oak and greenheart and on the inside 

 with asbestos, while the bow is cased 

 with steel plates. The tonnage is 1,750, 

 the length at the water line 172 feet, 

 and the extreme breadth 33 feet. The 

 engines are of 450 horse power, giving a 

 speed of about eight knots an hour, but 

 to save coal they will be sparingly used, 

 the vessel being rigged as a bark with 

 three masts. Great care has been 

 taken with the interior fittings to se- 

 cure the greatest possible efficiency of 

 scientific work, with due regard to the 

 comfort of the company. The vessel is 

 under the command of Capt. Robert 

 Scott, and Prof. J. W. Gregory, who 

 has recently gone from the British Mu- 

 seum to Melbourne University, is in 

 charge of the scientific work. The ex- 

 pedition will begin its work at Victoria 

 Tiand, facing New Zealand, where Ross 

 and, recently, Mr. Borchgrevink, have 



