2 14 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



Lands; (2) the division south of the Pacific from Eoss's Sea to 

 Alexander Land; (3) the Graham Land with its associated archi- 

 pelagoes and the Weddell Sea that separates it from the western end of 

 Wilkes Land. 



As the first essential to the scientific investigation of a country is 

 some acquaintance with its general topography, the primary factor in 

 determining the work of the expeditions is the grade of our geographical 

 knowledge of their fields of operations. 



Geographical knowledge of the Antarctic is at present on two grades ; 

 in some areas the pioneer exploration has been done as far as concerns 

 work at sea; of other areas we know nothing. Our knowledge is of 

 the first grade in respect to only two or three areas; they are Graham 

 Land with its associated islands and the coast of Victoria Land with 

 the adjacent Ross Sea; perhaps we should also include in this category 

 the northern shore of Wilkes Land, though it is known only at in- 

 tervals and one of its most important areas, the angle between it and 

 Victoria Land, is quite unlmown. The rest of the Antarctic regions is 

 on the second grade; the shores of the Weddell Sea have never been 

 sighted; the western termination of Wilkes Land is quite hypothetical; 

 speculations as to the area to the south of the Pacific are dependent on 

 general considerations and the interpretation of a couple of distant 

 and imperfectly recorded views. 



Accordingly the plan of operations of each expedition should be 

 dependent on the extent of our geographical knowledge of its field of 

 operations. The English expedition has the advantage of a well- 

 Icnown entry into its central area, in which the most fruitful work will 

 be scientific observations taken with the highest degree of accuracy 

 and in the fullest detail. For pioneer geographical work it will be de- 

 pendent on sledge expeditions inland, and at sea on how far it can 

 push eastward from the Ross Sea into the southern Pacific. 



The German expedition on the other hand goes into the region of 

 which our ignorance is most complete. Its first work will therefore be 

 pioneer geographical exploration, on the basis of which its expert 

 scientific staff can found the observations that will be made concur- 

 rently. The expedition starts from the French island of Kerguelen 

 where a base station and observatory have been established. Thence 

 the 'Gauss' will sail due southward toward the supposed western end 

 of Wilkes Land, and enter the ice near Enderby Land. Thence- 

 forth its progress will depend on the character of that region. The 

 general idea is to work slowly southwestward into the Weddell Sea, 

 sending out sledge expeditions to explore any lands that may be seen. 

 The proposed route of the ship has the drawback that it may be con- 

 trary to the prevalent drift of the ice and currents. Accordingly the 

 expedition has been equipped on the expectation of a long, slow battle 



