NATURAL SCIENCE: 



A Monthly Review of Scientific Progress. 



No. 59. Vol. X. JANUARY. 1897. 



NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



The Little Trip of the " Fram." 



WELL ! we have made a mistake. " Skal to the Norseman !" we 

 cried in the innocent enthusiasm of our leading article, after 

 reading Nansen's first telegram to the Daily Chronicle, for we thought 

 he had achieved a magnificent success. But a paper by Mr. A. M. 

 Brice in the December number of the Geographical Society's Journal 

 shows up our error : " the drift of the Fram — full of marvel though it 

 be — has only extended our knowledge a few degrees in one direction." 



When this paper was read, the President of the Geographical 

 Society assured the meeting of the brilliant ability of its author. Its 

 estimate of Nansen's results appears therefore with some authority, 

 and we turn eagerly to see what were the achievements wrought in 

 Franz Josef Land, beside which those of Nansen pale. The map 

 illustrating the paper represents two years' work in Franz Josef Land. 

 It is nothing that we are disappointed when comparing it with the 

 work done by Payer in one month's march, or with the survey made 

 by Leigh Smith in two short cruises along the south coast ; for if Mr. 

 Harmsworth, who has so generously paid for the work, does not 

 grumble at the time, no one else need object — except when previous 

 explorers are unfairly treated. 



What is the great result of this two years ? Mr. Jackson left his 

 village at Cape Flora " to discover if possible, new land to the west- 

 ward." This boat-cruise resulted in the "discovery" of a majestic 

 headland, which " newly found cape received the name of Cape Mary 

 Harmsworth," a discovery which, it is claimed, " has advanced Franz 

 Josef Land a considerable distance westward of the previously known 

 limit," and rediscovered Gihes Land. Interested in this great dis- 

 covery, we turn to the map only to recognise in the " newly found 

 cape " our old friend Cape Lofley, and to see that the southern coast 

 of Franz Josef Land has been extended westward no further than it 

 was already known from the work of Leigh Smith. That courageous 

 but modest explorer was unable to take his yacht the " Eira " further 

 west than the entrance to the fjord, which he named Cambridge Bay. 



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