PROMOTION OF ARCTIC AND ANTARCTIC DISCOVERY. 323 



ascertaining the couclitious of land and sea within the nnknowu area; 

 in geology, by observations and collections ; in zoology and botany ; and 

 in physics, by a complete series of observations, extending over at least 

 a year. I well remember that when, in 1874, we were i)reparing the 

 memorandnm on the scientific results of Arctic work, General Strachey 

 added another consideration. It may be shown, he said, that no such 

 extent of unknown area, in any iDart of the world, ever failed to yield 

 results of practical as well as of purely scientific value; and it may 

 safely be urged that, as it is mathematically certain that the area exists, 

 it is impossible that its examination can fail to add largely to the sum 

 of human knowledge. 



The unknown area remains very much as it was left when these words 

 were written in 1874, except that the expedition of Sir George Isares, 

 in the two following years, discovered the trend of the land on the 

 eastern and western sides of Robeson Channel, the great extent of the 

 sea of ancient ice, and brought back valuable collections and observa- 

 tions in all branches of science. We are still ignorant of the region to 

 the north of Siberia. The northern, western, and eastern sides of the 

 archipelago of Franz Josef Land have yet to be explored. The problem 

 is still unsolved whether there is laud due north of Spitzbergen. We 

 have yet to hear whether the outline of Greenland has been completed. 

 EUesmere Land is almost entirely unknowu, as well as the important 

 and interesting region leading from Jones Sound. The whole vast 

 region between Prince Patrick Island and Siberia, the exploration of 

 which will lead to such important results in physical geography, is also 

 unknown. The whole of this work can only be accomplished gradually, 

 and one expedition vrill have to follow another until all the knowledge 

 attainable m this field of inquiry has been secured. 



For achieving success we have held certain canons, the correctness 

 of which has been confirmed by all experience. It is true that they 

 maybe neglected ou rare occasions without fatal consequences, but this 

 can very seldom be done with impunity. The first great lesson taught 

 by two centuries of experience is that no extensive and useful explor- 

 ing work can be calculated upon by merely entering the drifting pack. 

 Secui-e progress can only be made by following a coast line. The second 

 canon is that at least one winter must be passed at a j)oint beyond any 

 hitherto reached. This is essential in order to obtain series of meteor- 

 ological and magnetic observations of any value. The third rule is 

 that a shi]), not a hut on shore, must be looked upon as the proper 

 base of operations, sledges being the main instruments for exploration 

 and discovery. Thoroughly good work, including complete series of 

 observations of all kinds, can only be secured by the ap])liances and 

 resources of well-equipped Government expeditions. When the con- 

 viction of the importance of that part of the duty of a Government is 

 absent, which is unfortunately the case during long intervals, private 

 enterprise has always been ready to enter the breach, though with 



