666 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION E. 
Alpine Club, will, it is to be hoped, greatly increase the attractions 
of New Zealand for the more adventurous class of tourists. 
The retouching of Victoria Land in the Antarctic by the s.s. 
“Antarctic,” after the lapse of so many years since Ross’s discovery, 
also deserves passing mention, as, though only a whaling venture, 
the expedition was largely guided and assisted by the Melbourne 
branch of the Geographical Society of Australia. The voyage of 
the “ Antarctic” has been described in several articles by Capt. 
Kristensen and Mr. Borchgrevinck. The “Antarctic” was the first 
and only vessel with steam power that has yet visited Victoria 
Land, first discovered by Ross, in 1840. She had a very small 
steaming power, and was inefficiently equipped in many ways, so 
that the’ease, celerity, and safety with which she penetrated so 
far south proves that an organised expedition with ample steam 
power should have no difficulty in making extensive explorations. 
The phenomenal development of both political and physical 
geography in Africa has been very pronounced in late years, and 
modern civilisation is developing rapidly over the “ Dark Conti- 
nent.” An extraordinary feature in its past geography is the 
Suggestive discovery of forms of life having marine affinities in 
the great freshwater lakes that occupy the elevated interior 
plateau of Africa, 2,000 feet above the present sea level. 
In Asia rapid and practical expansion of geography is in pro- 
gress, not only by continued preliminary explorations in the 
austere regions of Northern Siberia, but also through the ener- 
getic development of a railway system through the extensive area 
of temperate country the nature of which has been little known 
hitherto ; and further additions to ow: knowledge have also been 
made, it is sad to say, by the military expeditions which it has 
been found necessary to organise to invade the fastnesses of the 
great mountainous districts of Northern India. 
On the American continent a great impetus has been given to 
fresh explorations by the discovery of the rich Klondyke Gold- 
field in the far north-west of Alaska, a region that has been con- 
sidered hitherto as being too inhospitable and worthless to be 
worth attention. Its survey, which is now in progress by the 
Canadian Government, will be attended by enormous hardship 
and difficulties, as I can testify from personal experience ; but the 
results will be gladly welcomed by geographers. 
The physical surveys in other parts of America are being pushed 
forward vigorously, and the results of these by the United States 
Government are published with minute details, owing to a liberal 
munificence that is unequalled in other countries. 
But the crowning event that has absorbed the interest of 
geographers since the last meeting of this section is the successful 
achievement of Nansen. With high courage and great prevision 
