710 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION E. 
Enderbys’ whaling-ships, with Balleny, Bellinghausen, Biscoe, 
and Lieutenant Wilkes of the United States Navy, followed in 
1839-40. 
Her Majesty’s ships “ Erebus ” and “Terror,” under the com- 
mand of Sir James Clarke Ross, R.N., who discovered the north 
magnetic pole, visited this region in 1841-42. He discovered and 
named many important points, such as Cape Adair on the main- 
land, Possession Island, and others, also the volcanic mountains. 
The voyage of H.M. S. “Challenger,” in 1874, under the com- 
mand of Sir G. Nares, R.N., must not be overlooked, though Sir 
George did not pass beyond the northern boundary of the South 
Frigid Zone, in longitude 78° E. The lowest venipaee 
register ed on this occasion by Lord George Gordon was 22° Fahr. 
‘Tt will be remembered that the early search for a southern con- 
tinent originated in the supposition that the great extent of dry 
land in the Northern Hemisphere required a similar area in the 
southern, so as to constitute a counterbalancing weight and thus 
preserve the equilibrium of the globe. Cook and others dispelled 
the idea generally, but Sir James Ross discovered an extent of 
connected land to warrant the belief that southward of his “ South 
Victoria,’ and eastward and westward of it, there was an area of 
ice and snow capped land sutticient to satisfy the assertions of 
those who believed in the necessity of a balancing weight. 
But whether it is necessary or not that such a continent, or 
more than a continent, once existed, there is now little doubt 
from the evidence given by animal and vegetable life that it did 
exist ; the same genera and species occur in such now widely- 
separated lands as South Africa, South America, Australia, and 
New Zealand. Professor Huxley was so satisfied with this that 
he has even given to such an extensive range of supposed dry 
land as would be required to connect those parts, the appropriate 
name of Notogea. 
The Admiralty does not, at present, hold out any promise of 
assistance with ships, ofticers, or men, but Parliament would pro- 
bably supplement any private contributions with material aid. 
On the colonies immediately interested great expectations are 
formed, though none of the Colonial Premiers at the Conference 
alluded to gave much encouragement. 
It is not to be supposed that there will be any difficulty in 
finding a reliable and competent leader to take charge of such a 
venture, or of finding a crew well versed in the various necessary 
branches of science. The leader need not expect to go through 
all the hardships and risks that were encountered by Fridtjof 
Nansen, but he must be prepared to push his way beyond where 
his ship or steamer may be able to reach. A captive balloon 
could only be used from the ship to show where he might go to 
beyond her 
