THE ANTARCTIC REGIONS. 269 



long attempted to penetrate. There, also, lies one of 

 the northern poles of cold ; while the configuration of 

 the isothermal lines (or lines of equal temperature) in 

 the neighbourhood, shows how some influence is at 

 work carrying relative warmth from the Atlantic to- 

 wards the North Pole, and leaving the regions on the 

 west of that course exposed to a degree of cold greatly 

 more intense. To these considerations, others con- 

 nected with the whaling trade were added, though I 

 am not prepared to say that (so far as the question of 

 Government assistance was concerned) these considera- 

 tions had very great weight. 



It cannot be denied, however, that at a certain stage 

 in the history of Arctic voyaging, the mere barren 

 ambition to attain or approach the North Pole of the 

 earth, was set in advance of more practical considerations. 

 We find, for instance, that in the case of Parry's ' boat 

 and sledge' expedition from Spitzbergen polewards, 

 certain sums of money were set as a reward for reach- 

 ing such and such northern latitudes, the sum of ten 

 thousand pounds being the prize for attaining the 

 North Pole itself. 



It appears to me that those have done well who, 

 during their recent discussion of the subject, have laid 

 stress upon the scientific value of the results which 

 may be obtained during successful Arctic and Antarctic 

 voyages. It is unworthy of a great country to appeal 

 to the national honour on a matter so insignificant as 

 the actual approach which has been made to either 

 pole of the earth to reason that because England has 



