Inaugural Lecture 1889 



trade, which might be presumed to be of interest to the nations 

 separated by them, but carried them away to the dreary 

 polar regions and sent their best men entrusted with no higher 

 aim than to thrust their ships against ice as far as it was possible. 

 Every one must admire, and it would be impossible to over- 

 estimate, the moral qualities exhibited by the courageous 

 army of Arctic explorers which has been sent out from time 

 to time by our own and other countries ; but the results obtained 

 and obtainable are quite incommensurate with the labour 

 and money expended and the dangers incurred. It is well 

 that Arctic regions should be explored, but it is astonishing 

 that they should have had the preference over more accessible 

 and more interesting regions. No doubt the reason for it 

 is a very human one. An Arctic expedition appeals to the 

 imagination of every one, it is a service in which hardships 

 and discomfort are continuous and in which dangers are daily 

 and require the continual exercise of courage, perseverance 

 and endurance in order to meet and overcome them. Further, 

 the Arctic and in a greater degree the Antarctic regions are 

 the only parts of the globe remaining where discoveries in their 

 earlier sense can still be made. Formerly, that term was used 

 to indicate discoveries of new lands, the delineation of fresh 

 coast lines. It is possible that there may still be an undis- 

 covered islet in the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean, where 

 passing ships even on the principal routes are a rarity, but 

 it is on the whole unlikely; so that we may safely say that, 

 outside of polar regions, there are no new countries to be 

 discovered. A well-appointed expedition to the Antarctic 

 regions would afford plenty of opportunity for the exhibition 

 of those higher qualities which enable men to overcome difficul- 

 ties and despise dangers, and at the same time could not fail 

 to supply data of the highest scientific interest. But for 

 purely marine investigation there are fields nearer home as 

 yet barely scratched, but ready to yield rich harvests for the 

 mere reaping. The warm and pleasant waters of tropical 

 oceans are still almost untouched and teem with objects of 

 interest and in their exploration and investigation there are 

 no difficulties to be overcome, discomforts to be endured 



