266 POLAR PROBLEMS 



temperatures on the average than in the Arctic regions — -the atmos- 

 phere is singularly free from water vapor. This condition of minimum 

 water vapor and dust motes should leave the atmosphere much 

 more transparent to the blue end of the spectrum. In clear weather 

 the sunlight is certainly remarkably actinic towards photographic 

 plates. This fact and the freedom of the coastal waters from land 

 sediment, the latter giving the sea also greater transparency to the 

 sun's rays, may be the explanation of the observation that plant 

 life in those seas has been found to continue down to greater depths 

 than usual. Observations to confirm these indications would be 

 useful. 



Economic Possibilities 



It may be remarked that many of these inquiries are of direct 

 benefit only to pure science, but it cannot be gainsaid that pure 

 science is the foundation of all invention and economic advance. 



On the other hand there is much in Antarctica that may be of 

 direct economic value. No one knows what the future has in store 

 for that region; but whaling is already a settled industry in those 

 waters. For many years now whaling companies have operated from 

 the island of South Georgia with very satisfactory financial results. 

 The conduct of this whaling industry is directly under the surveillance 

 of the British Government operating under control of the Falkland 

 Islands and Dependencies. The killing of whales is so regulated that 

 it is hoped to avert extinction of the species. Similar operations are 

 now being conducted annually from New Zealand in the Ross Sea 

 region. The penguin and seal life of the Antarctic coasts and pack- 

 ice zone also offers opportunities for future economic exploitation. 



A certain amount of coal, of late Paleozoic age, is known to exist 

 over a large area between King George V Land and Ross Sea. Ores 

 of many of the metallic elements have been met with in small quan- 

 tities, and there is always the prospect of explorers stumbling upon 

 economically valuable deposits. Finally, the Antarctic Continent 

 may have a future as a source of power by harnessing the phenomenal 

 winds which in some areas sweep down as a steady torrent from 

 the cold ice plateau to the sea. There is some possibility, therefore, 

 of the eventual establishment of a sparse and strictly limited popu- 

 lation on Antarctic shores. The prospects are yet, however, somewhat 

 remote. 



