SEPTEMBER 28, 1899] 
NATURE 
527 
Largely through the influence of Prof.’ Otto Pettersson, an 
International Conference assembled at Stockholm a few months 
ago, for the purpose of deliberating as to a programme of con- 
joint scientific work in the North Sea and northern parts of the 
Atlantic, with special reference to the economic aspect of sea- 
fisheries. A programme was successfully drawn up, and an 
organisation suggested for carrying it into effect; these 
proposals are now under the consideration of the several States. 
The Norwegian Government has voted a large sum of money 
for building a special vessel to conduct marine investigations of 
the nature recommended by this conference. It is to be hoped 
the other North Sea Powers may soon follow this excellent 
example. 
The various marine stations and laboratories for scientific 
research in all parts of the world furnish each year much new 
knowledge concerning the ocean. Among our own people the 
excellent work carried on by the Marine Biological Association, 
the Irish Fisheries Department, the Scottish Fishery Board, the 
Lancashire Fisheries Committee, the Cape and Canadian 
Fisheries Departments, is well worthy of recognition and con- 
tinued support. Mr. George Murray, Mr. H. N. Dickson, 
Prof. Cleve, Prof. Otto Pettersson, Mr, Robert Irvine and 
others have, with the assistance of the officers of the Mercantile 
Marine, accumulated in recent years a vast amount of inform- 
ation regarding the distribution of temperature and salinity, as 
well as of ‘the planktonic organisms at the surface of the ocean. 
The papers by Mr. H. C. Russell on the icebergs and currents 
of the Great Southern Ocean, and of Mr. F. W. Walker on the 
density of the water in the Southern Hemisphere, show that 
the Australian Colonies are taking a practical interest in 
oceanographical problems. 
Proposed Antarctec Explorations. 
The great event of the year, from a geographical point of 
view, is the progress that has been made towards the realisation 
of a scheme for the thorough scientific exploration in the near 
future of the whole South Polar region. The British and 
German Governments have voted or guaranteed large sums of 
money to assist in promoting this object, and princely donations 
have likewise been received from private individuals, in this 
connection the action of Mr. L. W. Longstaff in making a gift 
of 25,000/., and of Mr. A. C. Harmsworth in promising 5000/., 
being beyond all praise. 
There is an earnest desire among the scientific men of Britain 
and Germany that there should be some sort of co-operation 
with regard to the scientific work of the two expeditions, and 
that these should both sail in 19c1, so that the invaluable gain 
attaching to simultaneous observations may be secured, Beyond 
this nothing has, as yet, been definitely settled. The members 
of the Association will presently have an opportunity of express- 
ing their opinions as to what should be attempted by the British 
expedition, how the work in connection with it should be 
arranged, and how the various researches in view can best be 
carried to a successful issue. 
I have long taken a deep interest in Antarctic exploration, 
because such exploration must necessarily deal largely with 
oceanographical. problems, and also because I have had the 
privilege of studying the conditions of the ocean within both the 
Arctic and Antarctic circles. In the year 1886 I published an 
article on the subject of Antarctic Exploration in the Sco/tish 
Geographical Magazine. . This article led to an interesting 
interview, especially when viewed in the light of after events, 
for, a few weeks after it appeared in type, a young Norwegian 
walked into the Chal/enger office in Edinburgh to ask when the 
proposed expedition would probably start, and if there were 
any chance of his services being accepted. His name was 
Nansen. 
When at the request of the President I addressed the Royal 
Geographical Society on the same subject in the year 1893, I 
made the following statement as to what it seemed to me should 
be the general character of the proposed exploration: ‘‘A 
dash at the South Pole is not, however, what I advocate, nor 
do I believe ¢hat is what British science at the present time 
desires. It demands rather a steady, continuous, laborious and 
systematic exploration of the whole southern region with all the 
appliances of the modern investigator.”’ At the same time I 
urged further, that these explorations should be undertaken by 
the Royal Navy in two ships, and that the work should extend 
over two winters and three summers. 
This scheme must now be abandoned, so far at least as the 
NO. 1561, VOL. 60] 
Royal, Navy is concerned, for the Government has intimated 
that it can spare neither ships nor officers, men nor money, for 
an undertaking of such magnitude. The example of Foreign 
Powers—rather than the representations from our own scientific 
men—appears to have been chiefly instrumental in at last 
inducing the Government to promise a sum of 45,000/., pro- 
vided that an equal amount be forthcoming from other sources. 
This resolve throws the responsibility for the financial adminis- 
tration, for the equipment and for the management of this. 
exploration on the representative scientific societies, which have 
no organisation ready for carrying out important executive work 
on such an extensive scale. iam doubtful whether this state of 
matters should be regarded as a sign of increasing lukewarm- 
ness on the part of the Government towards marine research, or 
should rather be looked on as a most unexpected and welcome 
recognition of the growing importance of science and scientific 
men to the affairs of the nation. Let us adopt the latter view, 
and accept the heavy responsibility attached thereto. f 
Any one who will take the trouble to read, in the Proceedings 
of the Royal Society of London, the account of the discussion 
which recently took place on ‘‘ The Scientific Advantages of an 
Antarctic Expedition,” will gather some idea of the number and 
wide range of the subjects which it is urged should be investi- 
gated within the Antarctic area; the proposed researches have 
to do with almost every branch of science. Unless an earnest 
attempt be made to approach yery near to the ideal there 
sketched out, widespread and ‘lasting disappointment will 
certainly be felt among the scientific men of this country. ~The 
proposed. expedition should not be one of adventure. Not a 
rapid invasion and a sudden retreat, with tales of hardships and 
risks, but a scientific occupation of the unknown area by 
observation and experiment should be aimed at in these days. 
I haye all along estimated the cost of a well-equipped 
Antarctic expedition at about 150,000/. I see no reason for 
changing my views on this point at the present time, nor on the 
general scope of the work to be undertaken by the proposed 
expedition, as set forth in the papers I have published on the 
subject. There is now a sum of at most 90,000/. in hand, or in 
view. If one ship should be specially built for penetrating the 
icy region, and be sent south with one naturalist on board, then 
such an expedition may, it will be granted, bring back interest- 
ing and important results. But it must be distinctly understood 
that this is not the kind of exploration scientific men have been 
urging on the British public for the past fifteen or twenty years. 
We must, if possible, have two ships, with landing parties for 
stations on shore, and with a recognised scientific leader and 
staff on board of each ship. Although we cannot have the 
Royal Navy, these ships can be most efficiently officered and 
manned from the Mercantile Marine. With only one ship: 
many of the proposed observations would have to be cut out of 
the programme. In anticipation of this being the case, there 
are at the present moment irreconcilable differences of opinion 
among those most interested in these explorations, as to which 
sciences must be sacrificed, 
The difficulties which at present surround this undertaking 
are fundamentally those of money. These difficulties would at 
once disappear, and others would certainly be overcome, 
should the members of the British Association at this meeting 
agree to place in the hands of their President a sum of 50,000/., 
so that the total amount available for Antarctic exploration would 
become. something like 150,000/, Although there is but one 
central Government, surely there are within the bounds of this 
great Empire two more men like Mr. Longstaff. The Govern- 
ment has suddenly placed the burden of upholding the high 
traditions of Great Britain in marine research and exploration 
on the shoulders of her scientific men. In their name I appeat 
to all our well-to-do fellow-countrymen in every walk of life for 
assistance, so that these new duties may be discharged in a 
manner worthy of the Empire and of the well-earned reputation, 
of British Science. 
SECTION G. 
MECHANICAL SCIENCE. 
OPENING ADDRESS BY SIR WILLIAM WuiTtE, K.C.B., 
LL.D., F.R.S., PRESIDENT OF THE SECTION. 
IN this Address it is proposed to review briefly the character- 
istic features of the progress made in steam navigation; to. 
glance at the principal causes of advance in the speeds of steam- 
ships and in the lengths of the voyages on which such vessels 
