454 

THE time for the trial of machines for separating the fibres of 
the Rhea plant which are to be sent in by competition for the 
Indian Government prize of 5,000/., has been postponed till 
April 1872. It is requested that notice of intention to compete 
be given before May of this year. Arrangements have been 
made for supplying some of the plant to intending competitors. 


THE FIRST GERMAN NORTH POLE 
EXPEDITION 
NUMBERof Petermann’s “ Mittheilungen” published 
in January 1871, consists of an account of the first | 
German North Pole Expedition by Captain Koldewy 
and Dr. A. Petermann. The vessel in which this expedition 
was undertaken was the Germania, a cutter of only eighty 
tons burden. Twelve persons sailed in her, Captain Kol- 
dewey, the commander of the party and joint author of the 
present memoir, R. Hildebrant, chief mate, and ten sailors. 
They started from Bergen May 24, 1868, the Swedish expe- 
dition sailing about the same time inasteamer. The voyage 
extended over four months. Dr. Petermann considers that 
the only practicable routes to the North Pole are either 
through Behring’s Straits or the sea between Greenland 
and Spitzbergen. The latter was attempted by the Expe- 
dition. 
The year turned out to be a most unfavourable one, 
the sea being more than usually obstructed with ice. 
After vain!y attempting to reach the east coast of Green- 
land, the Germania crossed over to Spitzbergen, but was 
stopped by pack-ice. Greenland was again visited with 
a like result; but on a second trial of the Spitzbergen 
route a fortunate break in the ice occurred, and on 
September 14, lat. 81°°5 was reached, this being the 
highest point ever yet attained by a ship, although with 
sledges 82°45 was reached by Parry in 1827. The east 
coast of Spitzbergen was visited by means of the straits 
(Hinlopen Strasse) which seprrate the smaller northern 
portion of this group of islands from the larger southera 
portion. Here a new island was discovered, and the 
surrounding coast-line mapped. Dr. Petermann names the 
island William Island, and the straits which separate it 
from the mainland Bismark Straits ; we also find on the 
map Augusta Bay and Cape Moltke. Dr. Petermann re- 
joices greatly that the Germans have thus at last left 
their mark on the map. He says that it has been very 
trying to him to have seen for the last thirty-two years in 
maps of all parts of the world containing new geographi- 
cal discoveries no names but “ Victoria,” “ Wellington,” 
“Smith,” “Jones,” &c. Captain Koldewey describes 
the glaciers of Spitzbergen as differing from those of 
Switzerland in the following points:—They for the 
most part stretch right down into the sea, where they 
end in a perpendicular wall. The upper surface is 
somewhat polished and free from all roughness and 
steep ice blocks, Moreover in the glaciers examined 
at Augusta Bay and William Island there are no 
crevasses. Moraines are present, those of the great 
glacier in Augusta Bay consisting of limestone and basalt. 
The actual scientific results of the expedition are very 
small, owing to the badness of the weather. Some frag- 
mentary monthly isothermals of sea temperature have 
been constructed by Dr. Petérmann from the observations 
made during the voyage, and are marked on the two 
maps which accompany the memoir. Captain Koldewey 
considers that the route by the East coast of Greenland 
is the one which should be attempted by future expedi- 
tions. The route north of Spitzbergen is impracticable, 
because a branch of the Gulf Stream here meets directly 
the cold polar current, and a barrier of ice is the result. 
For further exploration he advises the employment of a 
schooner rigged vessel of from 150 to 20) tons, with 
auxiliary steam power, 
NATURE 
| the Mediterranean. 

[| April 6, 1871 
REPORT ON DEEP-SEA RESEARCHES 
Carried on during the months of Fuly, August, and Seplember, 
1870, in HM. Surveying Ship ‘* Porcupine.” 
By W. B. Carprnter, M.D, F.R.S., AND J. Gwyn 
Jerrreys, F.R.S. 
(Concluded from p. 417.) 
WE commenced our observations on the morning of Oct. 1 at 
the point of greatest depth (Station 65). The temperature of 
the surface at 6 A.M. was only 63°, which was at least eight 
degrees lower than the average temperature at that hour within 
The bottom temperature at 198 fathoms was 
54°'5 ; and the specific gravity of the bottom water was 1028-2. 
The coincidence both in temperature and specific gravity with the 
bottom-water at Station 64 was thus very close. The place of 
the ship having been determined by angles taken with the shore, 
the rate of the surface-movement was tested as on former occa- 
sions ; and was found to be 1‘277 mile per hour, its direction 
being E.}S. ‘lhe ‘‘current drag” was then sunk to 150 
fathoms, —the greatest depth at which it was thought safe to use 
it; and the boat from which it was suspended moved E. { N. at 
the rate of 0°840 mile per hour. This observation indicated a 
very considerable retardation in the rate of /7-flow ; but gave no 
evidence of an owf-flow. It did not, however, negative the in- 
ference deducible from the temperature, and still more from the 
specific gravity of the water beneath, that an out-flow takes place 
in that lowest stratum which we could not test by the ‘‘ current 
drag.” 
We then steamed across the deep channel towards the Spanish 
side ; and passing a bank of 45 fathoms which rises near its 
middle, we sounded again at Station 66, about six miles to the 
northward of Station 65. The surface-temperature at 9 A.M. was 
here found to have risen to 69°; and since not more than half 
this increase could be attributed, according to our experience 
elsewhere, to the increase of direct solar radiation at this period 
of the day, the cause of the additional elevation has to be sought 
elsewhere. The length of sounding-line run out was 147 fathoms; 
but on attempting to reel it in, the lead was found to have fixed 
itself between rocks ; and all Capt. Calver’s skill in the manage- 
ment of his ship proved inadequate to free it. As we were thus 
anchored by our sounding-line, it was requisite to set ourselves 
free, by putting a breaking strain upon it; and we thus 
lost, with the lead, one of our water-bottles, and a pair 
of thermometers, one of which was specially valued by us as 
having been used throughout the Porcupine Expedition of 1869, 
in which the temperature soundings had proved of peculiar im- 
portance, The ‘‘current-drag” was here let down to 100 
fathoms ; and the boat from which it was suspended moved along 
in the direction of the surface-current, and at the rate of 1*280 
mile per hour, which was almost precisely that of the surface- 
current in the previous observation. 
Deeming it important to obtain the temperature and specific 
gravity of the bottom-water on the Spanish side of the deeper 
portion of the channel, we slightly shifted our ground, and again 
let down our lead, with thermometers and water-bottle, at Station 
67, where the depth proved to be 188 fathoms. On beginning 
to reel in the line, we found the lead to have anchored as before, 
and for some time feared that we should sustain a second loss 
of the water-bottle and thermometers attached to it. The means 
taken by Captain Calver for its extrication, however, proved on 
this occasion successful ; and we had the satisfaction of seeing 
the whole apparatus safely brought up,—the lead bearing evident 
marks of having been jammed between rocks and then violently 
strained. The temperature of the bottom proved to be 55°°3, 
that of the surface being 73°; and the specific gravity of the 
bottom-water was 1028'1, that of the surface being 1026°8. 
Here again, therefore, the evidence afforded by the tem- 
perature and specific gravity of the bottom-water was conclusive 
as to its Mediterranean character. Its density corresponded 
rather with that of the bottom-water, than with that of the inte:- 
mediate stratum, at the opposite end of the Strait ; but the more 
rapid westerly motion of the latter would seem to indicate 
that the water which here flows over the ‘‘ ridge” is derived from 
it, rather than from the deeper layer, and that its diminution in 
density is due to the dilution it sustains in its course. In either 
case, the denser Mediterranean water discharged by this under- 
current must flow up-hill; but the incline is so gradual that a 
very small force, if constantly sustained, would suffice to pro- 
duce the elevation needed to carry it over the ridge. 
