34 THE ANTARCTIC MANUAL. 
would enable us to solve some of the most important and interesting 
problems of scientific climatology. The knowledge of the winter 
temperatures in the polar region of a water hemisphere is at present 
the most pressing requirement of our science, as we have pointed out 
in vol. i. p. 209, ete. 
The notice closes with references to papers by Neumayer, Supan, 
Murray and Dinklage, the last-named on the great ice-drift in the 
Southern Ocean since 1891, in the ‘Annalen der Hydrographie,’ 
1893, p. 41, e¢ seq. 
Translation of a letter from Hofrath Hann to Mr. R. H. Scott, in reference to 
his remarks on the Antarctic Anticyclone (‘ Klimatologie,’ vol. iii.).* 
“As regards the Antarctic Anticyclone, I have certainly not expressed 
myself quite clearly in my ‘ Klimatologie,’ as you very fairly point out. 
“1t is certain that an area of pressure, which is higher than that of the 
surrounding area, lying over a chilled continent, or over any considerable land 
area, can coexist with a great polar cyclone, for instance, round the South 
Pole. The very low temperature can produce in the lower strata of the 
atmosphere a pressure higher than its environment. The anticyclone, however, 
must be very shallow, and at a moderate elevation the ordinary circulation of 
the atmosphere must re-establish itself. Borchgrevink’s observations at Cape 
Adare proved that pressure sank lowest in winter, and, accordingly, the pres- 
sure in the upper strata made its influence felt as the predominating one at the 
ground level. It is just possible that further inland a slight increase of 
pressure might be observable. There is certainly no chance of the existence of 
a real continental anticyclone, inasmuch as at Cape Adare the barometer falls 
from summer to winter. 
“The barometer maximum which the South-east wind produces is evidently 
a very shallow one, coufined to the lower strata, and is only to be detected as a 
reduction in the rate of decrease of pressure towards the pole. It is an 
interesting question, the solution of which will possibly be supplied by the 
forthcoming expeditions.” 
* Letter not dated, but received in December.—R. H. 8. 
