1894.] Geography and Travels. 697 
similarity in the geological structure of the apparently detached masses. 
Dr. Wild, of the Challenger expedition, has observed that Graham’s 
Land and Victoria Land are remarkable for the height of their mount- 
ain ranges, rising from the sea to 7,000 feet in the former, and 15,000 
feet in the latter country, and the shores of both are guarded by numer- 
ous islands, mostly of volcanic origin. Wild, Murray, and others say 
that we are justified in concluding that Victoria Land, whose east coast 
line was traced by Sir James Ross for more than 500 miles, must ex- 
tend much further to the west and south, and that probably on its ice 
cap will be found the present position of the South Magnetic Pole. 
Dr. Murray points out that the summer excursion of Larsen’s little 
whaler, shows what large additions might, in a short time, be made in 
our geographical knowledge by a properly equipped expedition pro- 
vided with steam power. British geographers will be more than ever 
encouraged, now that the news of Larsen’s work has come to them, to 
redouble their present efforts to induce their Government to send out 
an expedition. The expenditure will hardly be justified unless the 
proposed expedition is accompanied by scientific men and fitted with 
all the apparatus of scientific investigation. Such a party and equip- 
ment would enrich almost every department of natural science. There 
is no doubt that the science of our day is demanding such an investiga- 
tion, and, in all probability, it will be carried out within the next few 
ears. Not only scientific men, but also a considerable part of the 
public, would like to know the nature and extent of this Antarctic con- 
tinent and what may be learned by pushing into its interior. It is 
highly desirable, also, as the advocates of South Polar exploration 
have shown, to ascertain the depth and condition of the ice cap, to 
sound the ocean depths, to learn its various temperatures, from the sur- 
face to the bottom, to trawl up the animals on the sea floor, and study 
the nature of the marine deposits. These are among the questions that 
explorers will be called upon to solve in the prolific field of South 
Polar research.—Cyrus C. Apams, in New York Sun. 
