SCIENCE. 



FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1885. 



COMMENT AND CRITICISM. 



It is reported that the President has virtually 

 decided to postpone the appointment of the super- 

 intendent of the coast and geodetic survey until 

 after the meeting of congress. This, if true, wiU 

 be regretted by all interested in the survey, as it 

 is essential that when congress assembles there 

 shall be some one to speak with authority about 

 the needs and work of the survey. As the matter 

 now stands, congress will have no one to look to 

 for a pohcy. 



An interesting discussion took place at the 

 meeting, October 9, of the Naval institute at An- 

 napohs on the subject of arctic exploration. C. R. 

 Markham, of the Royal geographical society, pre- 

 sided, and the essayist of the evening was Lieut. 

 J. W. Danenhower of the Jeannette expedition. 

 The point of the paper was the inadvisabUity of 

 further arctic exploration, and the speaker de- 

 clared himself as definitely opposed to further ex- 

 ploration of the polar region bounded by the 85th 

 parallel. He considered that geographical dis- 

 covery is not of sufficient importance to warrant 

 exposure to the dangers to be encountered there, 

 and that there is no special reason for supposing 

 that the meteorological phenomena of the polar 

 region differ essentially from those which may be 

 observed near its borders. The paper was supple- 

 mented by others received from Chief engineer 

 Geo. W. MelvUle, U.S.N., Sir Geo. Nares, and 

 Lieutenant Greely, and verbally discussed by Dr. 

 E. Bessels of the Polaris expedition, and Mr. Mark- 

 ham. Letters in favor of further arctic explora- 

 tion were read from Prof. J. E. Nourse, U.S.N. , 

 and Dr. H. Rink, formerly governor of the Danish 

 colonies in Greenland, 



The tenor of the discussion, generally, was to the 

 effect that, while it might be admitted that further 

 exploration could not be justified on utilitarian and 

 commercial grounds, nevertheless, without refer- 

 ence to scientific results, the world could not but 

 gain by the examples of determination and heroism 

 which arctic exploration may be counted on to de- 

 velo pin the future, as it has done in the past, that 



individuals and nations cannot afford to gauge 

 their endeavors by a merely commercial standard ; 

 and, last, that in regard to the facts of terrestrial 

 physics to be determined by arctic exploration, the 

 essayist had come to an unwarranted conclusion. 

 The latter view was especially insisted on in a 

 vigorous and comprehensive statement by Mr. 

 Markham. 



There can be but one opinion among men of 

 science in regard to a certain sort of arctic expedi- 

 tion. A vague ' patriotic ' impulse to plant the 

 flag of any given country at the pole, taken by 

 itself, is no more entitled to respect than is the 

 motive which prompted the wanderings of ' Ser- 

 geant Bates' over regions generally accessible. 

 An expedition fitted out for mere glory, without 

 any definite scientific object or well matured and 

 clearly understood plan, officered by men whose 

 courage, enthusiasm and inexperience are their 

 only qualifications, is in no respect to be com- 

 mended. Such expeditions have had their share 

 of the glory they sought, and have contributed an 

 enormous proportion to the total of arctic disaster. 

 It is to be hoped that there will be no more of 

 them, in spite of the fact that they have also con- 

 tributed something to the common stock of knowl- 

 edge. Scientific exploration of the arctic regions 

 will go on. Like other undertakings which de- 

 pend for the smews of war upon national or 

 individual interest and hberality, it will have its 

 periods of activity and of inaction. But that the 

 crown of the sphere shall be left to solitude and 

 the auroras, while science with her questions and 

 man with his ambitions coexist upon this planet, 

 is a proposition requiring no refutation. 



The necessity of paying gTeater attention to 

 the study of geography in its widest sense is gradual- 

 ly becoming admitted in European countries. The 

 Revue de geographie cites, with appropriate com- 

 naents, a recent discussion in the French senate on 

 this subject, by M. Bardoux, formerly Minister of 

 public instruction, and M. Goblet, at present hold- 

 ing that office. In brief, the former called atten- 

 tion to the need of more and better geograpliical 

 teaching, both in Paris and the provinces, and to 

 the isolation of the present teachers. He urged 



