FIRST ANTARCTIC NIGHT 385 
tion of the Antarctic Regions is the greatest piece of geo- 
graphical exploration still to be undertaken. That in 
view of the additions to knowledge in almost every 
branch of science which would result from such a 
scientific exploration the Congress recommends that the 
scientific societies throughout the world should urge in 
whatever way seems to them most effective, that this 
work should be undertaken before the close of the 
century/’ 
The direct result was not immediately visible and 
before the great system of national expeditions for ex- 
ploration and research at which it aimed took effect, 
there were two independent attempts to penetrate the 
southern ice, each of which added considerably though 
in different degrees to our knowledge of the region. One 
sailed under the Belgian, the other under the British flag, 
but both were in Norwegian-built ships, manned largely 
by Scandinavian sailors. 
Adrien de Gerlache, a lieutenant in the Belgian navy, 
had been a prey to the fever of Antarctic exploration 
from his youth. He had been one of the many volunteers 
called forth by the announcement in 1888 of a possible 
Australian-Swedish expedition under Baron Norden- 
skiold. Some years later, in 1894, he propounded a 
plan for an expedition which he would himself lead, and 
succeeded in interesting M. Solvay, a wealthy Belgian 
man of science, to such a degree that he subscribed 
£1000 to the funds, and sent the would-be explorer for 
some preliminary training in the Arctic ice. In the fol- 
lowing year the Brussels Geographical Society opened a 
subscription list and a grant from the Government of 
£4,000 made it possible to commence preparations, and in 
1896 a ship was bought. She was a stout Norwegian 
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