Notes

Abstract

THE Antarctic expedition equipped and sent out by Sir George Newnes in August 1898, under the direction of Mr. Borchgrevink, has safely returned. The following cablegram, sent from the Bluff, Campbelltown, which is one of the southernmost ports on the south coast of the South Island of New Zealand, has been received by Sir George Newnes from Mr. Borchgrevink:—“Object of Expedition carried out. Furthest south with sledge; record, 78.50. Present position of South Magnetic Pole located. Zoologist Nicolai Hanson dead. Southern Cross safely at Stewart Island. Leaving for Hobart. All well. Borchgrevink.” The expedition has thus been a very successful one so far as geographical results are concerned, and we trust that its success may be taken as an earnest of what will be accomplished by the expeditions which depart next year. The highest latitude reached by Ross, in 1842, was 78° 10′ S., this being the latitude at which his ships met with the great ice barrier. Mr. Borchgrevink has gone further than this, and he must have made a long journey by land to have reached lat. 78° 50′ S. It will be interesting to know the position of the magnetic pole located during the expedition. From the observations made during Ross's expedition it has been inferred that a magnetic pole is situated in lat. 73° 5′ S., and long. 147° 5′ E. This places the real southern magnetic pole not far from the position assigned to it by the calculations of Gauss, viz. lat. 72° 35′ S. and 152° 30′ E. Since Ross's expedition, however, nearly sixty years have passed, and it will be interesting to compare Mr. Borchgrevink's determination of the present position of the magnetic pole with that deduced by Ross, and that predicted from theoretical considerations. While upon the subject of Antarctic exploration, it is noteworthy that Prof. J. W. Gregory, who has succeeded the late Sir Frederick M'Coy as professor of geology at Melbourne, has been appointed director of the scientific staff of the British Antarctic expedition to start next year. The Scottish expedition referred to last week (p. 518) is to be a private expedition organised by Mr. W. S. Bruce, and will not be officially connected with the Royal Scottish Geographical Society.