ANTARCTIC EXPLORATION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1451, 8 January 1887, Page 3

ANTARCTIC EXPLORATION.

The very mention of Polar exploration brings to the mind a vivid picture of the brave exploits, the dangerous vicissitudes, the heroic fortitudf, and the patient endurance which have distinguished the history of the long list of fearless men who have, f n time to time, gone forth m the caus^ of Science to encounter m the frozen regions of the farthest North perils more imminent than those even of the battle-field, and among whose names those of Parry and Ross, M'Clintock and Franklin will ever be famous m song and story. Most of these daring voyageurs have sailed under the British flag, and not a few of Britain's bravest sons have left their bones to bleach on the icebound shores of the Northern Seas. Sometimes the ships themselves have never returned, and more than one expedition has wholly or nearly wholly perished, and the stories of the survivors, when survivors there have been, are amongst the most thrilling narratives which the history of adventure afford?. Sometimes, also, the vessels and theirexpediiionshave returned m safely, bringing with them from the terra incognita ' where the Ice-King reigns forgeleven | months out of twelve, natural objects j of great interest, and records rf. phenomena witnessed, and results of observations taken m those distant regions, which have proved most valuable contributions lo the data of Science. These, it is true, were originally but subsidiary objects of Polar exploration, most, if not all, of th« j earlier Arctic voyageurs having had for their chief end the discovery of a possible North-West passage. It has, i however, long ago been shown that even were such a route always cpsn its rigours : too severe to admit of its being ; available for the ships of commerce, and Polar expeditions are no longer undertaken with that object m view, j Indeed, so far as the Northern regions ' are concerned it would seem that nearly all that it is worth sending out expeditions toascettain has been ascertained already, and it is only natural, j therefore, lhat like so many Alexanders sighing for more worlds to conquer, scientific men and explorers should have bethought themselves that there is yet another Pole, and that the Antarctic regions may be worth exploring m their turn. Recently considerable attention has been devoted to this matter, and for some months past an Antarctic expedition has been talked of m Home scientific circles, and discussed m the English newspapers. A cablegram published on Thursday states that tne Premier of Victoria has received a despatch from the AgentGeneral of that colony, intimating that a considerable increase ot interest is being felt on the subject m England, and lhat if a movement were started m Melbourne it would be warmly supported at Home. Sir Graham Berry adds that he has had an interview with Sir Allen Young on the subject, and that Sir Alien expressed himself as willing to assist the enterprise, and to lead the expedition himself. But money is, of course, wanted, and a guarantee of £10,000 on the part of " the Colonies" (that is to say, we presume, the Australasian Colonies) is asked foi. Just at this moment when all the colonies, except Victoria — and, perhaps, Tasmania — are suffering from commercial depression, when the state ot the public revenues is such as to necessitate the enforcement of a policy of rigid retrenchment, it is an unfortunately inopportune time to bring forward the claims of Antarctic Exploration to pecuniary aid, and were the matter only to be regarded from the purely scientific point of view, we should have no hesitation m saying that New Zealand, at any rate, would not be justified m incurring any share of the expense. But we think that it is quite possible — nay, probable — that very larpe material benefit may result, to New Zealand especially, from a thorough exploration of Antarctic seas and of the coast line of the Antarctic continent, m the finding of new and profitable whaling-grounds and sealfisheries, of which New Zealanders are m the hest position to av;til themselves. And when it is remrmbered lhat through the failure of the presentlyknown whale fisheries their commercial products have gone up to enormous prices (whalebone being quoted at over ;£2200 per ton m London), it will be seen that the outlay of a few thousand pounds may easily prove an exceedingly profitable investment to those m a position to command the largest share of the resultant advantiges. We, therefore.', hope that more will be heard of the proposal, and are decidedly of opinion that it will be wise policy on the part of this colony to help m bringing it to a practical issuf