ANTARCTIC MYSTERIES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3232, 31 May 1911, Page 2

ANTARCTIC MYSTERIES.

DR. MAW SON’S PLANS FOR THEIR

SOLUTION.

UNKNOWN CONTINENT.

Dr. Douglas Maweon, who is to lead an Australian expedition to the. Antarctic continent towards the end of the year,, outlined„his plans in a lecture before the Royal Geographical Society. He intends to faise the necessary funds in Australia and New Zealand, from which countries his party of about fifty scientists is to be recruited. One of his chief aims is connecting the Antarctica 'with Australia, South Africa, and South America. 5,000,000 SQUARE MILES..

“The geology of Victoria. Land,” he said, “corresponds with that of Australia and Tasmania, while, in the same region, Andean types are represented further to the eastward among the Pacific islands. I am not by any means the first to entertain this idea of an inverted South America.

“The Antarctica continent has probably an area of about five million square miles, the major part of which is a plateau of great height. Glimpses only of the past history of Antarctica are yet known. We know that there were periods when ice was almost unknown, when great formulations of water-de-posited beds accumulated, associated with coalbearing strata; these beds have their exact prototypes in Tasmania —in fact, where Tasmania leaves off South Victoria Land begins. We believe that in not long geologically remote times the intervening 1,500 miles became engulfed. “Australia and New Zealand types show a remarkable affinity with those of South America and South Africa. Further, the fossil evidence is absolutely in favor of a continuity between South America and Australia. “The evidence is conclusive, therefore. in the minds of scientific men, that in the not long (geologically) past there existed a habitable Antarctic continent with rays stretching up to meet with what are now Tasmania, South America, New Zealand, and South Africa. Finally, an ice age of almost unprecedented severity overwhelmed the residual Antarctic continent, and swept every trace of life into the Southern ocean.”