|
The discovery of the Antarctic not only provedone of the most interesting of all geographicaladventures, but created what might be called theheroic age of Antarctic exploration. By theirtremendous heroism, men such as Shakleton, Scott,and Amundsen caused a new continent to emergefrom the shadows, and yet that heroic age, littlemore than a century old, is already passing. Modernscience and inventions are revolutionizing the endurance, future journeys into these icy wasteswill probably depend on motor vehicles equipped with caterpillar traction rather than on thedogs that earlier discoverers found so invaluable and hardly comparable. Few realize that this Antarctic continent is almost equal in size to South America, andenormous field of work awaits geographers and prospectors. The coasts of this continentremain to be accurately charted, and the maping of the whole of the interior presents aformidable task to the cartographers who undertake the work. Once their labors arecompleted, it will be possible to prospect the vast natural resources which scientists believe willfurnish one of the largest treasure hoards of metals and minerals the world has yet known, andalmost inexhaustible sources of copper, coal, uranium, and many other ores will becomeavailable to man. Such discoveries will usher in an era of practical exploitation of the Antarcticwastes. The polar darkness which hides this continent for the six winter months will be defeated byhuge batteries of light, and make possible the establishing of air-fields for the futureinter-continental air services by making these areas as light as day. Present flying routes willbe completely changed, for the Antarctic refueling bases will make flights from Australia toSouth America comparatively easy over the 5,000 miles journey. | 
