OCR Text |
Show Miscellarw Wealth of Arctic Region. A willow whioh reaches the height of two inches is the only tree which grows on Spitzherg-en. Yet this barren and icebound ice-bound archipelago, which lies o00 miles north of the North cape, is a regular Eldorado. Once it must have had a climate as warm as Africa, for the cliffs are full of coal, and it is coal of as fine duality as can be found anywhere in the world. There is gold there, too. A small English Eng-lish syndicate was at work there before the war, and did well. Its marble is the finest known, next to the very rare and choice Mexican marble, and there is iron as well, in gTeat quantities. Spitzbergen is at present a bone of contention, con-tention, but it is really British territory, having been so since 1615. No one knows what treasures the regions re-gions of eternal ice may have in store for civilization: but enough Is known to be sure that, there is enormous wealth of mineral, gold, and probably precious stones, around both poles. The Antarctic expeditions found huge seams of coal In the Antarctic continent, and there is probably iron ore there, and certainly sulphur. Tho TTnilnr! Ofofnr. -nr,;j T" ! 6 T On A (100 for the whole vast territory of Alaska. People said they were throwing away money, but as early as the year 1900 the amount of Rold alone recovered in Alaska was $8,000,000. And Alaska has silver, platinum and other treasures as well. Greenland, that huce Danish territory, has copper, lead, silver and tin. Flakes of absolutely pure silver have been picked up in crevices alonK the cliffs. Masses of almost pure Iron are found in Greenland. One which wos brought to Europe was six and a half feet long bv five and a half thick, and weighed 46,000 pounds. Precious stones are also found in the far north. One of the most beautiful of what are called the semi-precious gems is named "Labradorite." It is found in blue, green, golden yellow and sometimes just the color of the skin of a ripe peach. Another is exquisitely spangled with golden gold-en yellow. Labradorite is very highly valued by camoo workers. It comes from the barren wilds near Hudson bay. There are diamonds in Alaska, though whether there will ever be diggings is another question. In northern Siberia they dig a stone called "Phenatrite," which looks like a diamond' but is softer, and, therefore, less valuable. The exquisite lapis lazuli is also found in Siberia, and is sent from there to China, where it fetches a high price. "Sphene," a very beautiful yellow-green stone, is dug in northern Norway, and garnets and tourmalines are got from Greenland. Tn otie of the almost unknown un-known Arctic islands of British North America a grent store of amethysts of tbe finest quality was recently discovered. discov-ered. What is perhaps the most amazing of all tho Arctic bonanzas is that contained in the I.iakhov islands and New Siberia. These lie In tbe midst of almost eternal ice to the nortb of Siberia itself, and the soil is full of tusks of the now extinct mammoth. Poring tbe last century shiploads ship-loads of this fossil ivory have been brought out and sold at very high prices. Answers. London. |