It was noticed that the document contained a clause providing for future contingencies. This clause gave rise to much contradictory interpretation, for its precise meaning escaped the most subtle minds. It stipulated that the right would be perpetual, even in the event of modification in any way whatsoever of the geographical or meteorological conditions of the globe. What was the meaning of this clause? What contingency did it provide for? How could the earth ever undergo a modification affecting its geography or meteorology, especially in the territories in question? “Evidently,” said the knowing ones, “there is something in this!” Explanations there were many to exercise the ingenuity of some and the curiosity of others. The _Philadelphia Ledger_ made the following suggestion:— “The future acquirers of the Arctic regions have doubtless ascertained by calculation that the nucleus of a comet will shortly strike the earth in such a manner that the shock will produce the geographical and meteorological changes for which the clause provides.” This sounded scientific, but it threw no light on the matter. The idea of a shock from such a comet did not commend itself to the intelligent. It seemed inadmissible that the concessionaries should have prepared for so hypothetical an eventuality. “Perhaps,” said the _New Orleans Delta_, “the new company imagine that the precession of the equinoxes will produce the modification favourable to the utilization of their new property.” “And why not,” asked the _Hamburger Correspondent_, “if the movement modifies the parallelism of the axis of our spheroid?” “In fact,” said the Paris _Revue Scientifique_, “did not Adhemar say, in his book on the revolutions of the sea, that the precession of the equinoxes, combined with the secular movement of the major axis of the terrestrial orbit, would be of a nature to bring about, after a long period, a modification in the mean temperature of the different parts of the Earth, and in the quantity of ice accumulated at the Poles?” “That is not certain,” said the _Edinburgh Guardian_, “and even if it were so, would it not require a lapse of twelve thousand years for Vega to become our pole-star, in accordance with the said phenomenon, and for the Arctic regions to undergo a change in climate?” “Well,” said the _Copenhagen Dagblad_, “in twelve thousand years it will be time enough to subscribe the money. Meanwhile we do not intend to risk a krone.” But although the _Revue Scientifique_ might be right with regard to Adhemar, it was probable that the North Polar Practical Association had never reckoned on a modification due to the precession of the equinoxes. And no one managed to discover the meaning of the clause, or the cosmical change for which it provided.