The Sun.
London, England, 1865-09-18 00:00:00

The German Arctic Expedition.

HAMBURG, Sept. 14.
Notwithstanding the present failure of the Arctic
exploration voyage intended to precede a larger ex-
pedition next year, public attention is still largely
occupied with the project. The Hansa avers that
the undertaking has found influential support, and
publishes a lengthy article containing the sketch of
the plan that ought to be pursued in order to obtain
success. The most important parts are here ap-
pended :

"We require a sum of from 210,000 to 220,000
thalers for an expedition of two screw steamships
equipped in the completest and best manlier. We con-
sider two screw steamers essential, party for mutual
assistance and also to carry on independent researches
iii different directions, and thus double the results.
These ships, however, should not be men of war.
In former Arctic expeditious with sailing ves-
sels the Governments of the countries whence
they proceeded have almost invariably given the
assistance of ships and crews. We believe we may
state that both'Austria and Prussia would be ready
to do the same for a German Arctic expedition, but
in our opinion we should only 'want the crews. To
make any way with steamers in the ice regions it is
essential they should be supplied with sufficient coal
to enable them to keep up steam continually for
eight' to ten weeks. But our modern war steamers
are unable to do this. Speed is the chief considera-
tion with them," and they have all therefore compa-
ratively large engines, which consume an enormous
amount of coals. Even hymaking use of all available
space a vessel of this class could at most carry coal
sufficient for three weeks' consumption. Now it must
be admitted that such a ship as the Prussian corvette
,Medus, for instance,' would still retain her full sail-
ing power, but we consider that ten times as much
can be done with steam power, and that vessels able
to steam ahead for four months would effect more
than sailing ships in four years. They are not ex-
posed to the danger of being frozen in, being able to
extricate themselves at will, and a steam expedition
would therefore be considerably cheaper. For all
these reasons 'we regard wooden screw steamers be-
longing to the merchant service of from 350 to 400
tons burden, and of at most 80 horse power, best
suited for Arctic exploration. The consumption of
coal by such a ship at full steam power would atmost
amount to 8 tons daily. As it is moreover quite un-
necessary, and would be entirely opposed to the pur-
poses of the expedition to steam from Hammerfest,
where the vessels are to take in coal, at greaterspeed
than half-power—i.e., at a ride of five or six knots
an hour, the consumption would be limited to an
average of five tons daily; 250 tons of coal would
therefore suffice for 50 days, or 7 weeks' continuous
steaming. Reckoning that eachvessel only makes five
knots an hour, a distance of 12,000 nautical miles, or
3,000 geographical miles might be accomplished by
both -without recoaling. Should it be found, in ex-
ploring Spitzbergen, that the coal bed already disco-
vered there can be used for the expedition, this natu-
ral depot will suffice for taking in a further supply;
but, on the other hand, care must be taken to deposit
a second supply of coals either at Spitzbergen or
Gullies Land, by which the vessels would be enabled
to steam another 3,000 miles, and thus full, accom-
plish their task. The great risks to which they would
be exposed would cause any insurance office to re-
fuse a policy except at an enormous premium, and it
would, therefore, be more judicious to purchase. We
propose wooden ships, because, 'first, if properly
strengthened, they offer a much greater resistance
than iron vessels to any pressure of ice ; secondly,
because wood is known to be one of the worst, iron,
on the contrary, like allother metals, one of the best
conductors of heat ; and lastly, because of the im-
portant magnetic observations, forming one of the
main objects of the expedition. The cost of two such
vessels, which need not be new, would amount to
120,000 thalers. To this sum must be added, say
another 10,000 thalers for strengthening, in which
we principally include an iron casing, with 4 inch
plates in the neighbourhood of the water line. We
should consider a crew of 60 men, inclusive of offi-
cers and scientific men, as amply sufficient for both
vessels. As already observed, it is probable that the
navy would very readily furnish volunteers, and in
that case wages for two years (which it is quite pos-
sible the expedition may last), estimated at 34,000
thalers, would not be required. Provision depots
to be established at different points, the quantity
being sufficient for three years' consumption, would
require 22,000 thalers, at the rate of ten silver gro-
schen per man per diem. Two cargoes of coal,
amounting to 1,000 tons, would cost 600 thalers.
For other items in equipping the vessels we reckon
on 10,000 thalers, and the same sum for unforeseen
expenses, amounting in all to 212,000 thalers. A
third vessel, to keep open the communication be-
tween Hammerfest and Spitzbergen, by way of Gil-
lies Land, would, of course, be of great use, and
for this service a first-class Prussian gunboat
would be excellently adapted. We do not, how-
ever, think it absolutely necessary, although we
doubt not the Prussian Government would place
one at the disposal of the expedition. When the
great treasures to be derived by science, and
also with respect to our navigation in the 1
polar regions, which are situated so near to us,
are taken into consideration, and if it is borne in
mind that such an expedition would at once place
Germany in afar higher position with regard to other

countries, it is scarcely to be supposed that the
necessary sum will not be at once forthcoming.
From the lively interest with which the proposal of
Herr Petermann was immediately taken up by all
classes of our countrymen, and which was so plainly
manifested in Hamburg and Bremen at the recon-

noitring expedition of Capt. Werner, we may surely
hope for the best results. We must not, however,
expect everything to be done by the Government,
and, with Herr Petermann, we consider it necessary
that the German people should also perform its
part. It only requires one word. No meetings are
necessary, for it already possesses considerable
sums. In Frankfort 100,000 fl. of the money sub-
scribed for the German fleet are still in hand, in
addition to 9,000 thalers in Elberfeld, more than
5,000 in Berlin, and a few thousands in Magde-
burg. These sums were subscribed by the German
people in order to increase our naval importance.
Can they ever be better applied than in an expedi-
tion of this description, which will gain us greater
renown than a dozen men of war ? The money
now lies unemployed and fruitless. Even if it
should be handed over to the Prussian Minister of
Marine it would not be enough to build even half a
corvette. On the other hand, it would cover nearly
a moiety of the expenses of a German Arctic expe-
dition, which, by the probable discovery of produc-
tive whale fisheries in the seas to the east of Spits-
bergen, would yield a profit of millions to the coun-
try."