The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-10-13
Arctic Exploring Expeditions.

The return of DR.. Kane and his party, safe,
naturally leads the mind to dwell upon the
general subject Of Arctic discovery. Three
hundred years ago the problem which SO many
Englishmen lost their lives in endeavoring to
solve was the discovery of passage to China
1t was in searching for this passage, as every
one knows, that Hudson sailed up the river
which bears his name, and that Bafin explored
the bay by which he is remembered; list of
gallant names, beginning with Willoughby and
stretching down to Foxe and Smith, proves how
many there were in that day who were ready
to sacrifice their lives in the cause of discove.
ry. After the colonization Of America, and
especially after Lasalle's voyages on the Mis-
sissippi had proved that no passage existed
through which ship might sail to China, ex-
ploring expeditions were diverted into differ
ent channel. During the eighteenth century,
no one made distinct attempt to sail to the
northward of the continent. Towards its
close Captain Vancouver's voyage in the
Pacific, and his discoveries in what is now
Russian America, once more stimulated public
curiosity. As before, Great Britain took the
lead. One of the first expeditions which sailed
with the definite object of passing to the north
ward of America was commanded by the great
man whose bones have long since bleached
under the Arctic snows-John Franklin. Then
followed others of scarcely less note-Ross,
Parry, Lyon, Back, Crozier. In 1889, the ex-
istence Of Northwest passage was abundant
ly proved by the journey Of Dease and Simp-
son, who walked from the point reached by
Ross on the one side to that reached by Parry
on the other. But science was not satisfied,
nor the explorers tired. Again sailed Sir John
Franklin, on his great, last journey, in May,
1916. From that time to this, every expedition
that has sailed to the northwest has had for its
chief object the rescue of Franklin and his
companions. Accidentally, the operation per
formed by Dease and Simpson in 1889 was re-
peated in 1851 by Mcclure, and this time, the
British government was very glad to put an end
to The voyages Of discovery by acknowledging
That the problem was solved and the reward
won. But the chief thing in view both in the
British and American expeditions which have
sailed since the year lS4S, has been to find
some trace Of tho first of Arctic navigators.
Three expeditions have sailed from the
United States-thc first, the Grinnell expedi-
ton under Lieut.. De Haven, which sailed in
Nay 1850, and returned unsuccessful the Sc
cond, DR.. Kane's expedition in the Advance
and the third, the expedition sent for his rescue
in the Release and Active under Lieut.. Hart
stein. The last expedition Of Kane has
led to valuable discoveries in science. The
United States may now claim the honor of
having iirst sent ship to discover the great
open sea near the Pole, as they have the honor
ofhaving given birth to the men who first dis.
covered the Southern Continent. What use
these discoveries may hereafter prove to be. no
one can yet conjecture but, as they have cost
so little, one cannot but rejoice that they have
been brought to light. Science may possibly
derive some benefit from the curious meteoro.
logical and geographical observations made
by DR.. Kane. 1t is well to know that the north
coast OF Greenland has been mapped, and the
coasts of Smith Sound surveyed. In other
points of view, the researches Of these bold
men into the gloom Of the Polar night may not
prove wholly devoid of profit.
At the same time, no prudent man will re-
srain from rejecting how different our feelings
would have been If Dr. Kane had shared the
fate of Sir John Franklin and his family and
friends and our own impulses had now been
calling upon us to send more expeditions in
search of him. And how little was wanting
but this was the case! IT is quite doubt
ful whether the population of the United
States is sufficiently dense, or good men plenty
enough, to encourage expeditions to the North
Pole in search of Greenland icebergs or Polar
seas, II they are to cost every now and then
sasL 4 nal ~ ppsI9s Kane.