The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1860-06-02
Is there an Open Sea at the North Pole

naEiSltOrs, ScoSfapielo ana philosophers
who have given tho closest attention to
the subject or who have advcntured far
thest into the Polar seas, that north Of
Spitzbergen, and within the Polar Circle,
the ocean was open, and at certain and
particular seasons unincumbercd by the
ice. Such was the conclusion arrived at
10y that most perscvering seaman" the
Arctic Columbus, William Harcntz, OF Am
sterdam, who first discovered Spitzbcrgen
in 1896, and explored the northern and
erstern coast of Nova Xembia, and died af-
ter he had solved the problem OF the pos
sib.!!ty OF Europeans W!utcrIng at the cx-
trcmc north, but before he had enjoyed
either the fame or the fruits Of his iutye-
piditv and conduct.
That exploring expeditions sent out by
different governments have never sailed
upon this open Polar sea, but have inyari-
ably encountered a barrier OF ice in the
latitude of the northermost Spitzbergen
Archipelago Is a proof Of nothing more
than that they did not happen TO benorth
when proptious season or concurring cir
cumstances threw open the icy portals Of
that Arctic ocean, and extended silent
but certain welcome 10 enterprise and
daring.
But although national expeditions have
failed more than one ship has p!oughed
its waters free of ice in the pursuit for
gain or in the qualification OF curiosity
Moreover. that sea. which has upborne
several Dutch Whalers to within one or
two degrees Of the Pole, and even. it is
probable. tothe Pole itself, presented visi-
bl, demonstrations Of It's existence 70 the
the eyes OF Morton, (Kaucs suboriiuate,)
even Us It's roar. through many weary
"'"''r i'o"' '''i''1''0''- Us - n-
IuI 'I'7 p' -! ~ - ':. - :
iG"tH' "9 il 10 '"eS. nun "''ii y pro-. .,
mo- -' =
h'd WoFk'" out al'ho"sh "co","F "e-
"'l-'5 -'''-'" - '''''-s' - ~ 49,
~',al,"- -, ...,:
me .,..'- OIL u - '''t, Il - I''''''''T
h' '."'- "-~1,2H !" '''' - - -
,h'' century, Pu'I, 'I''' "o'" 'i
Nrfih roc "Al'H' u an "HI' "'''1S'
in.i'"' !, ., e"'c.u74'" III ~ !''''a = any
uA.hS can ur Nh.lh u'!e"' upon '.'C'''iI
-tintIdl evidence, coEEob'Ii''l"2 'es stlii!"iiE
winch las never been, a. i were legally
psrpeiuttei
One hundred and s!Xty-fve years ago,
feter Iianclusr DHtch theoio2iah' na'h-
"inauclan. ana even statesman Oh no mean
r"put''. bat better known a. a seoSraphcr'
Indicated the possibility OF That very ROAR
c.rcumn"Vistt.ou which MoIluT 'eh h!e'eh
dni baFe'iz bored INTO t!e '." ft.e-'~'
pi aul"pe. aHd pointed pN' win MS "ii-eE
:" the Dutch mariners OF ms ge"eF'uGh'
;AAt northeastern Arctic e"l'o'Nl!o" be
Nout when II = "oncede4 10 o'-tI A"''o"
has since penetrated
H"'"r" mehtion!nS n S"hJ'>e la
the different mariners VINO nav I'.'I'lI'' =
"F are S"Ac''r' :" nav "''' 49, -, 'i''''
io.dr sea "itH'h tAe -tt't'' ''ic''' te. ~
consider the Ir,"3', "!l'ti i"'G' "'l.'.s
'oi"'.'. - cs'''--S+ '-'' -'-1' ~ 80 N-'''
ehy".
isi- " u"IeF' Who nave 'a'.'e ''t'.F "St
ihf9Hlh TIE supposed = Isl l@''.e' ''.,'' .i.e i
Ar';' Hn" ~ de-. ~ nave ,""''' ','1
waters which uIsu'tvS'i". explores. de
clare! iAe region Oh sirTiia. Ice, !9'..-I 81
whales and pursued mem "Eti mono"
grown seas, urged s"a'm mN'iu.t bS norm
efiy winds, waves "' sA4A.'thN mann" a. a.
10 rcluir" long ana ull-"tcFiu iuPtei i"!''
proyiE. that the n"ttAei'E "ind Ia" b'eii
blowing over = i1h4Ie>s, l-t--ss eH.'~i.se o4
water
ID Those lIollandors and Russians who
have wlutcrcd upon the northern coasts OF
SI.tzuergen. likewise those seamen who
have made iheir way lh'theF carry III ,Ae
t.shlu. seasons declare that IN the surnE
great numbers OF Wild geese, ducks ana
m"rine birds take ihc.r fight farther
north Parry. july IL. -, SAW, When
all was Itc around and before MN, Two
seals. :.-A and a hlTd, near -" li'r'A ana
stlll further on a rn,5. a marine bi'd' "he"
hc attempted u reach tHe Io.c over tHt
ice i II it't-rH'D1t - NuII'CNS '''',
whales, amVhibI and hHds would, VIII
each returning y'Ar' resort 10 I"S.oh oI
"I"rna! Zee ant ae>oiat!"h' "h!ch. were
tins me -ac' ''u'H "i!o', 10 Ee- '"4'' ii'e'
oi subsistence 10 either
81 'tIi's a hHi'ueE "A iiiaI'!le.'' ""'
nave sailed 70 the io!IA O! 'i'''~'S' ="
relate that they experienced more Su'ief
.hS ana t"lt '1'Al s"u'h't'! ti'"L ''0'
""i merry "iii'N N"o" NJ '"'.' ''i' '1' ''.e
Ia'neI i"'" the iI''e'' w" 'o''4 nc -N'
TO ihr SOUTH all" ina, 10 '"e "o'''-' AZ
the sea wa open '''',. '.'t % 'y'
~" ~ 'o''' 80
= 90 ~ 80 = ,Sn -.
-, - tn ,,,;r-l ,,,-,
an -'ot'z- % ...''.sl ut'I.
great "1S'S "' NtIIts, 49,. = s!I;H !I:i
- - 90 "''' 80 ,.t' ;,',I;.'.;",
"''' No. = -, -. -, -
- '''1 '-''4' sou ''0'-N -
low. ,,,:.1 .:,,.,. ;,,,,,,.s,,,o .,
y ~. - ZIy
- - ,.,,>r'l'.I H.. ,,,,.;I
.-'',.',' tl ,I;-,;.c,l,. L,SrJ ,ho ;.o
~" - ,;,',,Ii,. L.,ysd I,sI,,,
.,,I.,,'I ,,,,,..tl',,. o,I 'brcl,an mn viii
"'.r -, I,a,,;I,I,. ,,n;." Lv an irnnrtun,,
~, -. L,y. II,yyn over. . vast unf'rozc,
,..,,
'''' - ,r;,lIa ,,tl,,,.;.;l, :,
oIiT :" .iie L', prisr rn,,rts !
i'E"lT ~ .ii' i,n -,
-" ~, ~ ..I' '''r ,h"t On T,,i,. St,b lG-I
a' 'Iie i'' ~, ,,,;,.t, af Srt,
..,i, 49,. ,,,,a,o,.;,l, ,b. Iii. 20,
GeF2eh, 'n' ."' ~, -. S,Irp aa,'
""uoru oN' -. ..,,,.,,, tI,I..v o,'
SUNS ',' llri -,