The Placer herald. [volume] (Auburn, Placer County, Calif.) 1855-1991, 1861-11-23
Arctic Exploring Expedition---Return of
DR.. Hayes.

We are glad to welcome back from the
icy regions of the Arctic pole the intrepid
Hayes and his companions. They arrived
at Halifax last Wednesday, in their little
schooner, the United States, after an absence
of a year and three months. What dis.
coveries they have made, what contributions
secured for science, we know not yet Pos
sibiy so soon as DR.. Hayes reaches this city,
he may give to the public, through the press,
the results of his expedition We only
know that his intention of taking his vessel
into Smiths Sound was frustrated by the
fact that the channel being closed with ice,
and also that the sledge parties which were
organized proceeded as far as the eighteenth
degree of latitude. We have no doubt,
however, that the results of his observations
will throw a considerable degree of light on
some of the scientific and geographical prob
lens which yet remain unsolved
DR.. Hayes is not by any means the first
explorer who has penetrated within the circle
of the eighteenth degree. Two centuries
and half ago that feat was accomplished
by the navigator who gave his name to the
beautiful North river. That was in 1911
He has since found rivals in Phlpps, who did
the same in 1913; in Scorsby, who did it in
1906; in Buchon and Sir John Franklin,
and Clavering and Perry; in our own DR.
Kane who penetrated in his dog sledge be
yond the eighteenth degrce in 1854, and
now in Dr. Isaac Hayes, whose farthest
northern search appears to have been 80 deg.
O5.
There is great deal of romantic interest
connected with these successive attempts
continued for the last two and half centu
ries, to discover the northwest passage be
tween the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and
to sail on that open sea in which the Ru H.
slams have a traditional belief, and whose
waters were actually seen from distance by
DR.. Kane and VIM. Norton, the steward of
the Advance. The dream of etfecting pas
sage between the two oceans was once, and
but once, realized, when a s!edge party de
tailed from McC!intock's vessel, the Inves
tgator, proceeding eastward from the North
Pacific, met in those icy solitudes similar
exploring party detached from British yes
sci on the North. Atlantic side.
AS to any practical results to be obtained
from the discovery of a Northwest passage,
all ideas of the kind have been long since
abandoned, and the recent explorations have
been undertaken principally in the hope of
solving the mystery of the fate of Sir John
franklin and his men. Incident to that
prime motive has been, of course, the desire
Of adding our knowledge of these Arctic re
gions and observing facts that might aid the
cause of science. These latter considerations
alone ought to be of sufficient Importance
to induce the British Government or our
own Government, or some Of the public
spirited men Of either nation-such as Grin
nell or 'eahody-to maintain an exploring
party constantly in those regions relieving
and supplying it from time to time The
cost woald be insignificant, and the advan.
tage to science ineslimabe. We do not wish
to anticipate DIR. Hayes report, but we may
express the hope that it will urge the same
view. " Y. Herald, Oct. IL.