The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1869-04-02
POLAR EXPLORATIONS.
The Recent Expeditions and
Their Failure. 9
Prospective Esp 6itions.
The Regions Of Eternal Repose

graphical society, that the tWOSeXpeGltIGDS
VII oh left Europe last year, for thepolar
regions have Jared no better than their va
rious predecessors, from the 14th century
down to the present day. The frstof these
expeditions, organized in Germany, left on
the 24th of May. 1868, in a small sail
ing vessel, called the Greenland, coniniand>
cd by Capt. Koldewey; but encountetlng
immense fields of ice near Spitzpergen, it
was compelled to turn back, after having
reached latitude so degrees 5 minutes
north. The second expedition fitted out
| in Sweden, departed on the 4sh of July
last, in the steamer Sophie, under, the
charge Of Prof. n ordenskjold, and Capt.
| Won Otter, with the intention of wintering
in the ice, and rcsumiDg the voyage this
| spring. Owing however, to serious in
! juries sustained in latitude 81 degrees AZ
than the point reached in 1927, by Capt.
Parry, in sleighs, the steamer had to tie
taken home for repairs. But while these
events will be familiar to all who feel any
interest in such matters, it may not yet be
so generally known that last summers fail
, ures have by no means led to an abandon
ment of the project itself, for three great
nations propose to contest the laurels OF pc
lar discovery during the current year. The
United States intend to pick up again the
thread which had been dropped in conse>
uuence of our four years of civil war Ger
many, undismayed by her first disappoint
ment, is making arrangements tor second,
larger expedition. France, the third ma
ton TO enter the lists, has at last completed
her loug>delayed preparations The pros
jec,or OF the French expedition, NJ. Gus
tave Lambert, appears, however, to have
found il 10 light task 70 inspire bis coun-
trynltn with some of his own zeal and Ell
thusiasm iu3eed, he enterprise has ma
tured with siowncsS all the more remarks
able when We consider how ambisi3us
France usually Is 10 assume on such occa-
SONS the initiative IN tie civilized world
Though the emperor himself headed the
national subscription with 80, 900 francs,
n. Lambert had nevertheless to deliver
over 100 addresses in different provincial
towns before the pitiful sum of half anil
lion, which lie required for the outfit, co d
be raised. NJ. Lambert has theory pc
cularly his own. Adopting the views of
the Russian naval authorities, especially
those entertained by Admirals Wrangel
and Anjou, who sailed north.ar6 from 81
IBERIA in the years 1921 and 1928, he as~
sumes that the most accessible approach to
the north pole is by departure from Beh-
rings straits, shat out>of>t ha-uay place
where Asia and Africa face each other, and
the waves Of the Pacific ocean mingle with
the waters Of the Polar sea. On the part
Of the United States, the palm of polar
discovery will be contested by DR.. Hayes,
whose two journeys to those regions, pre-
vlOus experiences, seize ntifc attanpents,
and ndomitable resolution admirably fit
him for this distinction. His theory of an
open Polar sea, and the manner in which
1t may be reached north of cape Frazer.
through Smiths Sound, are too well known
from his published works TO require recap
itulation here. The German expedition, on
the other hand, will most probably again
attempt the wide northeriy opening of the
Atlantic, Capt. Kodewey is said to come
home more than ever convinced that pas
sage through the ice can there be forced
almost every season. Only. instead of q
small sailing vessel like the Greenland, he
will now have at his service one, perhaps
two steamers. The preparations for the
outfit have been undertaken by II H.
Meier, wealthy and public spirited MEM
Der of the diet. When the scientific in
structions now being drawn up by DR.. Pc
termann, the distinguished geographer, and
other experts, are completed, the Bremen
National committee will call upon the pub
lie to assist them in floating Germany's
second, and We hope more successful expe-
dition. To understand the marked interest
which Germany displays in this lnterna
tional contest it is necessary that we should
recur to what happened in 1868, when the
successful and promising prosecution OF
DIR. Hayes plan had been interrupted by
the outbreak of our rebellion, and England
had finally relinquished her praseworthy
and persevering efforts to ascertain the fate
of Sir John Franklin and his party. 1t
was at this juncture that Capt. 'Sherard
Osborn revived once more the subject of
polar exploration, by a paper presented to
the London Geographical society. Taking
for granted that the pole is surrounded bv
land, not water. he asked the admiralty to
furnish him with a couple OF steamers, for
which sleighing parties could be sent out to
accomplish the main purpose of the journey
These premises, were, however, so effect
lively attacked in letter from DIR. Peter
mann to the president of the society, the
venerable Sir Roderiek Mupehison, that
Capt. Osborh's PROPOSE zion was not accept
ed But 1t had not been the intention of
DIR. Petermann to discourage all further eff
forts to discover the north pole. On the
contrary, he consldepedits accomplishment
merely question of time, and had even
combated, with his characteristic energy,
the prejudices with which this project has
always been regarded in certain quarters
From that day, he began seriously to en-
terrain the idea of organizing German
expedition. German science had prevents
ed British ent rprise from pursuing what
he considered a mistaken course, and it was
now his duty to awaken the Stun Boring
spirit of enterprise in che German nation
to Sho1 the world that his views had been
correct. Attempts were made to secure
the CO operation Of the Prussian govern
ment and the old federal diet but tbesc
failed, though for reasons not connected
with the scientific merits of the scheme
Appeals to the patriotism and pride of the
people we're naturally the next step; but
as 1t became just then known in Germany
that France also designed to enter the
arena as competitor, DR.. Petermanni
adopted an apparently desperate resolution. |
He summoned few daring young sailors to
his side, exhausted all his private resour |
ces, and advanced, as it we're, to Germany.
the capital needed for preliminary expe. !
dition. The sailing of the Greenland from
Bergen on the oath of May, 1868 was the !