Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-09-15
NEW ARCTIC EXPEDITIONS

With all my human love immortal grown,
Beloved, i wait and thou wilt quickly
come -
NEW ARCTIC EXPEDITIONS.
At least two attempts will be
made this fall to solve that great
geographical mystery-the condi-
ton of things about the North Pole.
The German expedition, last heard
from off the Greenland coast, is one
Of the most completely equipped
ever sent out on this hazardous mis-
sion. All that money ard expe-,
rience could do has been lavished
upon it. The ships officers and
crew have been through Arctic ad-
ventures before, and will not be
turned back by any humanity super.
able difficulties. The French expo
dition, under Capt. Lambert of the
imperial navy, which should have
sailed last autumn, but was DELAYED
10y the want Of funds-the Emperor
not having encouraged twill
probably get away this month or
next. In view Of these new enter
prises, says the New York Journal
OF Commerce, we have read with
interest the official account, lately
published, Of tho results of the
Swedish Moth Polar expe Iition
of 1868. This was a government
affair, and was carried out with
great hberality and skill, and sues
ceeded in reaching the highest
point, 81 degrees AZ minutes north
latitude, that any ship has ever at
tanned. The main purpose of tho
expedition was to verify or explode
the hypothesis of an open polar sea.
The high latitude mentioned was
gained in mid September, the most
favorable season of the year for
Arctic voyaging; as in consequence
OF the heat of the summer and the
influence Of the ocean waves and
ocean streams, the old ice masses
had been reduced to their minimum,
and the new ice had not yet formed.
The historiographer of the ex-
petition claims that no ship
had ever before visited the Polar |
basin at so favorable con
junction Of circumstances. North |
ward were found vast masses Of ice,
syet broken, but so closely packed |
together that not even q boat could |
pass forward. Every effort to find |
an opening by cruising along the |
southwestern edge of the pack |
failed-the ice stretching more and
more toward the south, until, Sep~
TENDER %, the vessel was south of
70 degrees. In this part of the
voyage ice was encountered in sev-
eral places black with stones, gray
el and earth, indicating the exiss
tence of land (and not an open sea-
further north; and the expedition
was finally compelled 10 return.
The conclusions Of the Swedish
explorers were these: that the
idea of an open polar sea is only
hypothesis, destitute of any foun-
dation in experience; and that the
only way to approach the pole,
with any chance Of success, is to
pass the winter at the Seven Islands
or at Smith Sound, and continue
the journey moth on sledgcs in the
spring. The new German expcdi-
ton goes prepared to spend the
winter in ArcticNdom, and will
probably profit by this suggestion.
Against this verdict ofthe Swedes,
stands the unimpeached testimony
Of Hayes, who says that he saw,
about latitude 50 degrees q min
utes, an open channel Astounding
with animal life, and, beyond it, as
far as his vision could extend in the
clear Arctic atmosphere, a horizon
less sea. One of DR.. Kano's men
was with him at that place, which
they had reached by sIedgcs, and
corroborated the report. Icy OBJ
structions on land, terrible weather
and the want Of provisions pre-
vented them from exploring further.
Subsequently, as is well romem-
bered, DIR. Hayes fitted out an OK
petition Of his own, but ascending
no higher than 81 degrees 35 min
utcs-by means Of slcdges-when
he was again compelled to abandon
the search. DR.. Hayes veracity
being indisputable, the opponents
of the open sea hypothesis supposed
that his eyes, affected by the snow
glare, were deceived by the sun
shine reflected from vast masses of
comparatively level ice to the north