National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-07-07
The Polar Sen Expedition.


II Tho Polaris, Capt. Halls vessel boun
for the Polar Sea, il u trim vessel
!, about 400 tuns measurement. Her sid,
y have been greatly strengthened, and h'
bows are sheathcd with iron and tci
c inmate in n sharp iron prov. with whic
to cut the ice. Her engine il very power
3 ful and occupies very little space. On
of the two boilers is arranged to Ms
whale oil for fuel, TheVsssel is hcatc
by steam. The Polars has also the rig
, ging Of u fore-topsail schooner, and en-
depend on her canvas, If necessary.
new life-preserving buoy, placed at tn
stern, can be lowered by touching
spring in the pilot. house, and IN elcctri
) light on the buoy will render il con
spicuous on the darkest night.
Capt. Hall is native of Cincinnati
where he was for some time journalist
In 1860 he sailed in search Of 'Sir JOIN
Franklin, getting up an expedition by
his own cxertons and through the liber
atty of private citizens. Objection has
been raised to his commanding tho
present expedition because he is not q
man of thorough scientific training and
liberal education, and it cannot bt
denied that the expedition is not strong
in its corps of scientific men. Yet Capt.
Hall il in many respects admirably suited
for the task before him. He has been
thrice n resident of the polar regions,
once for two years and three months,
and once for over five years. He is
IT, roughly acquainted with the known
regions of the North, and prepared to
guard against the trials before him. He
is, too, a thorough navigator, and has APP
piled his leisure time of late years to
the study of the sciences, so that, while
not protesting to be capable of sustaining
all the demands upon the voyager into
unknown regions, he is, as captain,
far superior to those generally called to
his place.
The Chief of the scientific corps is DR..
Emil Bessells, member of the late
Prussian Polar expedition. He is Il
graduate of the University of Heidelberg,
and is recommended by DR.. Peterman
and Prof Agassiz. The appointment of
an astronomer has rested with Prof. S.
+. Baird of the Smithsonian Institute
and Mr. Hilyard of the Coast Survey,
and they have decided on young
graduate of Lafayette College, Easton,
Penn, now attached to the Coast Sur
vey. His name is not yet announced.
The meteorologist is Sergeant Meyer OF
the Signal Corps, who had been station
ed at st. Lonis.
The first mate Of the vessel il Mr..
Hubbard c. Chester of Noank, Conn.
He has had twelve years experience in
Arctic life. The second mate is Mr..
VIM. Morton of the Kane expedition
the discoverer of the Open Polar Sea.
The sailing-master is Capt. o. S. Bud
dington of Connecticut, who la, been an
Arctic navigator for % years. Be
sides these are two engineers, Emil
Schuman and John Wilson, a cook, a
steward, a blacksmith, carpenter, II
seamen, and Joe and Hannah, the Esqni-
maux.
Capt. Hall will depend both on boats
and sledges when the ice region is reach
ed. His canvas boats have been already
described. They weigh $50 pounds
EACH and easily carry 90 men. The
framework is of hickory and ash, over
which, when used, is stretched cover
ing of canvas made waterproof. These
boats can be taken apart and folded by |
two men in eight minutes. On the ice the
boat is folded and carried on the sledgc.
When water is reached the boat receives
the sledge and its contents. One of DIR.
kane's old sledges is on board, but it is
not intended for use.
The officers cabin is neatly fitted up.
The births are hing with lilac red cur
talns. parlor organ, black walnut
table and chairs are the principal furni-
lure. The captains cabin is in the cen
ter of the ship. When in Winter quar-
yers the whole upper deck will be in
'losed and the entire ship fitted up as
, fortress against The cold.
Capt. Hall will touch at Newfoundland
o obtain part of his dogs, and will steer
hence to Lisco, Greenland where he
will establish rendezvous. From here
he proposes to sail due west to Jones
sound, through which he will attempt I
% pass north of the Pole. Should he :
ind this impracticable he Will choose a |
more easterly course, but avoiding as a
place any harbor facing the I
lorth, as the drift ice, moving south, /
presses into such harbors, and, as in the |
ase of Kane, makes exit impossible. :
Capt. Hall hopes to reach latitude so i
7 SO before going into Winter quar- C
ers. DR.. Kane reached only 100. il
)uring the Winter the men will be train |,
1g themselves for an Arctic life, and G
arly in April the sledge journey will be- 5
in. The captain wishes to acclimate {
is men thoroughly, believing that the
allure OF most previous expeditions II
nd the loss of many lives have occurred -
rom dependence on provisions taken =,
rom home, rather than on the natural y.
roducts of the land in which they travel. y
law meat and oil are necessary to an l.
rctic life, and it is believed that ~ -
borough training will render the crew /;
$ capable of enduring the Arctic cold II
$ are the native Esquimaux. A store :"
hip will accompany the Polaris to Disco.
IS the expedition expects to remain re
orth at least five years, if its objects p'
re not sooner accomplished, it may be al
ecessary to return to Disco and take n 10
ew departure. The principal article of II
'od taken from home is the pemmican. IL
preparation of dried fresh meat which en-
'mblnes more nutriment in Il smaller Ia
,ace than any other known preparation. 10
his will be depended on largely in the
edge journeys. is
Prospects Of the Wheat Crop. va
The June returns of the statistical di. pc