The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1871-06-22

ly thirty-six degrees, but this is a mis-
take. The discovery of this sea made
Morton at once famous all over the world
Besides, there are Sergeant Never, OF
the Signal Corps, who has charge of the
meteorological department; two Engi-
neerS, Emil Schuman Chief, and John
Wilson Assistant; one cook, one stew
ara, one blacksmith and one carpenter
and twelve seamen: and of coursc Took
liltoo ana Eblerbing, or Joe and Hannah.
.he Es!lulmauX friends of Captain Hail. II
IS well to remark here, to the shame of
Alheflca, that no competent astronomer
from this country has rs vet been cnrau-
ed. Any quantity OF theoretical or in
competent men have offered themselves
in that capacity, but as yet the expeli-
ton has found it impossible to secure
good practical native OF naturalized as
tronomcr That none of our practical
astronomers can be got to accompany
this expedition is burning disgrace to
our national character, especially when
1t Is recolleCted that the first astronomi-
cal talent OF Europe will be proud to Wis
It the Polar regions under the auspices of
Captain Hall
THE pOLARIS,
formerly the Perwinkle, now lies at the
dock, in the Navy Yard, where she re-
celveS much attention from visitors
She is exceedingly staunch and we'll fitted.
She is of about 400 tons measurement
: larger than the Advance. IN which DR.
Kane undertook his famous VOYAGE. She
has been planked all over her sides with
six inches of solid white oak timbcrS,
and has throughout been nearly doubled
IN strength, her bows being almost sol
Ia mass OF timber, shcathed with iron,
and terminating in a sharp IRON PROV,
with which to cut through the ice Her
engine, which was built some years ago
at Messrs. Neatle Il Levy's works in
Philadelphia, is exceedingly powerful
and compact, and taking up comparative
ly little space. The propeller is arrang-
ed IN such 4 manner that il can be mn
shipped and lifted up On deck, through
Il shaft OF propeller we'll in the stern \
supply of extra blades has been proyid-
ed, so that il one should hy accident be
broken, 1t can always he replaced
There is also an extra rudler ON board
and several suits of sails and sets of spars
Of all dimensions OF the two boilers
one is supplied with an apparatus to use
whale oil for the generation of steam,
not only to furnish the propelling power,
but also to heat up the vessel through
out by steam. The Polaris is rioged a
4 foretopSail schooner and fully able ID
sail and steer under canvas also. She
also has a new
LIFE PRESERVING Hl Ol
placed on the outside in the stern, and
l,Nl Il
ing q spring placed near the pilot house.
By touching another spring an electric.
light, which is fixed upon the buoy about
two feet above the water, is ignited by
completing the circuit of an electric current
from a gnlvanic battery ON board; and
thus the buoy can always be distinctly
seen, and the man who has fallen over
board will know in what direction to swim
for help. She has also
FIVE EXTRAORDINARY BOATS,
one of which needs description 1t i
about 20 feet long, feet wide ana , feet
deep; has = carrying capacity of four
tons, weighs only 250 pounds and carries
with perfect ease and safety ~ men. II
consists of an interior frame, built of
hickory and ash woods, over which il
stretched a canvas cover that ha~ been
previously soaked in Il preparation tu
render it perfectly waterproof, and the
boat can be taken apart and folded to-
gether in space less than one eighth of
its original size in about three minutes
and by the assistance of Il couple of men
only. When folded up it is perfectly
flat, and can be transported on i Sledgr
across the ice without the least difficulty,
When open water is reached the order ot
things is exactly reversed the boat i, ul-
packed and spread out, and the sledge
and its contents taken on board, dog
team and all.
The accommodations tor crew and oil
GERS are perfect. The cabin is neatly fit
ted up, and has in it nm organ presented
to Captain Hall by the Smith Organ Com.
pany, and aft She carries 4 small brass
hoWitZcr. ...
GOD SPEED THEM.
Captain Hall and his boat will sail to-
morrow Mt noon. From captain to deck
hand the crew of the PolariS is composed
OF heroes worthy to be sung with Xetrs
and Orpheus and Jason and all the 9th
er Argonauts. Brave dauntless and en-
ii they cannot command sue
cess they deserve it, 'And in their haz-
ardOus undertaking it is to be hoped
they may be inbued with the spirit of
that dauntless old explorer, Sir Hum
phrey Gilbert, whose voice was heard
for the last time crying to his men, 'cour-
age my lads We are rs near heaven BY
sea as by land :"
We add, in conclusion, that the Rev.
Dr. Newman will in all probability, ac-
company the expedition some distance
beyond Labrador.