The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-11-04


solved
II Is evident from the highly important orr
cular Of Dr. Pctermann published yesterday
that the long pcrpleKed and perilous problem
Of way to the North Pole has been prao-
tically solved. The lustre which the dis
coveries Of Payer and weyprecht have just
shed upon Germany win eclipse tho brilliant
military fame recently won by her armies on
the battle fields OF France. 1t Is true We have
but heard by Geographic report the outline of
what these explorers have found In tho Icy,
but not impenetrable, seas which roll their
waters between Spitxbergen and Nova Zembla;
but enough is already known to verify the dis
coveries Of Kane and to bear out In ell their
length and breadth Of meaning the deductions
Of American physicists, which, for more than
three years, have been urged upon tho
scientific world, and which 20 stikingly
pointed the Arctic explorer to the very
spot where triumph has now been
won. n our transatlantic brethren can
now rejoice, they must be willing, as they
doubtless are, to share the honor Of success
with tn ose who taught them where to ind 1t,
and We can rejoice with those who have
reaped the first fruits Of the harvest which we
have sown.
When the Royal Society of London began
Its career the poet Cowley, in his famous
'sAnnus MirabiIis," sung its fame in anticipa-
| ton, and predicted in glowing numbers time
when 1t shoald lead men to the very verge Of
the globe:-
| Then We upon the globes last verge shall 80,
And view the ocean leaning on the sky;
From thence our rolling neignbors we snal know.
And on the lunar world securely Dry.
But in this case 1t is not the Royal Society
| of London that has led US to the extremity Of
the planet. Tho present expedition was not
projected nor was 1t much favored by the Eng
lish navigators who have so long boosted Of
the maritime supremacy Of Britannia. While
the most influential British seamen have been
trying to persuade the world that there was
no hope for Polar discovery in the region
along which the American Gulf Stream pro-
jects itself into the Arctic Basin, the event of
| q successful exploration has answered and
overthrown their arguments.
While tho HERALD was preparing the article
of Thursday, suggesting the possibility of
commander taking ship through tho Arctic
ice belt, as Ross and Weddell took their ships
through the Antarctic ice belt the mail was
bringing us the tidngs that our suggestion was
already taH acc0mpH.
It will be seen, by reference to DR.. Peter
MAINS circular, that the entire success Of the
present movement is to be attributed to the
warm current Of the Gulf Stream, which, in
this country, three years ago, Captain Silas
Bent first suggested, and another American
demonstrated, would furnish the true s'ther-
mometric gateway to the Pole" The highest
temperature in the frozen seas and the most
propitious circumstances for moving towards
the Pole have now been proved to exist just
where the ''thermometric" theory said they
should exist. We know that Leverrier indi-
Gated on his celestial map just where the tel
oscope would find the planet Neptune; but
| the French astronomer was not more unerring
in his work than our physicists have been.
| DR.. Petcrnann interprsts his intelligence in
| this light, and cl.ims also the share to which,
he is so justly entitled, in basing all his late
recommendations for Arctic exploration upon
the hypothesis that the Calf Stream is the
potential agent in breaking mp or loosening
the ice Gordon which girds the oircumpolar
area, and he INDUCES in some warmth of ex-
preston (pardonable, perhaps, under the cir
cumstances) against Captain Koldswey, who
prejudiced the public mind against his views.
Captain Shcrrard Osborn, OF the Royal
Navy, man Of fine intellect and great geo.
has al a.
against even an experim ,nt in the regions
where Payer and Weyprecht have found the OK
tension of Kanes open sea, and to Osborn's
stubborn prolonged opposition is perhaps due
he fact that hitherto no fair trial has been
made in those quarters.
Although the expedition of Captain Hall
has not taken this route 1t is by no means to
be supposed that he win not be able to accom-
plish the end Of his expedition. Far from IL.
On the contrary, indeed, the physical infer
ence to be drawn clearly il that Hall will find,
perhaps in Latitude little higher, the very
same open water, and that with his we'll
known "push" and indomitab.e energy he will
penetrate to the very soa whose pillows and
whose tiles were FIRST Witnessed by the gall
| liant Kane
The result Of these achievements In Arctic
navigation will doubtless provoke widespread
and honorable emulation among oil the mari
time Powers, who will vie with Germany in
tho prosecution Of geographical research.
Science may be congratulated now as having
made another stepping stone into the heart of
the Polar world, and she will doubtless seize
upon 1t at an early day for pushing forward
many important inquiries and Investigations.
II Leutenants Payer and Weyprecht have
been able to advance SO far and so late In the
season as September, in small sailing vessel,