The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1872-12-26
POLAR EXPEDITIONS.

imam the impulse to explore, invsstlga ..
subjugate and make subserviept to his
purposes all forces and realms, is an ina
periaI attribute, and one which perha ps
more than ANY other marks the indivldu-
al sovereignty Of the race. The history
Of letters ard cf science is record of
the manifestation of this impulse, this
restless Wanderir 6 to and fro and cropping
after the unknown. Sometimes mas
concentrates all his power to acquire
wealth, and then he will penetrate to the
remote corners of the globe in search OF
the riches of commerce. Frequently these
Expeditions fail to enrich those who pros
ecute them but sometimes they result. in
discoveries which are far more valuable
to mankind than If the expectations and
hopes from which they originated had
been realized.
In this way America was discovered.
When Spain was one o. the mighty pnw-
down all opposition on the continent and
| her ships held almost undisputed possess
ion of the seas, her ravigatofs made W bal
were then regarded as important iIscoy-
cries in southern Asia and her merchants
established commercial relations with
China. This commerce she regarded as
an exclusive privilege and her navy
guarded it against all iptrudcrs r..
reach China by some other route than that
walled in by the Spanish navy then be
came the ambition of other European
mara'imc powers. Two plans were sue
ges'e ed. Oae was to reach Eastern Asia
| by coasting along the NORTH of Europe
and Asia and vas named the sealch for a
Northeast passage the other to sail west
ward across the Atlantic in search of
Northwest passage.
The navigators who prosecuted the for.
mer idea brought tC the western ration
their. first accurate knowledge of the
northern portion of the ca tern continent.
Those who sailed to the west d scovered
America. From the origisal idea ami
subsequent discoveries has developed the
desire to reach the North Pole. AS time
passes and accurate Investigations bring
the possibility of accomPlr hing the en-
terprise within the comprehension of all
>cleBtiic men, this desire accommodates
strength and force. There has never
been period when there were so many
expeditions in the field to tell the world
what lies beyonnd the great circle of ice
which is C ntinually moving down from
the undiscovered north. Some may fall
IN the struggle with the elements, but
others, impelled by the fascination which
prrvades the battle field, will take their
places and press forward the inquiry until
nature yields 20 the power Of humsn
thought and inventioa and surreuders an
other of the secrets of her existence.
Kane, Hayes and Hall have conducted
their explorations to the northwest
: through Davis Straight and Baffin's Bay.
Hall went on second expedition last
year, parGly under the auspices of the
government, in tue same direction, but no
results have as yet been rep"rtpd. Kane
first discovs,ed the open polar sea, and
other explorers have since penetrated be-
> yond the ice belt and found the same Con.
f dlions existing Austria, Russia, Ger
many, and the United States have each AN
expedition accom- anied Ivy scientific
corps in the northern regions and there
} are also two private, enterprises in the
same field II !Bvesti CATION From one OF
these conducted by III Octave Pavy. an
AmcricaR of French extraction, AN ae
&. count of which we published In july Of
last year, an exceedingly interesting re-
port has been received These exi,ed.
tions will all pass the winter IN advance
positions Ia the north, well provided with
. supplies, ann next season will doubtless
bring fuller Knowledge of the polar re-
gian than has ever before been attained. -
Janespslie Gos6tto.
CIRCUMsTANTIAI.E yIDENCE.-TheL Lon
don Globe publishes statement which !,
!; an illustration of the danger of relying
, upon circumstanSiai evid ence, even When
1t approaches positivencss. A gcptiemar
went to the British Musolm with an ord l
to have case opened containing som,
I valuable medals for his jnsp ction H,
examined u PARTICULAR medal, which wa,
: supposed to be unique, restored it to ht
tray, and after talki.g snmo time witt