The New York herald., 1872-11-10
ARCTIC EXPLORATIONS.
From the London Athen@um.l

Rusifcsls erpectdt dunn deHuat amnts. While we
In England are discussing the probability or i'm
probability Of the government OF the wealthest
country in the world despatching an Arctic expe-
dition in the course OF next Spring. udings Of dis
coveries in the Far North by other nations pour in
upon us from all sides. AS usual we are indebted
for an account Of most of them to advanced sheets
of DR.. Peterman's ''Geoeraphische Mittheilungen."
For others we avail ourselves of the communica-
tions Of private correspondents. Regarding the
American expedition to Smiths Sound, under Mr..
Hall, no Information has reached us, except that
1t has got as far as Tessiusak, the most northern
wSsr M IN na ro a 70 sevcn4 sg
sedge dogs may be procured II is to be feared,
however, that this number will not be forthcom
ing. AS we suspected, the report that the exped
ton was at Disco Island in March, after making
astounding discoveries, turns out to be silly
canard Beyond what we have mentioned, no
information whatever concerning 1t has reached
the Danish settlements, and from the personnel OF
entertained by the Danish residents in Green
land. The Summer in that country has been fine,
and the preceding Winter was mild and open
almost beyond precedent. There is no other
news regarding exploration OF discovery from this
frozen dependency OF Denmark. The last tidlngs
of the Swedish expedition, which sailed from
Tromso on the 2lst OF July ast under Nordensk-
j0ld and Palander, are that it was Off the north
west point Of the e state 81 the ice
the Seven Islands. The expedition proposes win
tering on the Parry Islands or in MOssel Bay and
of the Pole in the Spring OF 1873 For this pur-
pose reindeer Lap drivers and reindeer moss have
been taken with the expedition. Another Swedish
expedition, under Mr. Patrick Graham an Anglo
Swede. is also in SpitZbergen, its object being.
aSWeysr entirely G to mine mine ana
jord, in the southwest OF Spltzbergen. Cap
tain Tobiesen, Norwegian. already well known
for his exploration in the Kara Seas, and for his
Winter observations at Bear Island lS85-66), also
sailed in the Spring from Troms0 for the purpose
pediton. under Ambert and Mack, has been indefi-
nitely postponed, while the Norwegian expedition,
under Jensen and Hansen, has also failed; the
first owing to damage sustained by the screw Of
the vessel, the other because no opening was
found in the packed ice. Mr. Octave Pavy also
''monitor rat'' from San Franciscoto Wrangell's
Land and had already, according to q long report
in the San Francisco bulletin OF the l4th OF June,
was on the eve OF starting. Nothing Is impossblei
so, OF course, it is Just within the boundary OF
probability that Mr. Octave Pavy's monitor raft"
may reach Wrangelrs Land instead OF the bottom
OF Behring Straits, unless, which is more likely,
it returns quietly to San Francisco Bay, or some
other equally secure haven. on the other hand
cheering tidings come from the Norsemen who
while hunting Tairus IN me vs sea 70 ane east Gi
eye to scientific discoveries. Captain Altman
has explored the east coast of spitzbergen and
found the sea as far northward as King Carts
Land perfectly free from ice. The Swedes were
therefore wrong when they asserted the sea to the
was was it that had It not been for the s1nggshness
OF hrs crew Captain Altman could have reached
the land to the eastward IN an open boat. King
Carls Land and the famous Giles Land turn out to
be entirely different parts OF the Arctic world. The
former consists Of three large and five small islands,
lying between latitude 70 deg. min. west and lon
gitude SO deg. II min. east from Greenwich. In
very clear weather no land could be seen north OF
them. Still more extraordinary and interesting is
the information brought year by year from the
Siberian Sea by other gallant Morse shippers, until
now DR.. Petermann is enabled 60 put forth their
their courses and explorations during the last
three years. Our space will only admit OF their re-
suits being stated In few words and In the most
Tobiesen. Mack, Johannesen, Isaken, Dorma.
Carisen and other Morse walrus-hunting captains
have year after year sailed to the eastward OF
Novai Semlai, into the Siberian ice sea, and found
the sea free from ice even on the 18th of October,
with unmistakable traces of the Gulf Stream IN
the shape of higher temperature OF the sea, and
West India fruits tossed ashore on the islands.
Thousands OF white whales played in the open
to the eastward, and, so far as any appearance
Of ice went, there seemed little to prevent vessel
sailing through to Behrlng Straits in one Sum-
northward land this will be tested by the Swedish
expedition in the course OF next Spring., no reason
able doubt can now exist that wi what Dr. Peter
i've study Of the logs Of the Morse walrus hunters
and Others is absolutely proved notwithstanding
less well-informed opponents-viz., that nearly
every year the sea to The east OF Spitzbergen and
Nova Semlai il free from ice Perhaps no more sig
nifcant fact has been added to our knowledge
Of Arctic geography OF late years, and al
nDtrna ndasry y IT, very Careful
survey has been made OF the northeastern portion
of Novai Semlai, and many new names added to
our charts. Among those Of our cOuntrymen hon.
ored by having their names attached to these
newly discovered lands are Dr.. Beke, Mr.. Findlay,
Hungarian expedition, under Payer and Wey-
precht according to the latest intelligence, is pro-
ceeding fairly on its way, and all those engaged in
It are in the highest spirits. As yet 1t has made
discoveries Of any note but will doubtless do so so
soon it reaches less known lands. Their last
letters are dated in July from Norway, but further
intelligence may be shortly expected