The New York herald., 1873-05-11
'rns Great Dasaster In the Arctic
Oeean-The PeriIs for Science I'm thc
Northern Seas.

Ocean-The PeriIs for Science I'm the
| Northern Seas.
The special dispatches received yesterday
from Newfoundland exclusively by the HERALD
brought full intelligence of the great and
tragic Arctic disaster. Nineteen out OF thirty
three souls that embarked on the Polaris in
the Arctic expedition separated from their
companions, and, driven by the merciless
winds of the icy ocean, on melting and
| fragile sheet of ice, far away from their ship,
landed on the ice-bound coast of Labra-
dor, her commander dead and the fate of the
steamer herself left in maze of uncertainty
and gloom. Such is the substance Of the
latest tidings received, the truth of which is
confirmed beyond all question. Seldom,
since the mysterious catastrophes which
overlook Sir Humphrey Gilbert Sir Hugh
Willoughby, William Barentz and Sir John
Franklin has more unfortunate issue to
great undertaking been furnished the annalist
Of Arctic voyages.
The American North Polar expedition, under
Captain Hall, took its final departure from
the port of New London on the Sd of July,
1871-not quite two years ago-having on her
muster roll twenty-four officers and seamen and
two Esquimaux interpreters. At Upernavik,
Greenland, just as the exploring party we're to
bid farewell to ths last vestige Of civilization
and life they took on board the Polaris Hans
Christian, the famous and faithful servant Of
children, increased the roster Of the
ship to thirty-three souls and early
on the morning of August "a their
gallant and bold-hearted commander
turned his prov Poleward. The perilous
attempt of Captain Hall to reach the Pole was
made through Smiths Sound, in the very
throat of that great torrential river of ice
which drains the circumpolar basin of the
North. Among the last words of the commander
of the Polaris, despatched to his government,
when on the eve of entering this unknown
region, August II, 1871, was the assurance
that the season was "a most extraordinary
open season for Arctic navigation" and that
he would ''improve the opportunity to its full
est EXTENT - but not without first establish
ing near Cape Alexander at the east
entrance of Smiths Sound, depot of
provisions, to fall back on, in case
his vessel became ice-wrecked in the
desperate battle she was about to engage in.
The inhabitants of the most northerly Green
land settlement told DR.. Bessel, of the ex-
pedition, that the Summer of 1871 was the
warmest known in fifty years, and the effect
Of it was apparent in an enormous drift of
Polar ice fields southwark from Smiths
Sound and Bafin's Bay, along the coast of
Newfoundland, from February to May It,
was also observed at Newfoundland, in May
Of last year, that o river of ice varying from
sixty to two hundred miles in breadth, and
two thousand miles long, had been three
months necessarily pouring its contents
into the tepid waters Of the Gulf
tidings show, Captain Hall pushed his way
vigorously in the open sea way caused
by this outflow; but it has been foreseen that,
with such tremendous breaking up of Arctic
ices, his little craft, in narrow and hemmed-
up channel like Kennedy's or Smiths Sound,
must have been fearfully exposed. The cir
cumstances of an excessively warm season and
open weather. which held out the greatest
promise, gave rise, no doubt to the ex-
cessive amount of ice drift in which the ice
beleaguered vessel was threatened with de-
struction, and which caused the detachment
Of the party under Captain Tyson to attempt
unloading the stores. 1t was while this party
was at work that they became separated from
the ship by the force Of the wind, stronger
than steam. driving and drifting them
away from her, and forcing them to navigate
those stormy and icy seas on o frail field
of ice. Nothing can exceed the peril
in which Captain Tyson and his men were
placed, and it is most extraordinary provi-
dence which saved them after their six months
battling with the waves.
But one Of the saddest features of the story
is the sudden death of their commander and
friend. Captain Halls loss will occasion uni
versal regret among those who can appreciate
the indomitable gallantry and hardy devotion
of an Independent and fearless explorer. With
few advantages of early education or scien-
tifc training he had acquired, by the un-
firing application Of his natural talent for
close observation, great superiority as
leader of Arctic research and his
enthusiasm and willingness to bear the
greatest hardships fitted him to conduct
others into places of danger and suffering. A
self-taught man, like Hudson, Bafin and
Franklin, Hail. promotion to the leadership
of the North Polar Expedition excited the
arrogant jealousy and ill-judged criticisms of
many of the scientific men of the country
who would have resented the straightforward
independence of q Scoresby or Ross Hall
wisely and magnanimously disregarded their
envious attacks, and, by his strong character
and manly exertions, won the good opinion of
the country and the co-nneration of CONGRESS-