Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1873-03-12
THE OPEN POLAR SEA

To he Editor Of ne B0sbon Journal
A paragraph has been published il
several of the Boston papers stating
that the French Geographical socie
ty had received certain dispatehe:
from NJ Octave PsVy, who lately
started from San FrRneisco, in 8 email
vessel of his own preparation, for the
Artic regions The dispatches, it is
stated, were dated at Wrangellis
Land, in August last, at the mouth
of great river flowing from the
northwest, and not laid down on any
map" This, it Is concluded, indis
Gates the existence OF q polar eonti-
nent. "The river" continues the
story, "has been followed up for q dis
tance Of $50 miles, and along the
banks were found numerous vestiges
of mastodons, etc. Perhaps we have
repeated enoughof this Ingenious stO-
ry to bring the remainder Of the Rrti-
Gle about mammoth fusks and the
problem Of the northwest passage to
the mind of the reader.
The wholes stcry is simplya shoax,"
and so far as the landing on Wran-
CELLS Land, discovery Of a river how-
5sg from the northwest, &C., &C.,
there is not word sS truth in it and
& letter from San + francisco confirms
US in this belief It was written BY
the author Of the alleged "impOrtant
electrical disco varies . said to have
been made by man who knows as
much about science IS horse.
Mr.. Payy was 8 pupil Of Gustave
Lambert, and processes to have made
the Arctic regions "a study for Eve
yeaFs.n He has what is called 8 theory
of his own, the only original feature
of which is that the great ice belt
impregnabie excepting in one place.
which IL yet 10 be found. When this
theory was first RDnouheed a Phila-
delphia editor suggested thst when
he finds it he shall make note of it."
The continent called Wrangell's
Land was never seen by Baron Wran-
gell, although it is believed he was at
one time within about sixty miles of
its western limit. It was disco vered
Though il may possibly have been
seen before that time) by Capt. Long,
of the American whale ship Nile. of
London, and received its name from
him. He sailed oIoDg its coast to the
as also did Capt. Rayuor
and Capt. Bliven Capt. Long says
the land was partly free of snow |
August, 1867, and that be might |
have landed. Up to this time il is |
not known that any human being has |
ever been upon that land, although |
thele are rumors that heards Of rein
deer have been seen going toward it, |
and some of the natives Of Siberia are !
said to have gone there, but what they |
tOnnd there, or whether they ever re-
turned, is unknown.
We may add that upon the infor-
nation furnished our government by |
Capts. Long and Raynor. Wrangellis
Land was engraved upon the map
entitled "Behring Sea and Arctic |
ocean, from Surveys of the United
States North Pacific Surveying Expe-
dition. in 1855, by Commander John
Rodgers, U. s. N, commanding. and
from Russian and English authori-
lies, SDd 1t now bears the words
With additions to July, 1887 OIL
course lt will be understood from this
hat Wrangells Land never before
appeared on any map, much lsss the
.he reported river flowing go miles
rom the northwest.
In addition to what has been said.
I Is manifest that any dispatches
rom NJ. Pavy to the French Geoera-
1bicai Society on q subject Of so much
interest would not be likely to dTst
zee the light In San Francisco.
W. w. W,