The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-09-05

ing schools and colleges
An Important Leaf OF Arctic His
tory-Dr. Petermann on tho PoIaris
Expedition.
From an interesting paper of the distin-
guished German geographer, Dr. Petermann,
soon to be issued, we print to-day some trans
lated extracts regarding the Polaris expedition
and its accomplished results. This eminent
geographical authority sees q very striking
contrast between the loquacity of the English
critics of Captain Hall and the iron-hearted
energy and exploit of the great Polar explorer,
whose attainment of the highest latitude ever
made by ship he worthily records. The
avidity with which Captain Halls views were
assaulted both before and since his last attempt
to reach the North Pole. has met with fitting
rebuke in the testimonial monograph DR..
Petermann now publishes as an abiding
But the most remarkable part of this mono
graph is the splendid and elaborate chart Of
the entire region seen by the crew of the
Polaris, including all the coast lines, bays and
straits entered on Kane's and Hayes maps,
and much more land and water that was seen
by Halls two American predecessors. This
map Of DR.. Petermanns exquisiteiy accurate
and cautious pencil, prepared from official
data, when compared with DR.. Hayes
map of the same Arctic region, suggests some
very remarkable and most unintelligible con-
trasts and contradictions. In the first place,
it is noticeable that Kennedy Channel, as laid
down by the Polaris party and from their data
by DR.. Petermann, is bounded on both sides
by land which had never before been seen,
not being laid down on either DR.. Kane's or
DR.. Hayes maps. When in August, 1871, the
Polaris rapidly steamed through Smith Sound,
at from five to ten miles distance off the west
coast, parallel to shore, her cautious and in
| telligent crew were greatly surprised at dis
covering that the shore line, as laid down in
the previous maps, was effectively delineated
| in attitudes, longitudes and even in the gen.
eral trend. During the long Arctic winter
this inexplicable cartography was the frequent
| subject of discussion among the scientific
members of the expedition, who anxiously
awaited spring, to see if, in the sunlight the
mystery could be cleared up Early in the
| spring the Polaris' commander ordered sur.
vey of this west coast, under charge of Mr..
Meyer, when it was found that Cape G. Back
was put down on the old chart thirty-fve
miles too far north. This determination was
based on the supposed correctness of the old
position assigned to Cape Constitution, and to
clear up the growing mystery party, accom-
panied by Morton and Hans, was sent
southwark to fix the location of Cape Consti-
tuition. The result Of this survey was to
intensity rather than remove the suspense,
as only after twelve hours journey down the
east coast was Hans enabled to descry far away
Franklin Island, by which he recognized Cape
Constitution.
No opportunity again occurred for deter
mining the latter Cape's position until the
return of the Polaris southwark August IL,
| 1872, when Morton and Hans were stationed
on deck to distinguish that cape, which they
simultaneously recognized, and by astronomi-
cal observations and bearings it was found to
be in latitude so ~ N, while on the old chart
| it was put down 81 OF. Cape Constitution is
Enthusiastically marked by the close contiguity
of two islands and its peculiar shape and for
nation. But what seems to have puzzled the
Polaris party more than all else was that they
had passed three islands in longitude only
fourteen miles apart, and in about latitude
80 AZ, one of them close to the west coast, which
DR.. Hayes (who says he travelled along the
west coast in clear weather. had not seen.
Neither had he seen the extensive east coast.
not more than twenty-five or thirty miles dis
lance from his reported route (near Cape
Lieber), although it is conspicuous by its
high and ice-glistening promontories rising
| from 900 to LOO feet above the sea, and
he says he was also favored by the weather,
and although from Thank God Harbor
| (where the Polaris wintered) Cape Lieber and
its less elevated east coast line, and equal dis
tancs was visible to the Polaris crew during
the long and lightless night of the Arctic
winter. The cartographical mystery deepens
still more when we find from the official testi-
mony of the Polaris party and DR.. Petermann's
map that Carl Ritter Bay and other points
were dislocated by the late researches, and the
| general trend of the west coast of Smith
Sound, instead Of being north and south, as
we have been taught before, is northeast and
| southwest $500.
We read Of the volcanic rise Of the great
Mexican mountain Jorallo 1850 feet above
the plain in single night and of the sudden
emergence from the sea of such islands as
Sabrina and Fernandina. Can our savans
similarly explain these new lands seen by the
Polars? The new and old charts of Smith
Sound are wholly irreconcleable, and the
mystery of their incongruity must be cleared
up or all future Arctic navigators of that
route to the Pole be gravely imperilled
An Encouraging Verdict.