The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-05-26
The Polarls Enterprise,


"nuN " w" HAAtheh SsNh NsF
The expedition Of Capt. Hall, which
has so signally failed by the loss OF the
Polaris, was fitted out at great expense,
and under the personal supervision OF
the tiaYsl officials at the Washington
Navy Yard. At tie iime OF the depRr.
ture of the Polaris her fate Has predicted
by experienced naval seRmen who have
carefully studied the chats, and pro-
nOunced the passage undertaken by
Captain Hall qs only waste Of money.
Captain Hall vns an old Arctic ox-
plorer. but owed his distinction chiefly
l. Ills search for the remains Of the Sir
Jobn Frpuklin expedition. The absorb
ing theory OF iiis' was the existence
Of IN open Polar seq, wliieh he felt it
was perfectly possible to reach by cross
ing its ico.bound margin on sledges.
Captain Hall wrote and lectured good
deal oh the subject OF the North Pole,
and, like Ill men itnbued with single
ness Of purpose he made his way In the
long F;f to the attention Of the public,
Finally Congtess voted an appropriation
Of s50.OOO to ct out ah expedition for
the obieet Of giving q practical test to
the theory 0l fall Ind aiding the pro-
gress OF science and Civilization, There
was n great deal Of interest felt tlitbHgh;;
out the country in the enterprise, and
this became more evident when Con-
gress, which Just then happened to be
in II parsimOiiUus mood, appropriated
liberal mcanS iot its equipment A
government vessel was set npart to be
lifted m specially with view TO Arctic
navigation. This was the Porlnris, for
moriy the Poriwinkle. She was ex;
caeiInglS staunch and well fitted, and
Captain 1tall fath his dHys and nights
to experimenting hef 6ftipment,
The lost POIaris was about 400 tons
measurement, larger thnn tho Advance,
in which DR.. Kane undertookhis former
voyage, and wasbelived 10 bo rs strong.
" and MS thoroughly built MS wood and
iron could mako her.
Captain Hall wns about five feet eight
inches in height, with compact, firmly
knit frame; Indicative OF great .vigor
and strength and weighed probably
about ono hundred ait1 ninety pounds.
Ho Ind largo head, with troiusion
of thick, brown hair and heavy brown
beard lhcIining to curl. His forehead
was broad and iiiasrive, with q full dc.
vclopnent Of the temporal ma coronal
regions. His eyes were blue atd the
whole expression Of the countenance
firm, but very agreeable, kind and
pleasant. Captain Hall hailed from
Cincinnati, where lio was once engaged
| in tho newspaper business, publishing
the Occasiondl and afterwards the Daily
Penny Press In his earlier years he
wns a blacksmith, working ut the forge,
and his robust development, beyond
question, was in some measure attribu'
table to the exercise Of TINT ardent oc'
cupation. He was in no w1se scieiltiaC
or highly educated man, but had re.
markably ly practical mind, with q great
deal Of force OF character. He had
never studied the science Of navigation
even, though he was, through expert
ence and aptitude, aB competent tonayi'
gate ship or conduct IN overland ex'
ploring expedition rs any Of the daring
band OF liscovcrcrs that had endeayored
to solve the great Arctic problem. Hi
sailed northwarl in 1860 in search o.
Sir John Fnuklin, since which time hii
name and fame have been the common
property OF tho world.