National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-04-23
- THE POLARLS EXPEDITION.

SCIENTIFIC RESULTS ACCOMPLISHED.
We have received advanced sheets Of the report
Of the Secretary OF the United States Navy OF
the examination OF those of the crew OF the
Polsrls who were In the ship when she broke
loose from the foe to which she was anchored, on
October Is, 1877 leaving the nineteen persons on
the sheet Of ice which was their floating home
until picked up about six months AFTER of the
coast Of Labrador Mature, vol. viii, p. 217) This
report confirms the opinion we have already ex-
pressed that no Arctic expedition can be ade-
quately conducted unless carried on under naval
discipline. 1t was only on account of the good
intentions and good nature Of the crew. especially
after their noble and enthusiastic captains
death, that things went on as smoothly as they
did. Capt. Buddington seems to have had no
heart in the object OF the expedition, and can
not help thinking that had he not been with 1t
much more would have been gained. It was In
Difference to his opinion that Capt. Hall refraIned
from trying to push lsyond his farthest point
ESQ 49, NJ with the ship; all the other officers
though they do not seem TO have been very we'll
assorted, being Of opinion that an attempt should
be made to get further North, or at least not to
lose ground by winterIng further South.
We have already (vol. viTl., p 1857 given details
as to the rescue Of those who were left in the
Polaris, and Of their being landed in Scotland by
the Arctic and Eric whalers. The present report
affords some idea Of the scientific results of the
expedition, q detailed account of which will no
doubt by and by be published, although we regret
to see that many Of the records Of the scientific
results were lost in the confusion Incident to the
parting Of the ship from the foe. Still much that
Is valuable has been brought home, from which
many additions to Q scientific knowledge Of that
part Of the Arctic region Will be obtained. Not
outstanding the want Of perfect harmony among
the officers, the scientific work OF the expedition
seems 70 have been diligently carried on, and the
evidence Of DR.. Bessels especially contains o
great deal Of value TO science. Geogrsphers will
be able to correct and extend their maps of the
regions visited, and we hope that very soon the
complete material for enabling them to do so will
be in their hands. Constant and careful tidal
observations were carried on, with the very vaIu-
able result Of ascertaining that the tide OF Thank
God hsrbor, SO 49, N. is not produced by the
Atlantic but by the Pacific tidal wave. "It was
found, DR.. Bessels says, shat the co-tidal hour
is about 16h. 2om. Rensselaer, harbor, being the
northermost station, has its co-tldal hour at lsh
0im., consequently the tide comes from the north,
the rise and fall at spring-tides amounting to
about feet; at neap tides $40. Most likely the
two tidal waves meet somewhere In Smith sound,
near Cape Frazier. Kane and Hayes have both
found ridge Of hummocks near Cape Frazier,
and in drifting d,wn we experienced that during
some time, being abreast OF Cape Frazier, we
hardly made any Roadway, but driited both north
and south"
The results of the expedition may be summed
up briefly as follows: ~ the Polaris reached $50
le N, higher latitude than has been attained
by any other ship; (2) the navIgability of Ken.
nedy channel has been proved beyond q doubt;
(s) upwards Of seven hundred miles OF coastline
have been discovered and surveyed; ~ the In
sularity Of Greenland has been proven; and 10y
numerous observations have been made relating
to astronomy, magnetism, force Of gravity, ocean
physics, meteorology zoology, ethnology, botany
and geology, the records Of which were kept in
accordance with the instructions supplied by the
National Academy, and some OF the results of
which We propose briefly to enumerate.
Astronomy.-Great care was taken in deter
mining reliable meridian at Thank-God harbor.
Soon after entering winter-quarters an obserTs-
tory was erected on the shore, thirty-four feet
above mean sea-levsl, and the transit Instrument
stasiens9 thsrs. The longitude Of this station
1as 1stsfminsd By the observation OF three hun
dft1 lUAR eietensss; number Of moon eulmins-
tea9 ogeeA eRphsf Of star translts; number
o. steS oN10Afe&R0 great number Of attitudes
Of tue IN . 81 AsGR the prime vertical. Its
latitude, 10 - ee1ofvakiop Of great number Of
cIrcummeridiA atkttness q TIE sun, and mum.
her OF altitudss q stzrs an OF these obssrva-
tians were lost, bat Number Of the results have
beea reserved which are SUFFICIENT to establish
:hc p S. ion Of his station.
Tas ga =1ments used IN the ia,ga observations
sste 'Ea:.enann TRANSIT AZ Il In3,y ssxtants
:lr.ded t"il"- Ths expedition CARED six box
.hrune - ga made by Negui, three Of which In
iiea :si 81 ic- al time, and fur cxeJ ehronome-
ers ~ an rea: English mixers. Those time
.esss were compared every day At precisely the
.z- IKE, and theresult entered In the chronom-
er-.grioal.
EesIsas the aforementioned observations,
~e1:y sets sf pendulum experiments were made,
y ,ieh are ss-e bu. the observations for time BE-
III, Sins 20 them are ios;.
Ma-f,ss.n.-.'ts magnetic observatfons OBJ
iaii 4 g re ..,-. -a:nplete than any others ever
HI .. .aI'-s "a las A-ctie regionA 1hsinstru-
meal - 3 v ,-s: One unihlaf dcoltnometeri
me "a wa I.loyd's needles; enc theodo-
..i- -. =; ;-isnatie compagssa
III. ri..oas on variation Of dsciinstion
=: ,--i 3: Gottlngen time, and were con-
- :aOnths; readings taken hourly.
a. ..te.m days were observed every
20 tbs tiottingen regulations,
tiss corresponding with the
lcas n .saetic stations Fur
.bss-TAa gas were taken either
zs . i.is psismatio compass.
= ~? was observed, and
.y.5.s ga relative aud absc-
= = ,se=asat Of inertia we're
s,si7 there was not
s,iniings. About
.ls ,cast Of Grinncil