New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-03-03
THE POLARIS VOYAGE
NEW DETAILS BROUGHT OUT BY THE IN
VESrlGATICN

OBTAINED AND THEIR ACTUAL VALUE.
The complete accounts VI the Polaris lnvetig ga
tion give many interesting particulars which were
not supplied IN the telegraphic dispatches at the
time. From the report now issuing from the Gov
eminent Printing Office we make the following ex-
tracts:
Capt BuddinGton's testimony very definite to the
mpraceability OF pushing the vessel further north
than the point which they reached. He says
In the morning, about 4 O'Clock. came fu
stop, and Capt. Han told 10 90 in on the east
SIDE There was no chance to westward any way.
except into the east from where were and said
would look Tor a harbor | accordingly stored
square in across the channel for the east SIDE and
alongside OF one heavy Toe about miles. by Walkers
patent log and in the evening the captain tried TO land
with Capt. Tyson; but the tide runuiug fast he
get without losing his boat on account
OF the ice. That night we had 1t foggy That was at
what is called Repuise HarbOr, above NewoaE's Bay.
The next morniDg he tried to and again. We knocked
about that night and took every advantage TO
let n6r..h that We best could. bat did not
succeed. 1t was fo-gy dnrne tho night
somewhat misty. Next morning Capt. Hall
landed again with Mr. Tyson-or rather tried TO land
the spot but they could ne get ashore. They
come losing their boat was reported to me. IL
all could do 10 keep the shore there the heavy
was going so fast There was little water inside, but
il very strong tide. IL about the tuil OF the
moon, think DO not recoilect now exactly; but
know there strong tide running TO the south
We had the ship under steam and when Capt Hall came
aboard he took look AZ IT, and recommended strongly
that should 20 TO Newman's Bay, which would be
open place That about eight ten miles south OF
ns That was the only place could see, and thought
best to 90 In there, and il the channel cleared we
could IT and be open to IT, AMI not run the risk OF
getting bese the in trying 70 stay out there. lie
held council with the otcers-Dr. Besses aud myself
aud the others-which have here that was written
down a. occurred, believe, word for word. 10 read
as follows
Consultation held on board the POlrs IN regard TO
getting further north with the vessel the vessel being
the side looking for harDOr. d. Be'aes, MI
Meyers, Capt. Tyson, Capt BnddingtOn. Mr.. Morton,
aud Mr. Chester. Doctor wanted to cross he struts 10
look harbOr, being better Tor sledge journeys
while the side was better FOR navigation ~ We
Dr. Besses; Mr.. Meyers had the same opinion; Mr..
Chester get far north possible Capt Tyson TO
into harbOr soon a possible tapi Bhddlhgtoh 70
Keep east eide beng better Tor naNlgd anu Ger
tanly better FOR -edge journeys II wa ImpossDe To
coast side OF the straits s0uthwdfd uhl
harOor is reached which could be done IN snort Tune
There had been seen "A few miles to the south OF
present position OF the vessel IL was decided by the
commander the straits Ia doing so We got Deset
by the pack and drifted back about hiiy miles,
Question. Was there ever any chance TO get North
with the ship after she Deset in kObesOn Channel
Answer. No, sir; none that know OF.
Question. Was there a consultation there ny Capt
Hall with Chester. Tyson and. yourse!Ii Answer Not
with me; ! never heard of any.
Question. With any body Answer No SIR not that
know Of There was thing sand after we got Into
Polarls Bay about the chance 10 get North Capt Hall
stepped up to the himself and looked at the ice, aud
came back and decided that it was impossible. He
never asked me about going further at all but told me
that 10 eud the thing would make that his winter
quarters.
The first mate Of the Polarls, Ibblrl c. Chester is
NOT 40 definite upon this point; III fast he throws
doubt upon II, as follows;
Question II you had naa omnand Of chat ship could
Won have gone further nOrth Answer do not like to
say anything that kind should have tried nara To-
thought I could considerable open water at the
north. We knew by the watercout that there was an
open sea Of water there That evidence, because
we saw all the time in the channel when " was
clear this dense white cloud TO the north We knew
after we got through this channel that we would DE
going into a large bay sea OF some kind The best
chance saw was at the time steamed in after we
got out Of the ice. when were beset there think
we could have gone up through the channel the east
coast because the wind TO the northeast ana all the
ice there was IN channewas in the middle and on
the west shore. Whether could have done II can't
saw hut should have tried II If had lad the pryl-
lege.
Dr. Bessels submitted memorandum or the most I'M
portant discoveries Of the expedition nimely;
The results of the expedition may DC summed up
briefly follows:
The Poars reached 81 l6 ". higher latitude than
has been attained 10y any other ship;
= The navigability OF Kennedy Channel has been
proved beyond a doubt;
rewards Of ZOO miles OF coast line have been dis
covered and surveyed;
4. The iusularity Of Greenland has been proved; and
g. Numerous observations have been made relating TO
astronomy magnetism, force of gravity ocean ply sizes,
meteoroocy ZOOLOGY ethnol0gy, botany and geology,
te records of which kept in accordance with the
instructions supplied by the National Academy and
some OF the results OF which propose briefly To emu
merate.
Great care was taken in determining reliable merid'
ran al Thank God Harbor Soon after entering Winter
onarters An observatory was erected the shore, "A
feet above mean sea level and the transit Instrument
stationed there The longitude OF tins station was de
termined by the observation OF 800 lunar distances
number OF moon EXAMINATIONS; great number OF star
transits a number OF star OCCUPATIONS; and great
number of attitudes OF the near the prime YER
tieal Its Latitude by the observation OF great number
of ercnmmeridan attitudes Of the sun. and number OF
attitudes OF stars Al OF these observations lost,
bnt a number results have been preserved which
are sufficient to establish the position OF this station
Besides the above mentioned observations, 70 sets OF
peudulum experiments were made which are saved Out
The observations for time belonging TO them are lost.
The magnetic observations obtained we're more com
nete than anv others before made in the Arctic
regions The instruments supplied were One unihlar
thermometer one dip circle with Loyds needless one
theodolite and several prsmatlc compasses. The OBJ
servatons variation Of deeinati6n were registered
nj G5ttngen time, and continued for five months
Readings taken hourly Beside that, three term DAYS
were observed every month according the G0ttngen
regulations one Of these days corresponding with
the day accepted by all the magnetic stations. Further
a number OF observations taken either with the
theodolIte or the prsmatic compass Whenever posi-
bic the dip was observed aud several sets OF observa
tous on relative and absolute intensity and Of the
moment Of inertia obtained.
Unfortunately there was not much opportunity for