Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-03-27
THE USE Of ARCTIC EXPLORATIONS.
What Is to be Gained IL Explorers Succeed
In Reaching the North Polar Sens


The question Is often asked and as
often rernains unanswered, What good
purpose is TO be gained by any further
attempts to reach the North pole or to
accomplish Northwest passage 2" just
as cogently might be inquired, "What
good is there in any attempt at dis
covery3" There is, in fact, scarcely a
successful industry at the present time
that did not begin in the brain of some
patient man who had no idea whatever
of the good to come from his investise-
tons. The printing press the spinning
jenny, the magnetic telegraph, had their
origin in the smallest beginnings, and
without conception of the complications
which must be overcome before great
results could be achieved. The same
may be said of maritime discovery since
man first sought upon the sea new high
ways for his ambition. Columbus had
no idea of discovering a new world when
he set out from Palos in his three frail
vessels. He merely wished to reach
Asia by sailing to the west, and, to his
dying day, he believed that he had
reached the territories of the famous
Tartar ruler Kublai-Khan. Magellan
was very much surprised when the
Pacific opened before him, and so was
Balboa when he looked out over the
same great ocean from the mountains of
Darien. What was true then is true
now. For long while geographical
discovery, for immediate, practical gain,
was the cause of rivalry among the ma
tons. Gradually the general confgura-
ton of the earth became known, the out
lines Of the continents and oceans were
delineated upon charts and globes, and
along with this came information, by a
new class of investigators, as to the cur
rents of the sea and air, and of the
changes in magnetic variation.
Vague concentrations were formed by
mariners themselves, and to these were
soon afterward added, by the genius Of
such Investigators as Maury, positive
rules for the guidance of the navigator,
not only from port to port, but over his
courses during particular periods of the
year, for at certain seasons the winds
veer methodically; the currents of the
sea vary, and even the magnet cannot al
ways be said to point the moral o.
, "steady as the needle to the POLE" A.
commerce increased the value of add
tional knowledge was more and more ap
preciated. Time became money, and
short passages were attempted by ever,
means. Men like Redfeld and Henry
were consulted. Bache, with his gull
stream surveys, became an oracle, anC
1 the cry was for discovery everywhere
If chemist should fail through lack O
knowledge to perfect his analysis the
s most serious consequences might result
+ Is it less true in maritime affairs? 81
q long as there is single portion of tn
g earth's surface from which we fail f
have accurate observations, we canno
claim perfection in that which is of tn
~ utmost Importance to mankind-the pei
" feet navigation of the seas. Nor is
. less important on the land. Witness tn
. vast utility of the signal bureau. G
% into any farmhouse of the country an
you will see hoy carefully they observ
e the predictions of the weather for tn
+. day. All these predictions require til
is perfection of knowledge, and can this b
1t said to be perfect SO long as any part {
l. the earth has not contributed from il
y storehouse of facts?
Therefore it is that the newspaper
X have always encouraged the mo-
a thorough system of exploration, and v
IT have not been any more unmindful
70 the Arctic regions than we have
al Africa. Let by all means the suggestic
IN be carried out of sending expedition
vs. from various countries be taken in th
great work. The Germans propose Il
route by the east coast of Greenland; Il
English, inspired by the success of O
m own explorers, are to take the Americ;
RI route through Smith sound, where t
o.. Polaris reached nearer the pole than al
70 ship had ever gone before, so far
in known. Why not let everybody try t
on promising route by wayof Behring stra
;s from the Pacific. The Austrian d
he coverers of Francis Joseph Land, ea
Cd ward of Spitzbergen, announce their Il
CIV belief in an open Polar sea, which t
nd American explorers claim. Butte pro
;ta the one thing or the other is equally i
,+e portant. We do not want anybody
t., be specially glorifed by discovery
dv merely want to know; and know we wi
orc 80 long as man is inspired by the GO,
,9o vine curiosity y which leads to inqui
= or selfish interest which governs t
M use of knowledge. BY all means let
) q have cooperation. There is no matte
nd atty in science, and about Gods trut
iii there isnever jealousy when onoeprove
,,.u We want somebody with baromet
thermometer, compass, soundi
H. line and an eye to see at the North pc
his
; PhOt0graphing.