New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-11-10
TIE F4ILURE TO REACH THE POLE.

y
English comment on the return of the Arctic
Expedition is in almost every instance tlnged
with disappointment. There is plenty of evil
dence now that Englishmen had generally ex-
prcted that the ships or SledgcS OF Capt. Mares
would reach the North Pole. The fact that he
advanced to a somewhat higher latitude than
his predecessors is accepted by his cOuntrymen
rs n crcditable performance, but nothing more.
There are Il few arguments put forward 10
show that he did the best that was possible ;
but these have the air of being lab0rcd. The
general expression is one OF encouragement;
rs if TO say that since this expedition, so per-
fectly equipped in every particular, returns
unsuccessful, there is no further use in trying
especially by way of Smiths Sound
Pcrhaps one reason for this feeling is the
very positive conviction which Capt. Mares
expresses on the subject. His first telegram
on arrival at Valcntia summed up with ad-
mrable breyity his opinion. POLE lmprac-
"ticabcr The L0ndOR Times, receiving this
dispatch. is moved to regret that Capt. Mares
"sccms to think that the country cannot even
"aford the cost of an auxiliary verb" But,
after all this OraCular sentence tells the story
far better than any amount OF explanation.
The Pole can never be reached by study or
theory, and when the men who are specially
fitted for Arctic explorations pronounce the
undertaking impracticable," they close the
discussion as far as they are concerned. No
doubt this was precisely what Capt. Mares
meant to de.
When. however, the circumstances that led
TO this conclusion are examined, they do not
prove so utterly appalling. Certain theories as
to methods by which the Pole can be reached
will have to be abandoned. The notion that
a vessel can navigate the "Opcn polar sea
is no longer tcnablc. The sea is there, but 1t
is blocked with ice, 80 to 200 feet thick.
There is not much probability that this lee
will float ont southwark in some "Open year;
but even that il not a closed question. II III"
slcd.c parties had found close set range OF
lofty mountains to the north OF them, the
word inpracticablcr would have been more
fully justified. If, after journcyIng over
hundred miles or more of the zee barrier, they
had come upon an open sea with no outlet,
TurtLcr Drogrc,, would certainly have been
impracticahlcn unless they carried boats on
their ,lrGgcs; in any event such discovery
would have greatly complicated the problem.
cuoc # Capt. Mares appears to have been
>imrIy that his slcdgc parties found thcm-
selves exposed TO uncomfortable hard>hipS. \
climate So cold that 1Ol below freezing point
W., recorded; frost - severe that 1t caused
loss Of life; road to be constructed with
pirLav ut the rate of Il mile a day; no sunshine
for IT, days-ail these together constituted
terrible obstacle. But it was one Of degree.
ret rs hr far To the men and officers OF the
British Expedition. They doubtless did all
that was possible under the circumstances, and
deserve full credit for their effort. To them.
in that locality, al that time, nearer approach
10 the Pole was hapacticablc." But 1t by
no means follows that a more favorable year
may not modify all these conditions, for the
thing which alone gave them their force was
the low temperature. There may not he
sufficient encouragement in the discovery of
coal hy this expedition To warrant the fitting
ont of another But if it were believed that a
gold mine is near tie surface ut the North
Pole. there would be- no lack of adventurous
navigation, striving 20 reach it; and 1t would
be- reached even though the pathway thithcr
we've paved with the c0rpscS OF those who
failed in the attempt.