The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-10-28
FOREIGN.
Return OF the British Arctic Expedi-


@ ZION.
LONDON, October IA telegram. has
been received announcing the return to
Valentia of the British Arctic Expedi-
ton under Capt. Mares, comprising the
steamers Alert and Discovery. The
progress to the North Pole was found
impracticable. Captain Mares reports
that no land could be discovered TO the
porthwsrd Of the highest latitude reach
ed, namely SO degrees and 20 minutes,
but in other respects the expedition was
successful. The Alert has proceeded to
Queenstown and Capt. Mares 10 London.
All on board the vessels reported we'll.
The Alert arrived at Valentia at 2:3O
this afternoon, being the first land made
since leaving the frozen regions. she
parted company with the Discovery In
the Atlantic.
The Alert and the Discovery left Port
Foulke on July 20, 1875, and entered
Jecoh, Cape Sable. After severe ana
continuous struggle, they reached the
north side OF Lady Franklin Bay, where
the Discovery was lett in winter quarters.
The Alert pushed Oh ard reached the
limit of navigation. On the shore OF
the Polar Sea the ice varied In thick
ness, being, in some places, loo feet
ieep. President land does not exist.
The Alert wIntered in lat. 81 deg. q
min. At this point the sun was Invisible,
and temperature the lowest ever re-
corded was experienced. A detachment
with sIedges was dispatched north%ard.
IL was absent about seventy days, and
reached latitude SO deg. 70 min. Another
party rounded Cape Columbia. the
norLhernmost point of America, and
traced go miles westward from Green
land, and also explored Tar to the east
ward These sledge parties suffered
from scurvy Hans Peterson died from
lrost-bite. John Parton, of the Alert,
and james Hans and Charles Paul, OF
the Discovery, died on the sledglng ex'
petition. No Esquimaux were seen,
nor were any icebergs met with. Be-
yond Cape Union, the expedition en-
countered great difficulties in returning.
The AIert's rudder bolt was damaged.
The vessels left Smiths Sound on Sep
TENDER 9th. They signalled the Pandora
CA October 10th, and found all well. The
Alert parted from the Discovery in q
gale on October 10Th. She will shift her
rudder at Valentia and proceed to
Queenstown. The admiral at Queens
town telegraphs that the Discovery is
expected to arrive hourly. -4.
The lowest temperature during the
winter was IA degrees below freezing
point.
DuriLg the sledge journeys the ice
was SO rugged that it was only possible
To advance one mile day. During the
winter rich collections in the department.
of natural history we're made, and many
sc entilic observations taken. Excellent
coal was found near the place where the
Discovery wIntered The expedition
experienced the coolest weather that has
ever been registered, the temperature
being 50 degrees below zero for fort
night. and falling once to lO4 degrees
below the freezing point. The Pandora,
when spoken by the Alert, reported her
screw slightly damaged by the ice. The
Pandora called ut Littleton Island and
Cape Isabella, bat was unable to reach
Cape Sabine. AS the expedition did not
touch at Littleton Island on its return,
it missed the letters left by the Pandora
The health of the crew, with the excep.
tions already mentioned has been good.
Frost bites were severe but not numerous.
Peterson, the interpreter, died in forty
DAYS after both feet had been amputated
for frost bite All the members OF the
expedition declare 1t impossible to get
nesrer the pole than the northern ex-
pioring party, which penetrated to with
ia 400 miles OF it. On the return from
the sledge journeys the men were in u
very helpless condition, and 1t was ne
cessary to draw some of them on sledges.
TIE plankiDg of the Alert was very
much damaged by Ice.
A member OF The expedition telegraphs
to the Daily Nel1s as follows; The
nnrthermost land reached Was III latitude
S37 OF; after that there was ice. The
point iurthest west recalled Wa, IN lon
gitude S5 >. Lady Frsnklin's : "ats is
really bay. Petcrmrun Ford was
closed 10y u glacier. tt" nortl err most
point in Greenland was iii latitude - :
%,