The New York herald., 1876-11-13
ARCTIC EXPLORATION.
ExrBAcTs FROM CAPTAIN Mares OPTICAL be-
PORT TO THE ENGLISH ADMIRALTY.

xxrRAcTs FROM CAPTAIN Mares OPTICAL be
PORT TO THE ENGLISH ADMIRALTY.
LONDON, Oct. 81, 1876.
Tho following particulars regarding the stay Of tho
Alert ana Discovery in the Arctic Ocean s compiled
from Captain Mares official report
Instead OF land extepiing far toward tho north, as
reported BY the Poars Robson Channel opens
directly into the Polar Sea- Pushing to the north
by heavy and compelled to pass the win-
ter of an exposed coast In latitude SO deg
81 min north The ssdss with very So
nary heavy and broken up unable to advance
beyond latitude s3 deg. 20 min leaving distance OF
reached. Between Melville Bay and tho entrance to
Smith Sound NO ice was met but on the 30th Of July
deg I min Here the expedition was detained in Port
Payer for several days. an attempt being made to pro.
ceed further by passing 70 the westward Of
tho islands In Hayes Sound but that opening not lead
ing into the wished for direction tho ships returned
II - still uncertain whether o channel exists COM
nunicating with the western sea by Hayes Sound.
The opening extends considerable distance, but Is
narrowed by numerous sIets, which prevent the Ice
from clearing out until late IN the season Al last
shore OF Grnnell Land the ships wore caught In the
pack After this date thc progress TO the northward
single opportunity was losh advance only pos
sble for short distances at whenever the wind
the land So close was the Ice that on every occasion tho
water channel by which the ship advanced very soon
closed behind u, rendering II as difficult 70 return
as 10 proceed north. On the 25th OF August, alter
many harbrcadth escapes, well sheltered harbor
reached the side Of Halls Basin north OF Lady
Franklin SOUND In latitude 81 deg ~ min. north Here
the Discovery secured for winter, few miles
north Of Polaris Bay, which was in sight on the oppo
sitc side Of the channel.
The Alert, pushing onward, rounded the northeast
point Of Grant Land, but instead Of finding oonsn-
north every had expected found herself the
border OF what was evidently very extensive sea,
ohsansbs .hs sSin voa "a uarh oss
be inside sheltering barrier Of grounded Ice, close
to tho land and there she passed the winter During
her stay OF eleven months no navigable channel OF
water permitting further advance TO the northward
ever presented ITSELF In lieu Of finding 'sopen
Polar sea-, the Ice Of unusual ago and thick
ness, resembling, in marked degree both in appear
ance and formation, low hoating cebergs rather than
ordinary salt water ice u has now been termed the
"Sea OF Ancient Ice''-the PalBocrystc or Pal8-
cruc Sea; and stranded mass Of ice broken away
from an ice foo has been named anocberg Whereas or
binary Ice Is usually from Two feet TO ten feet in thck
ness that In the Polar Sea- consequence OF having
few outlets by which TO escape to the southwark In
appreciabe quantity, gradually increases in age and
thickness until measures from eighty feet to 100 feet
floating With It's surface at the lowest part fifteen feet
above the water line. Strange as IL may appear, this
extraordinary thickness OF the ice saved the ship from
being driven shore for owing TO It's great depth OF
notation nearing the shallow beach 1t grounded and
formed barrier inside which the ship was compare
lively safe. When pieces OF ordinary driven
against the other. and the edges broken up, the
crushed pieces raised by the pressure into high,
BUILDING IoY ROAD.
When two OF the foes Of the Polar Sea meet
happen 10 be floating about between them alono
suffers; II -is pressed up between the two closing
In height up to fifty feet above and frequently
covering an area upward Of a mile in diameter. Such
stroyed all hope OF the Pole itself being reached
by sledgea Nevertheless It was determined by
Captain Mares TO advance as far as possible. and
tho 0DrDQ OF this q headed Com.
mander Markham and Lieutenant Parr, made . most
gallant and deter mined attempt They were absent
seventytwo days from the ship. and on the 18th OF
Nay succeeded in planting the British Gag in latitude
SO deg 20 min 26 north From this position there
riously enough, tho depth OF water found TO be
only seventytwo fsthoms. Owing TO the extraordinary
Of the ed Up ice had to BE-
tance travelled before any advance could be
safely made, even with light loads; this rem
dcred It always necessary to drag the sledgo
loads forward by Dsalments therefore journey
over the same road several times Tho advance was
consequently SLOW and only averaged about
one quarter miles dAy--in act much the rate at
tanned by Sir f. Parry In his somewhat similar attempt
In the summer 1891 Although the distance made good
only seventy three miles from the ship 216 miles
were travelled over TO accomplish It, The result Of
their severe labor proves the utter Of
from land, and also that Baron Wrangel was per-
icety correct in his expressed opinion that before the
North Pole can be reached y hrst necessary to dis
cover continuous coast line leading towards It
Lieutonans Aldrich, engaged in pioneering the way
for the main party, which was led ny Commander
Markham, the 9th OF September advanced three
miles beyond Sir Edward Parrys most northern posi-
ton, and from . mountain 1000 iest nign sighted
50 deg. min No land 10 the northwest
Thus within four months OF leaving England tho
mystery concerning the sopen Polar Sea" cleared
up. The Alert, advancing to the limit OF navigation.
had reached higher northern latitude than any ship
ssS Ssyond ss
position gained with much Iabour and pri-
ya.,on vn by the gallant s men commanded ed BY SIR
Jack planted by them passing into tho guard and
kccpinG Of their connrymen be again pushed for
ward in advance during the following spring Tho
cold experienced during the carly spring consider
ably greater than that In southery regions and
quite puts an end to the idea that "a warm country
temperature observed ~ degrees below Of
or 104 degrees below freezing point The
50 degrees below xeroby far tho coldes weather
experienced before and tho mercury frozen forty
seven days during the winter. Captain stephen
visited tho Alert, and also made two trips
across Halls Basin to Greenland, and Captain Mares
started OF like the rcs with Captain Feden, natural
is the expedition, Immediately the provision
pots wero complete along tho line OF route and the
ception oil the chepIains and senior medical officers
all were absent-tho latter gentlemen, unfortunately
having moro than enough to do taking caro- OF their
invaIidG
When at Polaris Bay Captain Stephenson h0isted the
American ensign ana ureo satutc as brass aDct,
which be and Captain Mares had prepared in England,
was 1xed on Bars grave The plate bore tho follow
ing inscription :"Sacred 70 the memory OF Captain g.
y. Hail. Of tho United States ship Polars, who sacr
feed hs life in tho advancement science, Novom
Der 1871 This tablet has been erected by the British
Polar Expedition Of 1875, who following In his foot
steps, have pronted by his experience" /" In ad-
dition 10 the despatch OF the northern travellers,
the coast line 10 the westward OF tho Alers position
traced for distance Of go miIcs BY party under
the command OF Lieutenant Aldrich; the extreme posi-
ton reached was IN latitude 50 deg 10 min. north,
longitude SO deg 30 min. west coast line being
continuous from the Alerrs winter quarters Ths
most northern land, Capo Columbia, 10 IN latitude
so deg min. north, Longitude 70 deg
80 min. west Tho coast OF Greenland was
explored BY travelling parties from the Discovery
der the command Of Lieutenants Beaumont and Raw
son. They succeeded in reaching = position In
latitude ~ deg Is min. north, longitude so deg 40
min west. seventy milos northeast OF Re-
pulse Harbor. The land extended as lar latitude
81 deg 5a min. north, Longitude 4S deg 33 mIn
west but very misty weather prevented its character
being determined with exactncsa Lieutenant
Archer, with party from the Discovery, explored