New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-01-03
Road to ,hs North Pole.


Captain H. w. Howgate, of the signal
service, United States army. has submitted
the following plan for reaching the north
pole;
The expedition of Captain Hall in the
Polaiis in 1871, and that of Captain Mares
in the Alert and Discovery ia 1875, have
shown that by the use OF steam it is a com.
paratiVely easy matter TO reach the en-
trance to Robeson's channel in latitude $40
north, and that the serious difficulties to be
overcome in reaching the pole lie beyond
that point. Parties from the two expedi-
tons have made fair surveys lao miles
north of this, leaving only about 400 miles
of uneX plOrcd regions between that and the
goal of modern geOgraphers-the pole.
When Captain Hall reached the upper ex-
tremity of Robeson's channel the lookout of
the POlaIis reported open water in sight
and Just beyond the pack which surrounded
the vessel and prevented further progress.
This open water was afterwards seen
from the caIe at the northern opening of
Newman's bay, and it was the opinion Of
the crew of that Inflated vessel that if she
| had been but the fraction of an hour earlier
| in reaching the channel they could have
steamed unObstru3ted over a veritable
| 'open sea" TO the pole itself. We know
| that they did not succeed, but were forced
| t. winter almost within sight of this sea,
I'D subsequently,, di-heartened by the loss
| OF their gallant comm 4nder, abandoned the
| enterprise. Where this open water WIS
70 md, Captain Mares, in 1875 and 1876,
found cold, impenetrable ice, through
which no vessel could force its way, and
| over which it was equally impossible Tor
sledge parties to work. These facts show
that within the arctic circle the seasons
/ vary as markedly as in more temperate
southern latitudes, and that the icy barriers
to the pole are sometimes broken up by
| favoring winds ana temperature. To reach
the pole prompt advantage must be taken of
8 lch favOring circpm stances, and to do this
| with the greatest certainty and with the
least expenditure of time, money and hu-
| man lite, it is essential that the exploring
party be on the ground at the very time the
ice gives way and opens the gateway of the
long-sought prize. This Can only be done
by cOlOnizing a few hardy, TesOlute and
| experienced men at some point near the
borders of the Polar Sea, and the most ia
vOrRble one for the purpose appears to be
that where the Discovery wintered last
year. Such a party should con sist of al
least twenty men, and should be provided
with provisions and other necessary snip
plies for three years, az the end Of which
period they should be visited, and sta
unsuccessful in accomplishing The object
revie ualled and agaifD cit to their work
Captain Hall spent eight years among this
| EsQuimauX, and each year found himself
better fitted TO Withstand the severity o.
the Arctic Circle; and the party of which
speak would in like manner become GO
climsted and eventually succeed in &C
conn ching he long sought end. With {
/ strong, substantial building, such as coulC
easily be carried On shipbOard, the party
could be made as comfortable and as SAT-
from atmospheric dangers as are the meI
of the signal service stationed on the sum
mits of Pixies Peak and Mount Washing
ton, or the employees of the HudsOns Bay
Company stationed at Fort York, where
temperature of minus 600 is not uncommon
A good supply of medicine, a skilliul sur
geoD, and such fresh provisions az could b.
found by hunting parties would enabl
them to keep of ecurvy and to maintain
as good q sanitary condition as the inhabit
ants of GOodhaven in Greenland. Gam
was found in fair quantities by the POlari
party on the Greenland coast, and thos
from the Alert and Discovery on the main
land TO the west. especially in the vicinit
of the last named vessel, where fifty-fOu
musk oxen were killed during the season
with quantities of other and smaller game
A seam of coed coal was also found by th
DiseOveFy's party, which wOnld render tn
question of fuel light one, and thus re
move one of the greatest difficulties hithel
. to found by Arctic voyagers
: Let an expedition be organized to stal
in the spring Of 1877, and firmly believ
that by 1880 the geography of the Pols
oircls would be definitely settled, and ths
without loss of life.