The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-02-28

IL I'll eiHUQEhbS one, T6IHG6 20 u6Ltsll5 1GE
the direction OF tho business and gen
eral management OF tho affnifs of tho
corporation.
The bill comes uumas the speeia.o
OF tho Senate to-day Wednesday.
- y -
POLAR COLONY.
Ths Comm tre's Report Gn q Plan for
arctic Explanations.
Washington Union. 40
Mr.. Willis, from the House Commit
tee on Naval Affairs, submitted u report
yesterday upon the House bill to att-
thorize and equip an expedition to this
Arctic seas. The committee soy tho
object Of tho bill is 50 interesting and
important In Its character that they
have, while not neglecting TO gravely
consider II with reference to its results
to science and commerce, availed them
selves OF all information accessible, and
called In requisition the testimony and
experience OF men prominent In scien-
titic experience and learning. They
discuss the inquiry whether, under the
Constitution or otherwise, TO fit out an
expedition such as contemplated be an
appropriate Legitimate function OF tho
| Government for which the people could
be taxed, and, IL 30, whether tho nation
would get value received for the en-
1
which It's citizens would be exposed.
They review the results attained from
| the various exploring expeditions.
which, from time TO time, have been
| organized and dispatched to the Arctic
regions, and express grave doubts as to
| the chances OF future success In the en-
terprise IL continued upon the plans
| heretofore followed.
| They think that TO render success as-
sured the men and the vessels must be-
near the channel by which the north
| fortunate hour, and prepared to take
prompt advantage thereof. Polar coll
onization Ii represented to be the pian
suited TO the exigency. This plan re-
quires colonization party OF ut least
| forty hardy, Tesolute men, enlisted In
the United States for such service, pro-
vided with supplies for st least three
years. A strongs substantial building,
transported on shipboaTd, and the prin-
cipal depot to be Ia Lady franklin
| BAY, between 81 or SO degrees, or, IL
possible, as high as Cape Union, between
| latitude SO and s3 degrees; the United
States vessels to be only used for trans
porting men and supplies to the loca-
tion Of the colony, and to make amt ual
visits thereto with fresh supplies, and
keep the colony In communication with
the outer world. Military discipline TO
be enforced by officers selected for their
| fitness for the duty, ETC.; an astrono-
mer and two or more naturalists, to be
selected by the National Academy OF
Sciences, and one or more members
competent to make meteorological OBJ
servations. The region proposed for
the colony abounds In coal and In fish
and In game; and never before, the
committee say, has an opportunity
offered so promising In Its results as
now presents itself.
The committee review what has been
and is being done by various foreign
nations to attain the desirable ends
sought by the exploration In question,
with view to progress In scientific
discoveries.
The committee say that there La
scarcely natural science but would be
enlarged and utilized byprorer obser-
vation In the Polar seas. Natural forces
there are subject to extreme conditions,
and consequently produce phenomena
not seen elsewhere, and which serve to
annul the character OF the forces them
selves. Wonderful already are
the discoveries made in each field OF in
quiry noted. but we are yet In the
vestibule. The region OF the unknoW-
able Is just beyond. We are invited
/
the wealth which awaits US.
/ But the committee are OF opinion
that, to reach the ends desired, COM
plete change OF operations must be had,
and this change is effected in. the bill
before the House, and meets the exact
need. III we make any pretense as
| friends of science, we must pursue the
only methods whereby Developments
can be achieved. Boards OF trade and
chambers of commerce are. now,
through memorials, invoking the Ma
tional Legislature TO renew the honor
able work. The cost is slight. The
ends arrived at will provoke no intellf-
gent opposition. The methods proposed
are not Experimental, but the product
of experience, and they have the sane
! ton and even the warmest commenda-
ton of all scientific men Of all nations.
The supervision Of the National Acad-
envy Of Science will insure wise provis-
ions and safeguards against accident,
disease or failure.
DR.. Hayes, the eminent and success
full arctic explorer, comedies fully with
the views expressed by the committee,
as also do others familiar by actual ex.
perience. Their letters are so conclu-
sive that the committee make them a
part OF their report.
The committee conclude by saying
"The honor OF the American name ls
involved. Will Congress suppress this
Jealous spirit OF inquiry and adventure,
or give it scope by the passage Of tnls
bfII and a meagre appropriation o.
S5O. 1000? To us IL appears there should
i be but one answer, and theTefore We re-
mort back the bill with the Eec0us
nannfaf that IL do pa9Es0