The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-20
Lieutenant julius Payer on Captain
HOwgate's Project.
How the Colony's Arctic Home
Should Be Fitted Up.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROPER EQUIPMENT
FRAsxroar.oS-rHE-MAIS, April l, ISL

FRASxroaT-oN-THE-MAIS,A April !, 1871
TO THE EDITOR THE HERALp:-
The Congress OF the United States had recently De-
fore IL bill which was referred to the Naval Commit
toe providing an appropriation OF $50 900 for the es
tablishrnent OF Polar colony This colony Is 70 DC
situated about four hundred miles from the Norn foic
and to accomplish in patient leisure what the Engsh
North Pole expedition failed to achieve The author
of the project is Captain H. W. Howgae, OF the United
States Signal Service. Captain Howgate's plan Is to
plant number OF tough, determined and experienced
men somewhere in the vicinity Of tho Arctic Sea- The
place in which the Discovery passed the last winter
has been considered most suitable for this purpose
The colony consist OF hity men, to be engaged
for three years house in Lady Franklins Bay
is TO be their dwelling places an advance depot
Is to be established the place where tho Alert win
tered, and to DO garrsoncd with few men in the
summer aud both stations to BIO connected by
copper wire and the necessary portable batteries. A
ship Is 10 plant colony, and then re-
urn every year to bring It supplies.
This plan for reaching the Pole is not only but
also better than those on which the various eypedi-
nous by the way OF Smith Sound were based. My
,ersonal wishes and views rs TO the Polar question In
,enera. have already LAID down in the previous
rticc did this in the presumption that
She efforts TO reach the Pole would still
against their utility. For this reason, and because it
is better that something should be done than nothing,
every viii hail with great interest this American
project not so much from hope OF thereby reaching
The goal but FROM the probability OF making new and
valuable discoveries direction in which the United
states have already distinction. The following are
The principal objections against Captain Howgate's
plan
OBJECTIONS TO HowGATEs PROJECT
In tho first place It may reasonably be objected to
The plan Of establishing Polar colony for three years
that such venture would really bc only three years.
Polar expedition without ship-a North Pole expeai-
ton which discards ship from latitude So deg.
north because it Is useless to have But the ad-
vatages expected could only reapcd by changing
rather renewing the colonsts and provisions every
ihrec-or what would be still beter-every years.
TO expect within three years condition Of tho
Ice will be presented favorable az TO render II pos
Bipc for division Of tho colony to roach the Pole
seems too ssnguine hope; but by multiplying the
projected duration Of the colony there might be a
chance reaching this end and would be unnecessary
TO support the colony every year by sending ship;
In fact, only steamers. ana these only under excep
nonably favorable conditions could succeed in reach
Ing the colony.
Both and officers could calculate to remain only
Two years in the colony. disappointed hopes and
third year entirely irucss The colonists would be
In every respect castaways and their position would
be than that OF the men stationed on the
summit Of Pixies Peak, Mount Washington. at
Fort York. Not much aid could be expected from the
coal beds found by tho Discovery. We found some
coal deposits the second German North Pole exIe-
dion in Greenland but very few Jumps OF coal could
be obtained without blasting.
According to Captain Howgate the colony should
only contain such would be capable
Of making scientific observations. The officers
should undoubtedly be able carry out all scientific
abors, but l should DO dislnclined to engage for
tho work men not possessing the qualities which men,
lion further below I'm discussing the question OF equip
ment), while the attainment OF the North Pole re-
mains the principal object of the expedition. will
now speak OF the equipment OF the expedition
SEAMAN COMMANDER.
Perfect harmony In the conduct direction Of the
expedition is the very first necessity. In modern
tunes the direction OF Polar expeditions has boon
transferred to scholars like Kane, Hayes Nordensjold
forell, &c This course IS permissible when the main
objects OF expedition OF small duration discov
aries the domain OF natural history, but not when
.he role OF the seaman is an important one Hence
The American expedition should be placed under the
command OF seaman.
SELECTION OF THE GREW.
Next TO the commander the selection OF the crew
requires the greatest solctude 1t should be
considerable time before the starting OF the cxped
lion. to give the incompetent members oppor-
tunty OF making place Tor those that peculiarly
fitted for the task II this process Of selection and
not its nationality, which decides the value Of the
crew. II is true that excellent seamanshIp Is not
equally distributed among all nations, but 1t would
nevertheless, require only sufficient time and proper
In In linn odoI
1t often assumed that ability to endure cold
be the crucial test Of fitness. This Is A
Of duty, endurance and determination
are the most essential qualities Habit over
tones cold IL often makes heroes out Of sybares by
The stern necessity OF its endurance Complete devo-
zion to the object and to the commander presupposes
qualities which cannot often be Judged in ADVANCE and
cannot either be purchased sufficiently rewarded.
The members oil an expedition should only be voun-
teers, but the case In the Russian expedI-
lions, when the officers "choscn'' as volunteers,
although they had declined TO participate.
INTELLIGENCE IMPORTANT ELEMENT
certain degree of intelligence in the is OF
high importance. In many instances they must have
certain powers OF observation and reflection and
q certain amount OF knowledge, to meet danger and
reach certain results. But who pass n sledge
from Old to ice without noticing II,
frozen loot who do not know how TO handle their gun,
xho do not observe the formations OF tho country
through which they are journey dis
play an indifference which. be they as bravo as
Achilles, may jcopardize tho whole expedition How
great the Incidence of the uneducatcd he may ba
inferred from Franklin's retreat HIS Canadians pur.
posely threw away destroyed the Indispensable
objects canoes, nets, &C., TO save themselves
the trouble OF carrying them. 1t was impossible to
make them deal economically with the scapt pro-
visions. They resisted the orders OF their commander
Eistrustcd his directions as 10 places and routes
secretly wasted their ammunition The stole the
pther's food, and the only thing IN which there was
unanmity the defiance of regu a,ions made ioi
The good oil all rhe American Polar colony would be
"a position scarcely less exposed than that OF Frank
lin and his comrades during their retreat. Seamcr
are better capable OF maintaining discipline under sucf
circumstances than members Of any other profession
and therefore the colony should mostly consist o
them.
now TO MAiSrAS DISCIPLINE.