The New York herald., 1877-12-24
A DARING SCHEME.
Explore the Siberian and Polar Seas
and Return Via SueZ Canal.
RICH FIELDS FOR SCIENCE.
A Programme RiyaIling Verne's lnag-
nary Flights.

ana Instructive report 70 the Swedish government
concerning ms proposed voyage the polar regions
next year. He begins by declaring that The exploring
expeditions to tho Arctic seas sent out from Sweden
during The last century havo long ago acquired
real national significance. The Swedish people, in
common with all other civilized nations, have taken
deep interest In the researches. Governments and
individuals svare OF the grand scientific results, the
vast increase In the general knowledge OF geography,
the wcah OF Arctic products, have spent largo sums
Of money 1T out vessels for the far north. To the
discoveries OF the past the explorer OF tho future may
ADD great practical advantages Meteorological and
hydrographicai information has been obtained; In
puiry has been mado into the scnl and walrus trade
and the conditions for hunting them; immense sup
plies OF fish have been discovered tho shores OF
Spizbergon; Beeren extensive strata OF coal and
phosphate have been found, which may some day be
Of grcat value anu finally the great problem Of
icating even OF China tho Siberian
rivers Obi and Jenisoy has been solved to the CON-
petc satisfaction OF photographers.
NEW YIELDS EXPLORATION.
But the results already obtained should encourage
us TO further Efforts especially the last two exped
t,ons TO Siberian coast havo opened up dcld
exploration, which, he ventures 10 assert, promises
to add much to our scientific knowledge. He says:-
~ that part OF the Polar Sea situated Of the
mouth OF the Jenisey where, in days. in the
OF telegraph and steam, there Is still area sccntif
cslly and still unexplored. The cntirc immense
ocean, extending over 90 deg. OF longitude from
the mouth OF the Jenisey past Cape Tscheljrskin-
the Promontarium Tabin OF old geograpncrs-to
wrangeps Land, II except boat voyages along the
coast has been furrowed by tho keel Of vessel
nor seen the smoke OF steamer These circum-
stances have induced me TO cndcavor TO obtain the
means for new expedition fitted out scientifically
aud nautically completely as possible, the
Nlfn Mt xrIt he etrA~
geography, the photography and natural history
OF the Polar Sea beyond tho mouth of the
Jensey to the Straits of Behring, If possible It may
safely be asserted that promising field of OBJ
servation has not appeared since Cooks celebrated
voyage in the Pacific, II the Ice will permit suitable
steamer to enter this To form an opinion in
this respect It might be we'll to glanco back upon tho
attempts which have been made to press forward on
the route intended expedition would try follow.
ROUTE PROPOSED EXPEDITION.
'Gothenburg will probably be the Swedish port OF
departure and the time the beginning OF July, 1878
The route will at first follow the OF Norway
then passing North capo and tho mouth OF the White
Sea to Mntots chkin Sound In Nova Zembla Tho open.
ting OF navigation between tho rcst OF Europe and
these regions, through Sir Hugh Willoughby and
Richard Chancellor in 1858, tho result OF the first
naval expedition from England, out for purposes
OF discovery Their voyage also the first attempt
to find northeast passage to China This object
they did not attan but they established the fact Of
navigablc route between England and the White Sea
md began new In the commerce not only of
England aud Russia but OF tho world II was not
accomplished without sacrifice, as Sir Hugh with all
his crew, perishcd while wintering tho Peninsula
OF Koa. Thousands OF ships sailing safety
over this route. With the knowledge now possess
Of tho ico in tho Murman Sea ton old maps the sea
between Koa and NovaJa Sema is so calcd) thcre is
difficulty during tho latter part oil summer IN sail
ing from the White Sea to Matotschkin sound
without hindrauce from ice This not the case
thirty or forty years ago. appears from
the narrative OF the dinlcullics and dangers
which beset the celebrated Russian navigator. Count
Luke In his voyages along The wcst coast OF Nova
Zcmbla. during four consecutive summers-ls2l-ls2A
A good fishing vessel can now, n single summer
sail further abont these seas than the most CON.
pletely appointed man of war could formerly 40 In
tour times as long PERIOD
THE KARIAS SEA-
sThe Karian Sea may DO entered in four different
ways namely. tho Jugar Sound. the Fretum Nassavi
cum OF The old Dutch, between tho island Of wagatsch
and the continent; the Karan Gate between Nova
Zcmbla and The island OF wajgassch; Matotschkin
Sound, which, between &c and "a deg. north lath
tudc GUS in TWO Nova Zembin, and tho route north
OF this slaud This latter route usually clear Of ice
therefore, not to be solicited by expedition pro-
posing 10 sail farther East into these seas
Jrgorshar and the karian Sea are carly free from
solid ice, but for q long time cucumbcred by large
Of drit cc which carried back and forth in
tho bays both sides Of tho Sound by the currents
changing with the tides. There good ports, al
least Jugorshar, in consequence OF which the Drift
ing ice might be very nconvcnort for such vessels
attempt approach tho Karian Sea by these routes.
MaotschKin sound forms channel nearly hundred
Kilometres long, narrow but deep and clear with tho
exceptions OF two shallow places, the positions of
which are perfectly well known. This sound Is usually
FREQ from solid the at,or part OF July less
mpeded by DRIFT Ice than tho southern sounds
sequence Of tho formation OF Tho coast. Good
ports exist at Its eastern opening In 1875 aud
1876 the sounds, as well tho outside,
peicy tree from the latter part OF August but
this ice earlier so broken up. and also tho
side, that vessel could without danger find It's
way between the drifting pieces. That pari OF Nova
Zcmbla that the fishermen nrst sail for In the spring
ID the west coasr, outside the Mntotscbkin.
DrcksoS's PORT.
al uncsual weather should not prevail In
these regions during the earlier part Of tho
yummer of 1873. such as continual southern
Winds, which would carry tho drift ice far
from tho coast Of tho continent, consider that
hatoschkin Sound would DO tho safest for tho
expedition TO choose. An open sea straight TO
Dckson's Port, at the mouth OF tho JcDiscy, Is how
evor not bo expected Ia the beginning OF August.
A considerable circuit toward tho south may,
therefore, have 10 DO made, that tho ice, which
drifts arouDd IN the karian sea until the beginning of
September, may DO avoided. 1hc few days delay
winch the may cause VIII besides give the expedi-
ton an opportunity Of studying tho natural history
and hydroprapby OF tho channel when is 200 faith
oms deep along the cast coast OF Nova Zombla. The
Karlan sea uniformly shallow no to 80 fathonlsl
not dangerous by reason OF hidden bars and rocKs
The richest animal lie Is found IA tho deep channel
slong coast, and u IS IRON that spot
preceding expeditions have carried home many pccu-
abundant cosc The shore rhc expedition next year
ought, therefore, 10 cndeavor 10 arrive at
Naiotschkin so early that scientific work, for
lev days at least, may be carried on In this region
The voyage Itself IRON tho karnn Sea to DICK sous
Port, With the experiences wc now have, VIII meet
gth difficulties II ~, however, best not 10 count
npon reaching Dcksons Pors before Tho l0th or 10Th
Of Anuusi. Ga Tho 10 OF August 1873, nrrIvca AZ