The New York herald., 1878-11-15
UNDER THE NORTHERN LIGHTS.
VIEWS OF THE LATE DIR. pETERMANN ON THE
POLAR QUESTION.

VIEWS OF THE LATE DIR. PETERMANN ON THE
POLAR QUESTION.
BERLIN, Oct. %, 1873.
On DR.. Petermann's death I Immediately applied to
his family for all papers and notes to be found among
his manuscripts having the least reference to the
tic expedition fitted out by Mr.. James Gordon Ben
nett and which the latter gentleman consulted the
eminent geographcr only few months ago. si,nn-
tsneously applied to DR.. E. Benin. who for years
the confidential assistant Of the daceascd in the direc
ton Of perthes' famous Geographical Institute at
Gotha and is now his successor leading editor Of
the favorabIy known Gcoyrnphseac AsttAsaSsn, TO
give succinct cpitome Of Petermann's views ON
the all absorbing problem Of attainment Of
the North Pole DR.. Benin very courseously
replied and after vain endaayors to extract from Pc
termsnns writings clear statement Of his opinion,
rendered the following account partly based on
eral communications with the Inflated professor. DR..
Pctermann, writes my informant whose letter shall
try to reproduce literally possible, has N the
of the many years during which he 10 promi-
nenty occupied himself with the Arctic question
sidorably changed his mind on the matter. circum-
stance really not surprising. considering the and
often unexpected facts brought to light by the various
Polar expeditions. In the beginning ne decidedly
maintained that in the summer open without
serious obstacles in the way Of it's navigation existed
TO the west east of Spitzbergen which could easily
be trayersed IL any attempts were made by steamers
This belief formed the groundwork of his two
epstles to Sir r. Murchison, which appeared in 1865
in the KiAhciluagn pages 95 and 1861, and by
which he commenced his agitation for voyages to the
North Pole. Later on he became convinced that tho
so-called ice belt of the existence of which he had
previously doubted. was in reality to be found be-
tween Greenland and Spizbcrgen either to the east
or north Of this island He i'm aped in the same way
a Weyprecht that in the summer the thawing ice
masses moved from the north to the south and came
Ix ~, knlt hcH
comparatively free Of ice. 1t would. therefore.
only he necessary to penetrate this girdle
in order to attain ain the p1 By toas Kolds
would bc still advisable to sail along the coast
of East Greenland in northerly direction because
the ice from tho Polar region there principally
drifts to the south, that beyond it an open sea
might with certainty be expected. This presumption
gained the more credence ss, by experience the ice
thaws the quickest tho coasts. opening along
their edges practicable way. koldewcig's expcdi-
ton proving. however. that the ice now. Is for.
OF Greenland whereby further advance s often, if
not every year. prevented Pctermann returned to his
old hypothesis Of ascribing to the branch
Of the Gulf Strcam-thst is to say, the warmer At.
lantic waters running northward-the character OF
guide to the Polar basin.
wcypreca and Nordcnksjolds expeditions forci-
bly, the fanry Of the theory Of ice cir
die with open beyond that the old conjecture
of tho Polar basin being covered with ice along the
edges of which large masses melt away during tho
summer, was once more universally considered Ss
most relisblc- Although Petcrmann never openly ex
pressed TINS cOuv1ctIon, Dr. benm inIcfS rom MS
conversations with the deceased the subject that
he longer placed great confidence in his theory Of
open Polar Having Of late zealously turned his
attention to the expeditions directed to the northeast.
particularly TO the Siberian Sea, he experienced the
satisfaction that the Kara Sea- formerly thought to he
unuayigable became y maritime way 10 the Obi and
Yepcsc Death called him away. however, before his
surmse of the nav;gabIencss OF tho Siberian
Sea was triuInphantly established by the arrival
Of Professor Nordenskjod with whom he had
been jim constant correspondence At the
mouth Of the Lena and near Yakutsk The
highly important fact Of the successful circimaviga
ton of the extreme point of Asia by Nordenskjolds
two vessels from the mouth Of the Ycncsci to the
Lena will unquesiionably attract the chief attention Of
Polar exploration toward the Siberian Sea. II
Nordcnskiod as is 20 be hoped. pcnctrates through
Bchring Strait 10 the Pacific Ocean. his expedition
must be the beginning of further attempts in this di-
rcction, which win ultimately result in further ad
vance to the North Pole According TO my conviction.
concluded Dr. Benin, firmly persuaded DIR. Peter
mann would have given the same advice, the Daunt-
less ought 10 follow a course leading through the
Kara Sea 10 the mouth OF the Ycnesei and thence
to the Polar caril. In order finally to cooperate with
the Jeannette coming from Bchrng Strait.