The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-07-30
BEYOND SIBERIA'S COAST.

AMERICAN AND SWEDISH EXPEDITIONS
THE Quantities. AND THE vEGA-sIxTEENIH
CENTURY EFFORTS REcALLED-PRoFEssoR
NoRpENsKJoLDs THEORY.
From the New York Timesl
Only eighteen months have elapsed since the re-
turn OF the British ships Alert and Discovery from
their unsuccessful voyage poleward. and yet there
are at the present time less than three eXpedl-
tloDs lifting out for Arctic explorations TWO OF
these three Will represent this country, flying the
United States nag and commanded by Americans
One OF them rs the private enterprise OF Mr. James
Gordon Bennett, and Is really to be double expe-
dtion inaslnuch as two vessels will be employed
and will sail in opposite directions-by way Of
Behrlng straits and by way OF Spitzbergen The
first route win be taken by the Jeanette dor
merry Pandora), now on her way to California,
and the latter by tile yacht DauntIess now fitting
up for that purpose. The other American
venture Is the voyage Of Lieutenant Fred
erlck Schwatka, who, with the AMI Of a Front
street shipping firm, has gone in search OF relics OF
Sir John Franklin and the Of his i'll fated ad
venture. This one is however, almost wholly a
business venture and hardly deserves to be classed
among polar explorations. Mr.. Benefits cXpedl-
ton is an enterprise which will cost that gentle
man many thousands OF dollars. His idea Is that
the vessels going inherent directions, 'but
by the ways which are admitted to be the best,
and the only ones which promise early success"
can more than double the chances OF reaching the
pole. Nor is Mr.. Bennett alone in this belief, Tor
this route is even now being followed by
skilled and energetic explorers from sweden. Pro.
lessor NordenskJ0d, the celebrated Swedish en-
plorer and mineralogst, is on his way around the
north Of Europe and Asia with the distinct intention
OF forcing what is known as the northeast passage
ard which is hereafter to be taken by the Daunt-
loss his ayu ST ad on 0f
present month"; and the expense OF the venture is
borne partly by the King OF sweden, partly by
generous Scotch merchant, OF Gothenburg. named
Oscar Dickson, and Mr.. sibiriankon, Siberian
millionaire.
1t is now a little more than three hundred and
twenty-five years since the first attempt was made
to force this passage through the Arctic Ocean.
The vessels OF that day were the Edward Bonaven-
tura, the Bona Esperanza, and the Bona Conf.
denta, respectively or 160 120 and 80 tons burden,
and commanded by Sir Hugh Wlloughby and Mas
ter Rlcllar Chancellor. They set out IRON Green
wcI in 1858 to find passage by the north coasts
of Europe and Asia by which to bring TO England
'.the rich and rare productions of Cathay and In
da." The greater portion OF the surface of the
earth was shrouded IN mystery IN those days, and
sage counses were no doubt given by Sebastian
Cabot as to the proper way to guide their ships
into the unknown channels they were about to
venture The result was disastrous to the greater
part OF the expedition. All on board the Bona Es-
peranza and Bona Confidential persisted miseraby
ON the coast of Lapland. Master Chancellor, how
ever after pushing northward Tor considerable
distance, managed TO eject landing near the site
OF Archange and MATE journey overland OF
$500 miles to Moscow, where he was heartily
welcomed by the Muscovte court Three
years later in 1866, the attempt to dis
cover a northeast passage was renewed by
Stephen Burough, In the Searchthr1t pinnace,
who succeeded in reaching the Island OF Wagatz.
Another unsuccessful expedition was sent out by
the Muscovy Company, in 15oS. There are
ords OF other eXpedtitns to the northeast till 1850,
when Arthur Pet and Charles Jackman were sent
out in the George and William and succeeded in
reaching the Kara Sea through tue strut between
the Island OF Waigatz and the mainland, now
known that OF Pet or Yugor Here they were
so hampered with ice and fog that they were COM
PEELED to return. the George only reaching Eng
land, the William never having been heard OF after
leaving Drontheim, in February, 1881. These fruit
less attempts seem to have satisfied the English
merchants that 1t was vain to attempt to reach
China and India by this route, and although Henry
Hudson tried IN vain 10 reach che goal by sailing
right across the Pole early in the seventeenth
fury, and many subsequent attempts were made
to force a northwest passage, no further serious
Asia by the northeast. The Dutch, between 1894
and 1884, made three attempts in this direction.
The first expedition succeeded in passing the
island OF Waigatz and the last wintered on the
northeast coast Of Nova Zembla, where only quite
recently their wooden hut and many Of their in-
struments and utensils have been found in wonder
full preservation alter tile lapse OF nearly three
hundred years.
Many expeditions have since gone from Europe
to these parts, but none with the distinct Intention
OF forcing the Northeast passage. Now, with the
help of all the knowledge of the nineteenth cen
fury two deliberate attempts are to be made to
accomplish the task which bafed the hardy sailors
OF the sixteenth century. Professor Nordenskj0d
has long since made an enduring name by his ex
ploratons in Spitzbergen and Nova Zcmbla and by
other services to commerce. He has made q
thorough and minute study OF the mctcorology and
Ice conditions OF the entire coast from Norway to
BehriDg Straits, SO that he sets out under very
different conditions IRON those In which those
brave English mariners sailed from Greenwich
three hundred years ago The Professors explor
ing party sailed from Gothenburg IN the Vega, Of
800 tons, steamer speedily constructed for leo
navigation, provlsioned tor two years. and on
cered and manned with picked crew OF scientists
and sailors. The Vega VIII proceed to port In
the north of Norway to embark three sailors
known IN the Arctic regions from former
voyages and will proceed direct on the Jour-
ncy small steamer, the Lena, measuring
only 100 TONS will act tender during part OF tho
voyage. 1t Is the intention Of Professor Nordcn.
skiold to proceed along the northeastern coast OF
the so-called Taimurand as far as Cape Tschcl
yuskin, where he expects 10 find open water, on
account Of the immense quantities OF warm water
which tho large rivers Oh and Yenesi tliscbargc-a
quantity estimated to be much larger than that
discharged into the Mediterranean and the Black
Sea by the Rivers Danube, 20, Rhone Nile. bon,
Dnicpcr and other small rivers. At Cape Tsche
yuskin the expedition Will encounter the only
point of the projected route which has not been
passed by snip, but no great difficulty is appre
hended Here the Professor expects that on &C
count of the rotation Of the earth the current OF