The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-07-26
The New Arctic Expedition.

The steamer Jeanette LETT San francisco on
July Sth ON ITS expedition to the North Pole
1t began its journey out from the Bay follow.
ed by the good wishes of thousands who had
! gathered to see it start. The Jeanette Is a
| Small steamer of 400 tons, and carries a crew
Of 81 men. The expedition was planned and
fitted out by Mr. James Gordon Bennett, pro
prletor of the New York HeruId, whose enter
prise and hberality were SO lately shown in
Stanleys very successful expedition through
Africa.
The steamer is under the command OF Lieu
tenant George W. belong of the |. ;. Navy,
who has had previous Arctic experience
which will be of much service to him in the
present undertaking. He was connected with
the Polaris search expedition IN 1878, com.
manded by Captain ID, l.. Bralne, and proved
himself remarkably brave, persevering man,
as well as very fertile in eXpedients in tunes OF
danger.
The steamer has been very thoroughly
eouipped. and is accompanied on its way AS
far as St Michaers, in Behring's Sea, by. a
schooner carrying additional coal and provis
ions. 1t will proceed as far north as possible
before going INTO winter quarters, ana the re-
mainder of the journey to the Pole Will then DC
attempted by means Of dogs and sledges.
In going by Behring's Strait the Jeanette
will have the advantage or disadvantage, as
the case may prove, OF attempting compare
lively new route, and Of traversing an uneX'
plorcd region. \ large number OF expeditions
have been undertaken by way OF DaVlss STRAIT,
one under Sir George Mares having penetrated
as far as SO deg. 10 min. 90 sec North latitude
or within 40 miles of the Pole; and the space
between Smiths Sound and the Norway coast
is a well known region as compared with thai
which the present expedition hopes to traverse
The region to the northeast is also partially
discovered one, Nordenskfold, the brillian,
Norwegian explorer, having sailed from Ham
mer.cst, in Norway, to Behring's Strait, thus
demonstrating the fact of an opemsea along
the whole length Of the Siberian coast and
proving the existence of the lOng-dlsputed
northeast passage.
Several expeditions since those Of Behring
from whom the strait received its name, IN
! 112S-4l-have set out upon the route which
the Jeanette ha. chosen for herself, but no de
tcrmned effort was made to push their way &c
the Pole, as they were for the most part direct
ing their attention to other objects OF dlscov
cry. Kelett in 1S4S, Mcclure IN 1850, and
Rodgers in 1866, each made imports II dlscov
emes, but neither succeeded in urging his way
very far from the American coast. In lI,t
| CAPTAIN Cook set out with two ships, and hav
ing discovered the Sandwich Islands, pushed
ON to discover Il northwest passage INTO the
A..a...y. III lis s",N.' - KS !" Ncces.fU
] c'' -G- -.'..'- .. 70 lcr,."i. tu the SanGWl, J.
,>'ald-. wi.r,r IT, Wa ai}tcd in li19. He lad
succeeded III reaching latitude 10' 10 MN
Clark, who had accompanied him in the ex
petition, was later more successful, and reach
ed ZOE 33 min when he also was compelled &c
return. These expeditions of century ago
have been the most successful that have at
tempted this route, and the region, as far as a
al. &c. n.1 mi, gl
unknown as in their day.
Thus the Jeanette has practically an uneN
/ plorcd field before her, and equipped and
manned as she is, cannot fail, even though she
should not succeed in reaching the North
Pole, IN making valuable discoveries IN the
interests of both commerce and science.-N
| y. ErUmiHer.