The New York herald., 1879-07-10
HOW TO REACH THE POLE.


From the Now York World, July 81
The expedition which yesterday despatched
from San Francisco to make "a dash for the Pole is
the rst that has been sent by way of the Pacific for
strictly Polar purposes The Behring Strait has
one disadvantage-the branch Of the Kuro Shiwo,
Japanese Warm Sea- which enters it is liable in
Of any accident to the expedition to carry its
bers still further away from open water and rescue,
whereas explorers entering the Arctic regions by
way Of Bafhns Bay. il the difficulty of advancing
somewhat greater. at least that their
sells wedged in the icefeds will drift southwark
and eastward. The Behrng Strait route to the Pole.
too, leads through regions literally unknown, while
on the Davis Strait side innumerable expeditions
have gone in and reached s3 deg. 10 min. 26 sec.
north latitude. Since Sebastian Cabot first set sail for
the north with two carsvels, March g. 1885, to II
he could "py shorter track come into India. the
Greenland side naturally enough, from its proximity
to Europe has been the favorite approach.
PREVIOUS EXPEDITIONS.
Nevertheless not few great names are identified
with the history of Arctic exploration from the
Pacific. Behring made three voyages in 172a, 1929
and l74l during the first Of which he sailed through
tho strait now Known by his name. Its width how
ever, was not ascertained for Behring did not
the American shore till Cook: who sailed in July.
covered the Sandwich Islands in January, 1873,
pushed on to find the Northwest passage into the
Atlantic, and in August crossed the passage
eer1rstng Asia from America. On this voyage Cook
ned latitude 70 deg A min.. but the vast guam
encOu uutereQ cOmp6lleQ
to the sandwich. Islands to winter. There he was
killed In February, l779. ut Owhyhee. Clarke, his
second in command again attempted the passage
but after reaching 70 deg SO min, had to turn back
and smiling for England, reached home October 4,
$780, During this expedition lasting four years and
three months, only five men died, three Of whom
were i'll when they left England Cook the first
Arctic commander who made the health and comfort
of his special study and in effect robbed Polar
explorations Of much of their terrors and difficulties
Since then northinR has been made that side
OF the continent, though the coast line has been
thoroughly explored, and several ships-notably
McClure's Investigator-have rounded Point Barrow
on their way to seek for Franklin ill-fatcd expedi
ton. While up to 80 degrees north aud across to
about 125 degrees of longitude the Arctic map is
pretty well filled in. there il in the upper left hand
great empty space which may be ice water
land.
UNsOLvED PROBLEM.
The finding of the true Pole is OF the few great
geographical problems which rcmain to be solved,
and Nordenskj0ds y brilliant success in making the
Northeast passage has shown that to pluck and
science, with proper appliances, the solution OF
some Of these problems is by means difficult
task the world has long thought of. We may con-
hdently expect that the American expedition
will not turn back, as Sir George Mares did Mt its
first CHANGING upon Paleocrystic Sea- We sincerely
hope that the theory OF q current setting inward
from the Straits may be borne out. and that thus
aided the Jeanette may reach the Pole. at
least set the American flag good deal nearer the
goal of Arctic exploration than the farthest point
reached during the Narcz voyage which S3 deg
10 min. 26 sec.