Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-04-04
Whatthp IIOwgatc scheme Of Arctic
Discovery Proposes.

what the 1IOwgate scheme OF Arctic
Discovery Proposes.
Is. j. Douglass, in Sunday Afternoon for April.1
The popularity of the IIowgatc plan is,
that il does not undertake TO untangle the
riddle of the Frost King or lay bare the mys-
teries Of his houry realm mt Il single bold dash.
It does not expect to carry the citadel by as
sault. In other words, it will not risk the
great expenditure and pains incident to such
an undertaking on the chance result Of one or
even two seasons work.
Captain Howgate docs not claim entire or
iginality in the mere idea Of a colony. system
of discovery He frankly comedies that DIR.
Isaac |. Hayes suggested such a plan many
years ago and designated Port Foulke, where
he had wintcrcd in 1862, at the entrance to
Smiths Sound, as an appropriate station
whence season after season discoveries could
be prosecuted northward. This may bc'said
to have been the gerninal idea that found
lodgment in Captain Howgato's mind, which
was vivifiod by the remarkable voyage of
Captain Hall, aud has gradually developed
into a fully matured and systematic plan. He
proposes to establish a colony that shall be a
permanent settlement in the far north abun-
dainty stocked with provisions, and appara-
tus and supplies for research ;sthe home of n
strong band of resoute men. BY the aid of
steam now found so Indispensable to Arctic
navigation, he believes he may safely locate
his colony far beyond the point fixed by DR..
Hayes; though the latter still holds to Fort
Foulie as an original base supplying any 9TH
er that may be fixed beyond. In Lady Frank
lin Bay on the west side of Robcson Channel,
in latitude 81 a., the Discovery found snug
quarters for the winter of 1896. A good
haven lay in the north side of the bay, said
by Captain Stephenson to be one of the finest
harbors in the world. 1t was sheltered by
hills 300 feet high, and was perfectly Sc
cure. A fine vein of coal cropped out close
by, and large game was quite abundant
This is the designated seat of the Howgate
Colony-surey not an unpromising one,
though well inside the eighties. 1t is desired
to station here at least fifty picked men who
have been regularly enlisted into the service
of the United States. Three commissioned
officers two surgeons an astronomer, and
two or more naturalsts will complete the
number. One or more substantial buildings
the materials for which will be taken thith-
er by ship, will furnish comfortable accom-
modations and with fuel at the very door,
and plentiful supplies-some three years
prorisions-in stock, with every appliance
for health and comfort that experience can
suggest, it would seem that life would be al
most as endurable and not much more imper-
lied than in some of the more exposed signal
stations in the United States 1t will be the
endeayor to visit this settlement yearly in or
der to supply all needs, to carry news from
home. to bring back the sick and discomfort
3D. and supply their places with fresh matcri-
al.
This much for the general outline. The
amount of detail is almost endless for such an
undertaking enough to appall the most pains
taking.
Two objects will be kept constantly in
view; one to reach the Pole, the other to
make careful investigations in every branch
of science possible. To facilitate the former
a full equipment of boats and sledges will be
provided and large number of trained and
healthy EsquimauX dogs procured, with suffi-
cient native drivers, who will also act as hun
tcrs to supply the colony with fresh animal
food. After everything is fairly settled at
Lady Franklin Bay it may be possible to form
a subsidiary depot at Cape Union, and per
haps others still to the north on the shore.
forming the sub-bases for further advances.
Large quantities of copper wire will be fur
nishod to form telegraphic communication
between outlying parties and the colony, and
a special contrivance has been invented to
take in certain cases the place of ordinary
batteries. The telephone also may find use
in this field. Balloons, though not relied up
on for transportation, may serve good pur-
pose when anchored for observation over
large tracts of ice and to mark out routes
while balloonsts may readily give the direc-
tion of the upper currents of air. Special
eNperimt nts to this end have been made by
experts both in this country and in France
to provide material best calculated to with
stand the effects of extreme cold. VI. de Four
vile, world-famou for his success i'll balloon
ing, has entered with the greatest enthusiasm
into the subject, and even solicited permis-
sion to join personally the expedition. This
new mode of Arctic research may indeed
prove more useful than we suspect in the
manner already pointed ont.
On the suppOsition that all works well. the
final dash for the Pole, whenever an oppor-
tune moment arrives, is thus planned The
four hundred miles to be crossed is to be di-
vided into eight stations, fifty miles apart.
Eight sledge- parties set out together, and up
on arriving at the allotted distance each sledge-
load of supplies is successively cdcAed, and
the party returns. Should success attend
them, a single sledge's company is left to
make the last fifty miles and stand on the
North Pole Of the earth This is a daring
anticipation but it will do no harm to plum
for success at least. For this final achieve
ment of what all hope for though few expect,
tolerably smooth ice-felds or open water
courses or, again, tracts of intervening land
must lend their friendly aid (; and it is not i'm
possible that some or all of these may be
found.