The new North-west., 1881-03-25
A SEARCH EXPEDITION.

While interest IN poitlcs, religion anu oth-
er equally interesting topics may die ont for
brief period TO be renewed soften as State
or National elections occur, or religious re-
vivals be held the desire to navigate the open
Polar Sea is aproject which does not become
wearisome to countries, capitalists or North
Pole enthusiasts. Since the discovery OF
America by Columbus, Amerigo Vespucci or
the numerous Others whose ancestry claim
the honor of being descendants Of; since the
days of him who was ready to die because
there remained no more worlds 10: him TO
conauer; since DR.. Franklin gave his life in
the cause of science, the desire TO explore un-
known regions has been uppermost IN
thoughts Of men experienced as navigators
or to those whose knowledge had been con-
fined to duck ponds, or to those whose means
enabled them 10 thus sguander fortunes. Pro-
fessor Nordenskjold, an account Of whose
"trip we published for the first time In Eng
lish has been one Of the most successful
travellers in the land of the Polar bear, and the
reading Of trials undergone by him and his
men would alone be sufficient to deter many
brave man from the undertaking of simi-
| lar venture.
II Is not difficult to remember when the
Jeanette, furnished and fitted out for an
Arctic expedition by James Gordon Bennett,
set sail for the regions Of the undiscovered
North Pole. Sufficient time having elapsed
| in which TO know something definite of the
results of the expedition and no tidings com
ing, 1t Is now proposed to fit out All expedi'
ton to search for the Jeanette. An appro'
pria,ien, of, we believe, SITE, 600, was made
by Congress for this purpose. 1t was intima
ted that the Herdldproprietor himself would
enter upon the search but later advices have
failed to confirm the rumor. The Board o.
naval officers, Of which Rear Admiral Rodger
|. chairman, appointed to consider plans 70
the Jeanette search expedition, met II
Washington on the 10Th and heard state
ment of Prof. Maury upon wind and cur
rent phenomena in the Arctic regions. Hi
opinion was heard with great respect, bearing
as II does upon the search route which tn
commander of the Helen and Mary will proh
ably follow. That which enabled the Boar
for the first time to definitely consider tn
perils of the expedition came in a lette
from Mrs. De Long, wife of Lieutenant ID
Long, commander Of the Jeannette, who Ell
, closed extracts from her husband letters, q
, to the course he would pursue in the ever
that he would be situated favorably for sue
movements. The first probabilities wer
3 cancelled by the last letter from Lieutenar
r De Long, written at st. Lawrence Bay,
: which time he had heard Of the safety, up
/ the time of writing, of Nordenskjold's exp
e dition. II he had not heard Of this succe
i In his northern voyage he would have bee
q tempted to proceed more to the west
n Wrangell's Land and endeayored to esta
n lish shore communication at every favorab
point. As he progressed, he said, he wou
= build cairns In which he would place info
= nation indicative of her northward iourne
!. This information enables the Board to CO
= clude at once upon the details Of the scar
a expedition, aud henceforth the labor will
Or 70 make the outfit as complete as possib
no The officers and crew will not probably
a. ceed 50 men-six officers and 20 seamt
re The minimum number is deemed best In
"a event the search expedition should fall
with the exploring party and ind them
of food or scantily provided. The commar
" er has not yet been decided upon, but \
w understood that he will be assigned In
'' days from among the number Of vo!unt
" applicants in order that he may devote d
81 selfto arranging the time for better st'
'i- of the dangers he will have to risk In
'es Arctic voyage, The commandant at
o' Mare Island navy yard has been INSTRUCTED
W. make an iHventoly.of the articles on oo
~ the Helen and Mary, which vessel Is nov
nc his charge, and dreport the same without
" lay to the Secretary Of the Navy, to en'
the Board to decide what may be utilize'
the cruise. Other details In reference TO
'"s clothing and supplies of the crew, the pre-
N' ration of charts, and all information
~, y. practical bearing will be proceeded with
i' that the outfit may be as complete as pt
hlQ