The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-12-22
SALT LAKE DAILY HERALD. THURSDAY. DECEMBER o.

Wrangle Land proved nothing. except
that she was kept of. the coast by ice.
Other vessels have been oHt for years
and returned safely. The Victory. for
instance, commanded by Sir John Ross,
and the Investigator, commanded by Sir
Robert Mcclure. Ny opinion has been
all along that the Jeanette was some
where north of Grinnelps land.
| thought that after leaving Behring Straits
she had probably been caught in
the ice and had been carried east by the
circum-solar current, which goes north
Of Sweden, then north Of Asia, then past
America, and finally down the eastern
coast Of Greenland. If any expedition
was to be sent after her / thought the
way for it would be through Behring's
Strata. The fact that two of the chips
boats landed near the mouth Of the river
Lena. shows, however, that the Jeanette
must have steered more to the wess than
thought she would. Probably she found
more open channels in that direction, and
so went west and north, instead OF
directly north. How she was crushed, OF
course, we can only surmise. The men
may have gone considerable distance
in their boats. [ think that the third
boat Will yet be heard from. You see,
travelling in the Arctic regions is much
safer than people suppo,e it is. The per-
centage Of lives lost in Arctic explorA-
items is OH. Henry Wolton Griraell.
whose father sent out Two expeditions,
came to see me this afternoon. He said
he thought it was much safer to go to
the Arctic ses than it was 10 stay and try
to or oss New York streets every day
The loss Of the Jeannette, however, is an
argument in favor o!my theory as to the
best route to The north pole. There are
three ways, you know Smiths Sound,
Bebring Straits and the Spitzbergen
route. North of Behring Strait the
water is shallow, and the deep ice apt to
stick on the bottom, making the psssaI G
difficult. In the Spitzbergen route the
ice was so thick that the Dutch expedi-
ton under Barentz was unable to ge.
through it at all, and think as most
Americans do, that Smiths Sound route
is the safest and most practicable. By the
wa7, my plan 10 reach the north pole with
Lieutenant Sehwatke, is receiving much
support A committee will DO formed
in this city soon TO cooperate with q
British committee, and among others,
Grinnell has promised to be member.
De has offered to act as secretary. This
afternoon it was decided to name my
chip after his father.
Washington 2I.-The secretary OF
state and secretary of the navy had q
conference, this afternoon. as to the best
method to be pursued in reference to the
steamer Jeanette. and agreed that the
only thing to be done at present was to
telegraph the United States minister at
st. Petersburg to request the Russion
government to furnish all the assistance
in their power, pecuniarily andIotherwise,
towards bringing the survivors to place
Of communication so that they might be
enabled to reach home. The question
Of sending the steamer Rodgers, now in
winter quarters at St. Lawrence Bay, 10
search of the missing crew of TIE
steamer Jeanette, was discussed at the
navy department, and the conclusion
was reached that such an expedition
would be unpracticable until spring.