Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1881-06-08
Wednesday Morning. June 8, 1881.
THE SEARCH FOR THE NORTH POLE

THE SEARCH FOR THE NORTH POLE.
Why anybody should want to risk his life
| in attempting to reach the North Pole is one
| of the puzzles but great many have both
risked and lost their lives in such attempts,
and it may be that before it is reached many
| more will fall victims to the ambition.
Still, each new scheme is interesting, and the
plan to attain the desired end by progressive
| steps in colonization seems as promising as
any that has been proposed. Next week
Wednesday, it is expected the expedition
which has been preparing in this country will
| sail from St. Johns, Newfoundland, for the
Greenland seas The expedition is COM
manded by Lieutenant Greeley, of the Fifth
cavalry. Lieutenant Kishngbury is second
officer. 1t is to be a government colony, to
camp out and locate, for one winter at least,
10 the desolate regions of upper Greenland.
in order to get acclimated Then they are
expected to push on and camp for another
winter if necessary, the original plan being
to send out another colony to take the de-
serted camp and go through the same pro-
cess, it, III turn, being followed by third,
while the first two are pushing on. The
government colony will consist of three
officers, fifteen soldiers, four scientists, one
naturalist, two surgeons and one photograph
er-twenty-six men in all. They expect to
land in Lady Franklin bay, 81 40 north lat
itude, late in August. This is far up in
Smiths sound, the bay being on the conti-
mental side, in Grinnel Land, and about as
far up as men have ever penetrated. Here
the ship will leave the colony in Lady
Franklin bay, with supplies for three years,
and return Immediately to the United States,
after which the government will send ship
to the colony each year with supplies and
ammunition.
In recent interview Lieutenant Kisling-
bury said Landing late in the summer,
the colony will have ample time in which to
prepare themselves home station. put up
huts, arrange portable houses and make
ready for the long and dreary six months of
night, which will soon thereafter settle down
upon them. When this protracted night
shall be succeeded by the day, the explorers
will move one and perhaps two degrees fur
ther upon their voyage overland, then pro-
viding a second home station, where
they will await the coming of another night
On the occasion of the second days dawn af-
ter their landing, they expect to make bold
and final dash to gain the object of their ex-
pedition. and to return to their second home
station, where the third long night will be
spent. Then the return to the final station |
will follow, and at the end of three years the |
colony hope to return home in government |
vessel.'' Full arrangements for the over
land expedition have been arranged by DIR. |
Pavy, in Greenland, who has been there |
year and has become acclimated. The Esqui- |
maux outfits and guides are already provided |
and prepared for the part which they are ex- |
pectsd to perform in the expedition The |
object of the exploration is to make observa-
tions, astronomical and geographical, to as
certain whether Greenland is an island or a
peninsula, to explore territory, and, if posi-
BILE, to discover the proposed channel leading
around and into Behring Straits, which may
lead to the discovery and location of the
mystical North Pole.
Even if the North Pole is not reached by |
s'boId and final dash," it is possible, not to
say probable, that important discoveries may
be made by this expedition. Its progress
will be watched with deep interest.