Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-06-24
THE ARCTIC COLONY.
Details of the Expedition Under
Lieutenant Greedy, u. =. A.


WASHINGTON, June % The Gree
ly Arctic colony expedition may be
considered as the outcome of the la
bors Of Count Wilczek and Lieutenant
WeypFecht, of Austria, together with
the sending forth of the Jeanette.
Asa result Of Lieutenant Weypresehts
abroad three information polar con-
fereuces have been held-one in Rome
in 1878. the second at Hamburg, IN
October, 1879, and a third at Berne
in 1880. A fourth conference will be
held at st. Petersburg in August,
1881. In previous conferences the
United States has been unrepresented,
although invitations have been regu
larly extended to it. Owing to the
renewed interest in Polar matters, it
is probable that General Hazen, chief
signal officer Of the army, will attend
this year as the representative Of this
government.
THE CIRCLE OF OBSERVATIONS.
At the conference held at Ham
burg, October l to 5, 1879, a well
organized plan of scientific work was
elaborated and agreed on by the
representatives of Austria, Holland,
Germany, Norway. Sweden, Great
Britain, Denmark, France and Russia.
1t was agreed that the expeditionary
forces should be sent out so as to make
one year observations simultaneously
throughout the Arctic circle. Two
classes of observations we're planned,
the first to be obligatory on each
nation agreeing to the plan, and the
second class was to be elective. No
nation agreeing to establish station
was to be held bouad until eight sta
tions we're promised. 1t was agreed
that the observations should com.
mence July l, 1880, and continue not
less than one year. Russia agreed to
establish one station at the mouth of
the Lena and second on New 81
IBERIA island Norway, one at North
Cape; Sweden, one on Spitzbergen
Holland, ono at the mouth of the gulf
Of Oh; Austria, on Nova Zembla and
Denmark at Upernavik. The United
States, it was hoped, would establish
a station at Point Barrow, and, if
practicable, at some point in the North
American archipelago. Lady Frank
lin Bay was the point finally decided
on. Germany was also asked to estab-
lish station on the island of Jan
Mayen. AS but seven stations were
pledged in 1880 action was deferred
until 1881, when at Berne the inter-
national Polar conference decided to
no longer wait for the United States
but agreed to establish the seven sta.
tons above named in 1882. About
the same time congress made the APP
preparation asked for by Secretary
Ramsey, and the Lady Franklin Bay
expedition was then assured.
PERSONNEL OF THE EXPEDITION.
Lieutenant Greedy, an army officer
Of twenty years service in the volun-
teer and regular establishments, who
has for the past six years been a stu
dent of Arctic work, was selected for
the command. His experience OF
twelve years in the signal service, par
ticularly in compiling observations
aud in predicting the weather, have
been such as to qualify him for the |
scientific part Of the work. His selec |
ton Of men and officers has been |
made from volunteers Of the army, |
and no one has been taken who does
not bring sure guarantees Of being a |
useful member Of the party. Lieu
tenants .Kislingbury and Lockwood |
are young men Of long and varied SER
vice on the frontier, accustomed to |
exposure and hardships incident to |
such life. There is scarcely man |
OF the party who is not a hunter, a
first class shot and fond Of an outdoor
life.