New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-11-08
FROM VRAYGELL ISLAND.

FROM WRANGELL ISLAND.
The Rodgers has had nothing but smooth sail
ing on the Behring Strait meridian. She has
not only effected a landing at various points on
the mysterious shores of Wrangell Land, but
has circumnavigated it, thus proving that 1t Is
an island about sixty miles In length, CORE
spending in size to the largest of the Siberian
group known as the Ljakhov Islands No
traces of the Jeanette were found at any
point the search being made under the most
favorable circumstances. The evidence seems
conclusive that Captain De Long, so far from
wintering there as he had talked of doing, did
not even land there, for if he had done so he
would have erected some conspicuous cairn
which would have been easily discovered by
the Rodgers. When last spoken the Jeanette
WAS heading for WTangel Land, and ii is safe
70 assume that her commander would have
landed there if il had been possible to reach the
shore. II was an unknown land which had
been dimly deserted by Kellett and Nrangcll,
but had never been visited by American or
European navigators. Even if time had been
precious and open water ahead had lured him
northward, Captain De Long could not have
resisted the temptation toland there and leave
q landing had been practicable. If he did not
land there, it was because he could not do 1t.
The presumption is that Wrangcll Land can
only be closely approached during short
period Of an exceptionally open season. The
Rodgers appears to have experienced niue
difficulty in sailing around it and III landing
boats crews at various points; but 1t was not
until she was abreast of the southernmost head
land that the COrwin, cOasting along the eastern
edge only few weeks before, had been able to
force her way through the barrier OF ice heavily
banked against the shore. 1t is probable that
CAPTAIN Dc Longs experience was similar 20
that of Captain Hooper, and that be was unable
to send single boats crew ashore. The open
water noithward which the COrwin as well as
the Rodgers found this autumn, undoubtedly
drew him away from an inaccessible island,
where he could not find a harbOr for Wintcring.
1t is the common experience of whalcrs IN that
oUartcr of the Arctic basin that IN September
the sea is uniformly clear of ice in that di-
reclion There is every reason to believe
there was open water in that latitude II Sep
tembcr, 1879, and as Captain De Long had
announced his intention of advancing on that
meridian rs far as he could 20, the natural in
convincing himself that Wrangell Land was an
island of limited extent, and that he could not
90 into winter quarters there.
From this point the fate of the Jeanette
passes ont of the range Of inherent prObabili-
ties, and becomes matter of simple conjecture.
She may have traycrscd wide open sea and
reached a harbor on one of those unknown
coasts 20 which the birds that are seen at Cape
Barrow early every summer apparently wing
their flights. She may have been caught in
the pack and been driven along by the north |
currents toward Mcclure Strait. In |
either case the exceptionally open season which |
is now drawing to a close would have facilitated |
her escape if she had remained scaworthy. II |
she had wintcrcd near The Bchring Strait mcrid |
ian, and her crew had occupied themselves |
during the second season in explorations to- |
ward the Pole, the open sea would have given |
her cgrcSs under extremely favorable condi- |
tons. II she had Teen carried toward Melville |
Sound in the pack, rs Captain Hooper believes
she has been, she could not have had better
season for breaking away from the Ice and ac
complishng what Mcclure did not succeed in
complete circuit of the Northwest
Passage in a single ship. Yet it must not be
forgotten that Mcclure, entering Melville Sound
after a passage from Bchring Strait, was inn
beddcd in the ice for three years, and wOuld
have persisted there rs miscrably rs Sir John
Franklin il he had not been rescued 10y relief
vessels from Lancaster Sound. If the Rodgers
remains until another season in the quarter
where she now is, the most important line OF
search viii be followed but the contingency OF
and starvation in that dcsolatc re-
son. where expedition after expedition
searched for Sir John Franklin and m5 men,
must also be provided for. Congress should
therefore take measures this winter to
send one at least, and possibly two, vessels to
Melville Sound 10y way of Baln's Bay.