Smyrna times., 1882-04-26
System ltic Work in the North.

Austria's share in the international |
Polar scheme is the garrisoninc of San
NJ lyen Island III the Greenland Sea be-
tween Iceland and Spitzenbergem. The
scientific colony, consisting of six officers
and eight men, set sail from POa on the
81 instant, and after brief anchorares at
Gibraltar and Gravesend will probably
reach their destination late in July There
they will remain, certainly one year and
possibly two, until they can be called for
by a vessel from home The island lies
on list parallel of Morh latitude, grim,
barren and desolate as when it was first
deserted by Dutch whaler in 1911 The
cost of this expedition will be entirely met
by that enthusiast in Artic research.
Count WilcZek. after whom the main
shore in Franz Josef Land is named. The
equipment of the colony is said to he re-
markably complete, including many lux
ur.es as we'll al comforts to which expior-
ers IN high latitudes are strangers The
fact that the lamented Weyprecht, who
OriS iSinated the present scheme of inter
national exploration, was an Austrian has
given special impetus to this expedition,
All the fortunes of the scientists and sail
Ors who have volunteered for outpost
duty in the Far North will be followed
with anxious interest in Vienna
The two colonies sent out from the
United States have already passed their
Fl at winter at Port Barrow and Lady
FtankliA Bay. A Russian corps Of oh.
servers is now on the way to the Lena
delta. and it is possible that the original
programme will be carried out and a see
ond party be dispatched to Novaa Zcmlia
In Denmark preparations are making fUl
landing u colony this season on the Green
land coast. The German Geographica
; Societies have selected Cumberland Ba,
as their main station, and may also ioil
the Italian and French Governments il
Antarctic exploration. Sweden will IN
d0ubte.lly send out colony to Spitzbergen
where Nordenskiold aud Palander hav
. rendered such excellent service in pre-
vious years. Norway is to have serie
Of syst .matic observations ma le in one o
its nor hcrImOst villages, and Holland i
expected to dispatch ship to Port Dick
sDn. Eng 'and's share in the internationa
= undertaking is not fully defined but it i
not probable that its work will be cor
: fined to so low a atti udc as Fort Simpso
on the Mackenzie River. The search fO
: Leigh Smith in Franz J .I)sef l. IN is to b
prosecuted vigorously during the SUNNI .
and autumn, the Government havin
offered to subscribe $4,000 and the Rova
Geographical Socity $1,000 for that pui
d pose, and the re main Ter Of the funl bein
. already provided for. This errand q
it mercy may divert attention from the il
e ternational Polar scheme, hut as the eS
5 pedition will set out for latitude as hig
e rs that of Lady Franklin Bay, its scientif
e observations, supplemented by Leig
IS Smiths, if that intreped yachtsman h;
it with his usual good fortune escaped til
e dangers of the Artic seas, will be avaiIab
IA for comparison with those made simult:
N neously by the scientific colonies
l. The year promises to be very activ
le one within the Polar belts. There will b
II no foolhardy attempts to cope with til
5 irresistible ice pressures of the Artic pac
a. no drifting excursions toward the Pol
:; Currents, temperatures, tides and ic
r; formations will be studied by traine
e. observers of as many as ten nations; an
when the results oftheir scientific observ
tions are compiled, a new direction ma
10 be given to the course of Artic explor
~ tion.-N. Y Tribune.