New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-14
ADVANTAGES OF ARCTIC EXPLORATION

RECORD OF THE rAsT-PRooFs OF A POLAR CON
TINENT-TALK WITH LIEUTENANT YOUNG
Lieutenant Lucen Young, now attached to
training ship Minnesota, lying at this port has been
much spoken of lately the possible commander OF
future Arctic expedition. For years Lieutenant Young
has ma the beet OF Arctic explorations his study
and he has gathered many facts bearing the question
In conversation with TRIBUNE reporter recently he
said; It would think be impossible to reach Lleuen-
ant Greeys station this fall winter Nor can Greedy
sedge south for along the shores of Smiths Straits are
highmountainsL overed with glacial formations and H.
passabe to sledgng parties. sledging expeditions at
any rate for any great distance ara mpractcabe on
account of the difficulty of carrying enough provisions
Dogs to drag the sledges of little help. They can
only be utilized on smooth places for they are weak ana
the hard part of the dragging has to be done 0y the men,
Greelys chance take to his boats and proceed down
the straits keeping in the channel which the warm cur
rent from the norhward keeps open to the ice barrier
by Cape York. 1 think he has done this, and will be
found either among Northern Danish settlements In
Greenland or at Luleton Island. Smiths Straits are
so narrow that the land both sides can be seen by
vessel sailing in them and Greedy would have no fear OF
missing any expedition sent to his relief
"How many expeditions have been sent TO the Arctic
regions I"
There have been $50 down to the expedition under
De Long The sum Of their determinations seems to be
that the Pole s surrounded by barrier which has
only been slightly ndented in or two places leaving
an unexplored region Of 100000 square miles"
"What do you think of the dangers Arctic explora
ton 2"
II DO not think that expeditions by the two best
known routes frAught with AS much danger as is
commonly supposed Only two Arctic expeditions have
ever been totally lost One the expedition under
Sir Hugh Wnloughby, who, owing to ignorance OF an
Arctic winter and inexperienced froze to death IA the
midst of plenty the coast Of Lapand in 1888 while
trying 10 find the Northeast passage. The other was
that Of Sir John Franklin and had Sir John had the
benefit OF the experience we now have and OF modern a
pances he never would have been lost The death rate
among those who have been 10 the Arctic region is not
Iii per cent There are now twelve expeditions In the
Arctic region end one In the AntaISuc lo'eIeG ny INC
following GOvernmentsi United States, Austria Den
mark France Great Britain. Germany, holland' Italy,
Norway and SW edeu and Russia"
40 you think that there Is an Arctic continent !"
t6ink that there Is land surrounding the Pole ana
that there kind OF vegetation there. There are
two poles Of greatest cold at Parry Island and tho
other In Northeast Siberia North OF these points the
cold dminsheS NOW the Wlld OWl or the lRhef Arctc
regions when winter comes on do not 20 south but north
There, somewhere in the unknown mysterious regions
they build their nests and hatch their young returning
south the spring These birds do not build nests on
gain the Gulf stream, as IS well known. after leaving
the OF America divides into three currents one or
them breaks the British Isles and gives them the tenn
perature OF New YORK. Auother goes aoAs the uor.l-
en coast OF Europe and Siberia and third sweeps north
ward along the eastern coast Of 6reenand un II meets
cold current OF greater sPecIHc gravity coming IIOl
north when IL sinks and becomes an under current
still running nOrthward. NON II Is only WLch the
waters OF the Gulf Stream meet with resistance that
they give their atcnt beat For Instance they
by tho Grand Bank but do not materially raise the tenn
perature there hut when the resistance OF the British
Isles is encountered the heat Is given on May not the
portion of the Gun Stream running north meet with the
obstruction Of land around the Pole, and coming the
surface aud giving on It's heat raise the temperature OF
the region very materially In support OF this theory
find Gulf stream water In Smiths Straits running south
believe that there IS land at the Pole aud Immortality Tor
the man who shall place his foot upon It."
OF what practical benefit TO mankind are Arctic ex-
plOratiOns f
The explorations OF Holland have opened to that
nation whale and seal fisheries that have I'll ed the Golfers
OF the Dutch FOR 200 years. There are undoubtedly
vast deposits OF coal in the Arctic regions Al the very
place where Greedy Is stationed there Is probably the
largest deposit OF anthracite coal in the world. The
CreOlyte mines OF Greenland the only ones in the
world no knows what stores OF precious metals may
discovered in those regions Besides this there
il the advancement OF science and the requirement OF
knowledge. Then there IA urging men on that
spirit which tempted Columbus to launch his carHvals
upon an unknown sea, spirit which carried NascO da
Cana around the phantom-hauEted Cape Of Good Hope
and led Magellan around the globe"