National Republican., 1883-09-20
EXPEDITIONS TO THE POLE.
The Efforts Made to Penetrate the Frozen
Regions Of the North.
All OF which Have Failed and Many
Ended i'm Disaster.

In 1497 John and Sebastian Cabot projected
q voyage to the north pole. They went as
far as so 30 north. The next explorers
were the Cortereal brothers, who made three
voyages, extending to 6Oo north, and result
ing in a failure of the objects of their voy-
ages and loss Of life of number Of their
party. In 1858 Sir Hugh Willoughby was
sent out to find northwest passage to India.
He went as far as the mouth of the Arzina,
In Lapland, where he and his whole GROW
perished. In 1876, extending to 1873, Martin
Froleisher made three trips toward the north
pole. He reported the discovery of the en-
trance to Hudson and Froleisher straits, which
lead into Hudson's bay. In 1886 Davis made
voyage north, and discovered the strait
which bears his name VIM. Barentz made
three voyages toward the north pole in
1594J96, but made no new discovery.
In 1907 Henry Hudson, under the auspices
of the Muscovy company, set out on an expe-
dition with orders TO steer directly toward
the north pole. He advanced beyond lati-
tude 500, between Greenland and Spitzbergen,
and returned, reporting that passage in that
direction was impracticable He repeated his
explorations next year with the same prac-
ticable results, and on his passage back dis
covered the Bay of New York and the great
river which flows into it, and which now bears
his name.
Hudson tried fourth expedition but with
out success. In 1916 Bafin explored the bay
bearing his name.
Behring's expedition in 1741 was another
failure, his vessels being wrecked. In 1920
the Prussian expedition of Won Wrangell and
Angon started. They penetrated to latitude
700 81 north, longitude 1879 25' west, and in
their report said there was an open sea north.
Other expeditions were sent, but the next one
of importance was in 1918, under command of
Capt. Ross and Lieut.. Parry, to discover the
northwest passage; the other under Capt.
Buchan and Lieut.. (Sir John) Franklin to
penetrate to the north pole. They returned,
aftera three years. cruise, without accomplish
ing their object
In May, 1924, Parry's expedition sailed.
The only object gained by this disastrous ex-
pedition was contrivance whereby the COM
pass was made to work perfectly under all
circumstances and in all places, no matter
how near the magnetic pole, thus obviating u
most serious difficulty in Arctic navigation.
Next comes Franklin's expedition. They
arrived at Fort Chipewyan in July, 1926.
The ice on which they travelled moved to the
south in body about as fast as they could
move northward and on reaching $50 AS
they gave up their attempt to reach the pole.
They returned from this most dscouraging
and laborious expedit ion Aug. 81, 1927.
In April, 1881, Capt. Ross on a sledging ex-
pedition for the first time reached and fixed
the position Of the true magnetic pole. The
spot was in lat. 100 s. 1T' and long. go AZ
45". Scurvy appearing among tho crew it
was deemed best to abandon the ship, and
with the boats on sledges to make for the
place of the Fury former wreck. After most
incredible hardships they reached this spot
July /, 1882, having left their ship April %.
After passing over several disastrous expedi-
tions of minor importance we come to the
last voyage Of Sir John Franklin. The
achievement of q northwest passage was his
life dream. The Erobus and the Terror, long
tried in active navigation, were the vessels
chosen for the voyage. Sir John Franklin
commanded the Erebus, and Capt. Richard
Crozier the Terror. They sailed May 10,
1S45 On July 26 1S45, they were seen by q
whale ship in lat. 74o 49, and long. $50 13 =,
about the center of Bafin's bay, moored to an
iceberg and awaiting an opening into Lam
caster sound. This is the last time they were
ever seen.
Toward the close of 1s47, nothing having
been heard of the expedition, alarm was felt
for their safety, and early the following year
(1SiS) three different expeditions for succor
were dispatched by the British government,
but met with no success. The following sum-
mer 1S50) the two vessels re-explored the
same ground, but again without meeting with
any traces of Franklin. The Plover was left
to winter in Grantley harbor and the Herald
returned home. Meantime part of the land
party, under Sir John Richardson, reached
the Polar sea Aug. a, 1S4s, making deposits of
pemmican by the way, along Mackenzie river.
The next summer (1849) DIR. Rae explored the
shores of Wollaston sound, and in 1850 he re-
peated his explorations, but with no success.
In 1S4S the third expedition, under command
of Sir James Ross sailed from England, but
returned, November, 1949, without having
fallen upon any traces of ofFranklin. In March,
1Si9, the British government gave notice that
100000 would be awarded to any private ex-
ploring party of any country, which should
render efficient aid to the missing explorers.
In 1850 three new expeditions were sent out
by tho British government with instructions
mainly identical with those of 1913. In 1850
no fewer than eight expeditions were sent
out.
The Lady Franklin, also fitted out by Lady
Franklin and commanded by Capt. Penny
sailed also in 1856. There were now no less
than eleven vessels in the eastern Arctic
waters.
Capt. Ommaney, of the Assistance, came
upon the first traces of the missing mariners
at Cape Riley, Aug, %, 1850. The graves of
three men belonging to the Erebus and
Terror were found which bore date ofthe win
ter OF 1856. Singularly not all this searching
brought to light any document which could
give the slightest trace of the future inten-
tions of the party. The conclusion drawn
from the failure of all the expeditions was
that Franklin had never reached so far south
as the American mainland or the peninsulas
connected with 1T, Sir Edward Belcher was
sent out in April, 1852, in command of five
vessels-the Assistance, Resoute, North Star,
Pioneer, and Intrepid The expedition of
BelCher found no traces of Franklin, but sue
ceeded in rescuing Mcclure, of the invesJiga-
tors who had sailed in 1S49 in search of
Franklin. There were also saved his ships
company, who had been buried in the Arctic
ice since the summer of 1850, three years.
These returned home with Belcher, abandon
ing their ship, and are thus the first and only
ships company who ever entered Behring
strait and returned to Europe by Bafiin's bay
This established at last the great
fact that there is u continuous passage by
water from Batlin's bay To Behring's strait,
parallel with the coast of the American con.
tinent. In the spring of 1854 the five vessels
composing the expedition were abandoned
their crews taken ON board the North Star
the Ph9niX, and Talbot, and the entire party
arrived ia England September, 1854. Dir,
Kane the American explorer sailed in tho
Advance from New York May 80, 1858 His
winter harbOr was farther north than that of
any previous expedition. After untold hard
ships and priVations, sickness, blindness, and
all the ills that flesh is heir to, they were
rescued by Capt. Hartstene, commanding the
expedition composed of the two vessels the
Release and the steamer Arctic. He found
Kane aud his crew ut Upernavik, and re-
turned with them TO the United States in the
fall of 1866. In 1860 Capt. Charles +. Hall
left New London, Conn., in whale
ship to make search for Sir John
Franklin and his men. On Sept. 30
Hall returned. In 1864 he again sailed for
the Arctic countries He did not however