Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-11-18
PUSHING INTO ARCTIC ICE.
Many Recent Efforts to Reach the Sibe-
rian Rivers by sea.

From the Net0 York Sun.
A very wealthy Russian named NJ. ST.
beriakof has made himself famous by his
persistent and costly efforts to demon
strate that trade route can be opeued
through a part of the Arctic ocean. His
experiments have cost hundreds OF thous-
snds Of dollars, but no reverse has vet
discouraged MIN, and year after year he
repeats mis- attempt to send steam yes sels
from Europe to the mOu BIS of two of the
great rivers Of Siberia on the shores OF
the Arctic ocean.
TIE thing has been done several times,
and what NJ, Siberiakotf believes and has
been trying to demonstrate is that every
ear European freight can be taken BY
steamer 10 the Oh and YenIsei rivers. and
t1rn through those great streams to the
Slhe.ia settlements on their banks, the
vessels returning 10 Europe laden
win Asiatic produce. Of course
II this route were practicable it
would make the rich products and
the population Of North Asia far more
accessible TO the merchants of Western
Europe than they can be by any other
route. In 1915 NOrdenskjold reached the
Ienesei in little vessel, steamed up the
river Tor some distance, and returned to
Europe in the same season convinced that
late every summer II was practicable to
reach the Oh aud Yenisei. Then followed
bis famous voyage along the entire north
coast OF Asia. Nj. SiDeriak0tf bore part
OF the cost, and his steamer, the Lena,
accompanied NOrdenskjold to the Lena
river, which it assembled TO Yakutsk.
N0rdenskJOld came home more firmly
than ever persuaded that steam vessels
could reach the great Siberian rivers
every summer.
Every year since 1879 NJ. SiberiakOff has
dispatched expeditions from Europe for
the OBJ and Yenisei rivers. Only one OF
mis- vessels has reached its destination
That was the steamer Oscar Dickson,
which reached the Oh in the fall of 1880.
but in the following year, before she had
started on her return trip, she was crush
ed in the ice and sank. Nothing daunted
NJ. SiheriakOd loaded the steamer Nor
denskjOid with English merchandise and
sent her of, with instructions to return
the following season with cargo of
Asiatlc produce which he had sent
down the Yenisei 10 meet his vessel.
The NordenskiOld found the ice barrier IN
the Kara Sea imDenetrahle, and had To
put back % Europe. In 1881 the indomlt-
able Russian sent three steam vessels on
the same voyage. He had established a
merchandise depot at SastOrOYski, on the
lenisei, and he sent the steamer Oh TO
ply between that point anG the mouth of
the river. The NOrdenskinld also steamed
away well loaded. and hoped to return
richly ireighted the following year. The
third vessel took out materials to build
large warehouse AT the south
end OF Nova Zemhla. where in bad ice
years, steamers that failed to push through
the great ice fields could unload their car
goes instead Of taking them back to Eu-
rope. The warehouse was erected, but
none OF the vessels reached the Siberian
rivers. IL was in this exceptionally bad
ice season that the exploring vessels
DImphna and Varna were caught in the
foes of Kara Sea. The Narna went to the
bottom, and the Djmphna had TO return
10 Europe in damaged condition.
N. S'beriakon's ventures IN the Arctic
Ocean have now cost him about $500, 600.
He has not received q dollar In return.
Only one Of his vessels has reached the
rivers, and IL was crushed in the ice pack
before IL turned homeward. Still the Rus
sian millionaire does not seem djscOur-
aged. His vessels set out as regularly as
the seasons come around. In July last he
started himself from Archangel on
the Nordenski0ld, but, in conse,
quence Of the compact masses Of
ice 40 the Kara sea. be had TO return. He
had recently been impressed with 2 new
idea, and perhaps IL will dislOdgp the rul.
ing passion thar has cost him 80 much
money. He has this summer been build.
Ing wagon road between Plethora,
which Is point in Russia on the Arctic
ocean, and q naviRlble aillucnt Of the Oh
river. and he is confident that hy this
means he will greatly ihcilitate commerce
between Siberia ana W pstern Europe.