National Republican., 1885-10-21
MELv1LLE,s roLAR scnEMr.
Hc Wants over 800, 600 to Locate tho
Place Due North.

NEW IonK, Oct. 2o-"Mclvlllc has lately
been trying to get up an expedition" said
Lieut. Schwatka, of(er denying that he was
himself was engaged In any such project. "Bitt
doubt about his starting, for he asks from SiDl..
coo TO tljOCm, believe from patrons, aud
think that Is too large sum ~ be raised for
such purpose, and an appropriation for seek
ing the pole Is a good deal like making appro.
priotions for fireworks. Besides thcr0 can be
no material gain IN discovering the north pole
unless you can find tho south pole rs we'll
aud our ships have been nowhere as near tho
latter MS the former"
"Whntare Engineer Mclyille's plans2"
Ills object Is purely polc'seeking and to get
nearer the pole than any one else has been. II
is quito natural that, niler having been n sub
ordinate officer In one expedition that failed,
he should want TO be commander Of one cx.
10 Franz Joscfs Land by vessel aud beyond
that point by means Of scdgeS. | also think
That This is the best way, anil indeed. what
expeditions, will, believe, be done by scdses."
The Statements that the natives are objected
TO for nid because they eat so much, aud nj.
ways demand full rations before starting out on
days journey, are not true. The Eikimo
can do more hard work and fast n longer time
Than nc whites They arc like Indians In this
rcs,PSSeci,:",,, .,,., ....,,,..r.,-
Melville proposes be quite dangcrOusg
Yes; even to reach Franz Joscrs Land.
only two vessels ever got there aud got away
IRON IRON y safely ana two reached 1t only to be
DO you disapproyc entirely OF further polar
expeditions"
ny no means. II Is m unfortunate idea
that the public has that all expeditions to the
Arctic regions are polc.scckinE. This Is not
the case. There are number OF expeditions
now proposed, with the object of scientific dis.
covcrlos, chronological knowledge, aud the es.
tablishmCnt OF meteorological stations, which
believe are worthy of full support, aud who's,
results would be most valuable. One of these
Il the establishment OF n magnetic north pole.
IL would be a splendid achievement, an i'm.
portont data to which TO refer aud Of great
value TO navigation This point should be bo.
tween King Williams Land and Victoria
Land, nt n place about fifty to one hundred
point Of King Williams Land. It Il never Hes has
been reached by ship all such attempts hay
ing failed. II would have to be reached by II
slcdge party. have been in sight of the
place myself, when the compass failed to
work, the needle remaining wherever placed"
OusY'
"Ccrtainly. The mortality about the mag
netic pole has been 50 per cent. of all who went
there. Sir John Franklin, who reached the
spot, lost l25 men there. But 1t would be with
Il definite, practical object in view. Tho cost
of such an expedition would be probably not
over $4,000 or $4,000 When went there in
lS1S-S0, II was to the same point and ut cost
of only 5000. But Tor the purpose fine dip.
needle wou d have to be taken, and that would
cost ns much as my whole expedition To nc.
complish this bect those who went would not
have TO remain at the point where the station
was to be established more than two weeks or
monlh-only long enough to settle upon the
exact spot. Then the gain in determining
from this magnetic curves elsewhere, aud the
establishment of "A determined magnetic pole,
would be of great value. Magnetism is coming
In as force and power everywhere, and to dc.
termine any point of terrestrial magnetism
would Ue Il great event.