Smyrna times., 1890-07-30
Another Attempt to Solve the
North Pole Mystery.
A NORWEGIAN ExP1oRER's PROJECT.

NORWEGIAN EXPLORERS PROJECT.
Naval officers and scientists in Wash
ingtOn are taking great deal of in
terest in the proposed Norwegian
Arctic expedition which is to set out
under the lead of NJ. Fritbjof Nansen
in 1892. The Norwegian National AS
sembly has voted 100000 kroner to de-
fray the expenses of the expedition,
and NJ. Nansen proposes to follow the
Behring sea route attempted by the
ill-fated Jeanette in 1879. He will
have boat of 17O tons displacement
built according to the most approved
plans, and will carry provisions and
coal for five years. He will be ac-
companied by only 10 or 12 men. He
is an experienced Arctic traveller, and
his explorations of Northern Greenland
have added much to the knowledge of
that great Arctic island. 1t is his pur-
pose to take the course through Behr-
ing strait followed by the Jeanette,
and taking to the ice in the neighbOr-
hood of Herald Island, trust to the
currents and the drift of the ice to
carry him north and approximately
across the north pole. If there is
current from Behring strait across the
Polar sea toward the east coast of
Greenland NJ. Nansen has some reason
to hope for success, but at present
very little is known about the Arctic
currents.
In June, 1884, three years after the
Jeanette was abandoned north of the
mouth of the Lena river, in Siberia,
there were found near Julianshaab, in
Greenland, number of articles that
were supposed to have belonged to the
Jeanette and which are now in pos
session of the Danish Geographical So
ciety. These articles have never been
positively identified, though Chief En-
gineer Melville wrote to the society on
learning of the discovery, suggesting
that the relics be sent to Washington
in care of the Danish consul, for iden-
tification by himself and other surviv-
ors of the expedition They were
never sent, however, and Chief Engin-
eer Melville, judging from descriptions
he has received of them, IS inclined to
doubt their genuineness.
Admitting, however that the relics
did come from the Jeanette, the ques-
ton arises as to how they got to Julian
shaab. M. Nansen believes that they
were carried directly across the Polar
sea to the northward OF Franz Josef
Land, and in the immediate neighbor.
hood of the pole itself. Chief Engineer
Melville, however, is inclined to the
belief that if the relics are genuine
they made their way to the westward
and probably passed to the southwark
Of Franz Josef Land. 1t is certain that
there is slight current westerly and
northerly from the point where they
Jeanette took the ice to where she
was abandoned, but where it flows
after reaching this point is a question
that remains to be solved. 1t is posi-
BILE that it splits and part of it flows to
to the nOrthward and around the
northern limit of Franz Josef Land,
while the rest of it flows south of that
island along the coast of Siberia and
Russia. Nothing is known about the
extent of Franz Josef Land to the
north, and this is one of the unknown
quantities with which NJ. Nansen will
have to contend. If he or any of lis
party return alive from their expedi-
ton it is probable that they will add
much to the present very slight know
ledge of Arctic currents and the drift
eff Arctic ice.
On the last cruise of the Thetis into
Behring sea and the Arctic ocean En-
sign Edward Simpson made careful
study of the movements of ice and
ocean currents. He found the current
which carried the Jeanette northwest
setting over past Herald Island, but it
was not traced any further. A current
was also traced from Behring strait
nOrtheasterly along the coast of British
America as far as the mouth of the
Mackenzie river, which was the east
ern limit of her cruise. On the way
from the Mackenzie river to Herald
Island the Thetis threw overheard at
noon each day a heavy oak block, in a
hole in which was a hermetically
sealed can containinga record of the
date, with latitude and longitude. It
is hoped that some of these blocks will
be picked up and will furnish valuable
information as to the direction of the
rent.-BGltimOr S,tu.