Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-10-18
The Arctic Campaign.

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The Arctic Campaign.
In spite Of the pessimistic literature re-
carding polar research with which the
country was flooded after tho rescue OF
the survivors OF the GnxrLY and Janeatte
expeditions. the Arctic campaign promises
10 DO vigorously conducted during the
next ,hroe or four years. NASsES is making
ready to visit the North Pole if he can
strike favoring current. PEAnY is in the
frozen zone pushing towards the northern
terminus OF Greenland. RYDER is bent on
completing the map OF the east coast of
that country, and last but not least En-
ROLL. a Norwegian. is organizing an expe-
dition having for It's object the attain
ment of the same end "a that of NASsEN's,
though he will adopta different and some
what original method of travel.
EKRoLIs' plan, and il has the encourage
ment and support of some OF the leading
students of Arctic conditions. is TO es-
tablish in the summer of 1893 on the east
coast of Spitzbergen q depot of supplies
and then work noftheastward across the
sea 10 Petcrmann Land. the extreme
known northern portion OF Franz Josef
Land. His party will embrace FIVE men in
addition 10 himself. and his transportation
equipment will consist Of six small sledges
drawn by dogs. The originality of the
plan consists largely. however. in
the fact that whenever he encoun-
ters leads OF open water the SIX
sledges can he quickly converted into ono
large boat, which may be propelled either
BY sail or oars. and in case of threatened
nip" he as quickly restored to their
original forms. From Petermann Land
ENROLL proposes TO make straight for the
Polo, AMI, should he reach it. will return
ria the east or west coast Of Greenland.
depending for supplies upon the caches
left by the MARKHAM. the GREELy, and
other expeditions. His nearest points OF
supply from the Pole would be M,RKHAMs
Farthest North" and Lady Fran kiln Bay.
Should he be pressed back by physical or
other obstacles before attaining his object
he will retreat on his stores at Spitz-
bergen.
OF course thore are not q few who pro-
nounce EKEoIL's scheme impracticable
The same, however. was said regarding
NANsKS's scheme TO cross Greenland when
il was first broached. Nevertheless. NAN
SEN did cross Greenland and brought the
skeptics to grief. OF course, also, there
are others who will PROFOUND the question
cn bono. The answer to that IS that no
one can know until the Pole has been
reached, and that the worlds thirst for
scientific AMI geographical knowledge Will
never be satisfied so long as the polar
problem remains unsolved.
While it may be true. and doubtless Is
true, that all the knowledge of practical
value TO science TO be obtained from Arc
tic exploration has been secured through
tho systematic. meteorological. hydro
graphical, spcctroscopical, magnetic. and
other observations of the circumpolar par
ties Of 1878, the fact remains that
while the ice-lOcked waste holds secret
intrepid spirits will be found seeking to
reveal it.
Ever since the days Of tho first attempt
to discover a northwest passage the Arctic
regions have had fascination for man.
From the time OF the Portuguese Arctic
yoyager COsrE REAL. nearly four hundred
years, ago to the present hardy adven-
turers have been STRIVING to lay bare the
mysteries Of the extreme polar regions. and
these efforts will continue untilit hall have
been demonstrated that success is i'm
possible. Stories OF the horrors attend
ant upon nl-starred expeditions such as
the GRrKLy and the jeanette make
profound impression upon the public
mind for n time. but ere long these i'm
pressions become faint and shadOwv, and
in tina. form only serve to allure the am
bilious TO tempt their fortunes in new and
bolder ventures. As to the broad conten-
ton frequently thrown out that it is i'm
practicable to reach the Pole by any
method, it con only be said that that
remains 20 be proved. Certain it Is,
as held by the advocates of and
optimists regarding Arctic voyages. that
in view Of the experience of both the sue
cessful and unsuccessful expeditions Of
the past the explorer of to-day enters the
northern ice-held better prepared to over
come obstacles and retreat in safety than
those who have preceded him. Certain
also 1t IS that many earnest. thoughtful,
And conservative authorities on Arc
tic matters believe that the placing
Of the blue ribbon at the Pole
is only-a question of time and perseve-
rance. They also believe that this con-
summation need not involve any great
sacrifice Of life, seeing that. in addition to
what has been cited touching experience,
It was clearly demonstrated on the circum-
polar stations that man could live in
comparative comfort and maintain good
health for several years in extreme high
latitude.