Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-07
NANSEN's DARING PLAN.
His Contemplated Expedition to the North
Pole in 1899.

His Contemplated Expedition to the North
Pole in 1899.
The contemplated expedition to the north
pole in 1892 by DIR. Frithjof Nansen-who, it
will be remembered, successfully crossed
Greenland last years., says the Manchester
Courier, a feat Of daring which, even among
arctic enterprises, is without q parallel. The
intrepid Norwegian explorer at a recent meet
ing Of the Danish Geographical Society at
Copenhagen, at which the King Of Denmark
was present, gave an outline Of his contemplated
journey, illustrating his lecture by the help Of
charts. His expedition 10 unlike the English
and American expeditions along the west coast
of Greenland, or that Of Capt Tegethof along
the east coast. DR.. Nansen dwelt at some
length on the unfortunate Jeanette expedi-
tioc, because he intends to follow the same
route as that attempted by that vessel Accord
ing to DIR. Nansen, the Jeanette expedition
ended In disaster. not In consequence Of
wrong plan being pursued, but because the
vessel was not strong enough for the ice
pressure and the current. He holds that the
plan Of going, not against the current, but with
the current, which the Jeanette first of all
polar expeditions pursued. IL undoubtedly the
correct one.
DIR. Nansen purposes starting from Christi
ania In the summer Of 1892, hoping to pene-
trate Boring straits in the same season,
just as tue Jeanneue ola. instead. however,
OF directing his course north, like the jean
nette. he intends following the northern coast
of Siberia, forcing his way between the new
Siberian Islands, past current flowing east,
until he meets ''the northern current" His
whole plan is based upon the intention Of
proving the existence of a northern cur
rent" which, starting from the Siberian
rivers, extends northward from Spitzbergen
and Franz Joseph Land, along the east coast
Of Greenland. round Cape Farewell and high
up along the west coast. He believes himself
to be In possession Of many proofs Of the ex-
istence Of such current. In his lecture he
cited the curious fact that effects left behind
by the Jeanette expedition were found, ex.
actly three years after the disappearance Of
the vessel. on the west coast Of Greenland.
These effects must have come from the north
Of Franz Joseph Land, for south Of that land
there runs only feeble western current. and
IL is well known that the Jeanette entered q
current before she was crushed by the ice.
DR.. Nansen next pointed out that arms have
been found along the west coast of Greenland
which could only have proceeded from Alaska;
and, finally. the tree trunks drifting with the
Ice, which form one of the chief means of sub
sistence Of the natives of Greenland, ore
exclusively of Siberian origin. OF thirty
trees, i've frs and one poplar have all
been identified as coming from Siberia;
similar trees are also washed ashore at the
northern coast of Spitzbergen. A further proof
oceanic CurreQt.
river current. is furnished by the fact that its
water is sweet for its principal part. and to the
bottom OF the sea, and that il cannot arise from
melted snow or ice. This current also cannot
be an oceanic current, because the oceanic cur
rents in those regions either are feeble or run
In direction opposed to that Of the Gulf
stream, while this current ID very powerful and
very deep.
The greatest difficulty for the proposed ex-
pedlilon Will be to reach this current, and this
attained the current will be followed as far as
Cape Fare well. DIR Nansen is at present en-
gagged upon the equipment Of his expedition,
chiefly In building and fitting out his vessel
She Is to be as small as possible and TO be
manned by a crew numbering no more than
ten or twelve. The sides of the vessel win be
very oblique so that she may be
lifted up by the pressure Of the ice. The
Jeannette was, in this respect. constructed a.
badly as possible, and yet she withstood the ice
very loosely fitted, so as to be easily knocked
on, as II will be useless when once the open see
Is left behind. The vessel in TO be the head
quarters whence all exploring expeditions are
tive balloon, to be used for taking observations
as to the position Of the vessel. should
the latter be unfortunately crushed dttinRs
will be provided by means OF which any ice zoe
could be converted into habitable site.
The expedition 10 to be proyisioned for 1--WE
years. and if the ice foe is once in the open ssa
she will be carried along by the current and Is
easily Unanswered o. q vessel The greatest
danger to the expedition consists in the posi-
BILE branching Cd Of subsidiary currents from
the main current; but Dr.. Nanssn disposes Of
this difficulty by urging that current which
has beginning must have an ending, even II
II should carry the expedition 10 land. He At
taches very little weight TO the objection that
sickness or the terrible cold Of the polar re-
gions may prove disastrous to the expedition.
The dreaded scuryy 10 now only myth, and,
according 70 DR.. Nsnssn's view. man manages
TO exist even in colder regions than those
through which he proposes TO pass.