The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-02-28
TO FIND THE POLE.
A Naval Engineer to Start on . Voyage
OF Arctic Exploration.

Naval Engineer to Start on . Voyage
Of Arctic Explorations.
NEW York, Feb. 27.-fSpeciaL 1.-The HeraIds
Washington City correspondent says: new
dcrtaken by Civil Engineer Robert B. Peary, of
the United States navy. who today secured leave
OF absence for eighteen months, with this object
In view, from the navy department
Mr.. Peary proposes to start on his expedition
from st. Johns, N. r., about May /. His idea ID
to go a. far north ~ a whaling steamer will
carry him, and then strike for the north pole on
foot across Greenland. He expects the steamer
VIII carry him to q point somewhere about
Whale sound, which 10 below the entrance to
Smiths sound, on the west coast Of Greenland.
On arriving there Mr.. Peary will make prepare
tons for hts long journey across the country.
he intends having as small an accompanying
party as Is consistent with absolute necessity.
Possibly 1t may not comprise more than four or
fve natives, and baggage and other impedi.
ments will be reduced to the lowest scale also.
This new aspirant for scientific laurels is not
entirely without experience in travelling In
northern ATTITUDES. Two years ago with this
plan 1or reaching the pole in his mind, he was
granted six months leave of absence, and made
an extensive exploration OF the interior OF
Greenland. accompanied By few natives and
dogs in order to ascertain the condition of eli
mate, Typographical facilities and food supply.
The results of this expedition were of nature
to encourage him In the belief that his scheme
for travelling overland to the north pole was
qufte feasible, and since his return he has been
quietly getting ready for his final and important
attempt.
II is not known, OF course, by Mr.. Peary or BY
anybody else, whether the north pole II on land
or under water. In the latter case Mr.. Peary
would be unable to reach it under the condition
OF his pending enterprise, even If he succeeded
in overcoming all other Intervening obstacles,
but It Is known that Greenland aud adjacent
lands stretch up northward at least as far as lat
itude 50 degrees q minutes, for that point was
reached by Lieutenant lockwood Of the Greedy
expedition, and IL is Mr.. PeAry's intention to
reach higher degree of latitude than this, even
II he does not succeed in attaining to the coveted
and mysterious point where there Is no longi-s
tude.
The expedition which has thus been planned
and arranged BY Mr.. Peary, Is purely private
enterprise, in which the United states govern
ment or the United States navy has no part. Il
is understood that whatever backing, financial
or otherwise, Mr.. Peary will need In order to
carry out his scheme. will be guaranteed to him
by some OF the geographical societies of this
country.
Personally Mr.. Peary 10 . robust, hearty young
man of IS years or Whereabouts, and he Is physf-
cally we'll equipped for the ordeal before him.
He halls from Maine, from which state he was
appointed to the navy, and thus may be pre-
sumed to inherit considerable cold defying vigor
from his ancestors. He is at present on duty at
League Island navy yard, in his capacity Is civil
engineer
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. c7.-Lieutenant Peary.
who proposes TO make polar explorations, will
land at Smiths sound He says regarding it:
81 shall travel on foot, walking at night and
sleeping by day. My associates have not been
picked, but they will be selected with great
cause under government direction congress gen.
orally requires too many restrictions. Whether
Greenland is an island or vast continent il one
OF the things hope to discover.