The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-12-08

Il - v:
LIEUTENANT r. E. PEAHf.
80 many men have sought in vain to reach
but which is as sure to be surmounted as
the world stands and the human race con
tinues to exist.
Though we'll along in years-somewhat
past 50-and with head of white hair
Commander Melville probably would not
hesitate an instant to lead polar party
were the opportunity to be offered him
Nor is there another man in America bet
ter qualified than he to lead a party to q
glorious success. Notwithstanding lis age
he is stalwart man, still athletic and as
hardy and rugged as when he assisted
De Long in that remarkable escape from
the ice pack to the north of Siberia and
afterward prosecuted the search for the re-
mains of his Ill fated commander and COM
panions in the tundra of the Lena delta.
A Pathetic Picture.
Probably the saddest picture to be seen
on the walls of the government depart
ments in this city is the one which hangs
pied by Commander Melville, who is chief
navy. 1t shows in graphic fashion the scene
in the Lena delta when Melville, clad in a
heavy suit of fur to enable him to resist
the frightful cold of that, the coolest part
of the earth-colder by far than the north
pole itself-appeared at spot where, pro-
truding through the snow like a mute and
unavailing call for help, was the frozen hand
of poor De Long. There this brave man
and six or seven Of his companions had per-
ished miserably of starvation and cold in
one Of the bleakest spots which the mind
of man is capable of imagining. Here Mel
vile found their bodies after search which
of itself was heroic and memorable in all
arctic work, full of heroism as are those
chapters of mans struggles with nature in
her angriest moods.
1t is a grewsome picture and attracts the
attention of every visitor to the Office. Ono
can scarcely realize that the bluff, hearty
commander, soft of heart and hand, is the
very man who braved the rigors of Sibe-
rian winter to search through week after
week for this sad scene.
The Way to the Pole.
Commander Melville believes he knows
the way to the pole and has not changed the
opinion which he expressed in his book a
few years ago, that with a properly equipped
party and Francis Joseph land as point of
departure the right sort of men with the
right sort of leader will be able to march to
the pole itself and back again with little
risk Of life and without being called upon
to suffer extraordinary hardships.
Mr.. Melville holds different theory con-
cerning the conditions which exist at the
pole than that held by most arctic stu
dents. He believes the north pole of our
earth is surmounted by an enormous ice
cap, perhaps 1900 feet in thickness, dwin-
ding down to thin edge 200 or 500 miles
from the pole The surface of this great
ice cap, in his opinion. is almost as level as
floor Over it, he believes party of men
with sledges could travel at a rapid rate
The difficulty which they would encounter
would be in approaching and getting upon
this mass of paleocrystic ice, this sea born
glacier which innumerable ages have
builded
Whether this theory is correct or not it
certainly is exceedingly interesting, and
we shall never know what the conditions
of ice. of water or of land are at the geo
graphical pole till some daring explorer
contrives to reach that region, and, what is
quite as important, to say the least, TO get
home again. 1t is pity that Commander
Melville cannot be placed at the head of
party setting QUITO test by actual iDvestj-
CATION the correctness of bis theories. If
the government were to engage again in
the field of arctic work, 1t Is more than prob
able Melville would be chosen for leader of
the expedition, but there is no chance that
the government will Go anything of the
sort
Lieutenant Peary's Efforts.
While interest in arctic work IS very keen
among the people OF the country and among
the scientific men OF Washington, congress
could never be induced TO make another sp-
preparation for that purpose 60 tragic and
huuliliating Were the experiences Of Lieu
tenant Greely and his men, and the vain
efforts made TO relieve them. that AZ least an
other generation will have 70 pass away be-
fore our government can be induced 70 be-
come sponsor FOR new expedition This IS
10 be regretted, because Americans have
shown themselves TO be the most daring
and successful Of all arctic explorers Up
TO date it IS the American flag which has
been planted farther north than any other.
Americans have approached nearer the pole
than the parties of any other nation
We hold the record still. but in the opir-
Ion Of the arctic experts of Washington we
shall nave 10 look to cur lauTels during shs
next few years. / find remarkable con
currelce of opinion among the arctic and
scientific men of Washington 70 the effect
that the solution Of what IS known - the
polar problem is now near al hand Ii rz1ay
not Dc done by DR.. Nausen. nor by Lisnten-
ant Peary, who are the onIy men 50 far II
the field, but there appears 10 De ne greatest
confidence that we are approaching the
conquest OF the frozen corfh and that re-
vealing OF its mysteries which malki1d
has been so long struggling for.
In Washington naturally TIE greatest in-
terest Is taken in the efforts OF Lieutenant
P-ary. who Is row IN CAMP oa tie west