New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-15
ONWARD TO THE POLE.

Interest I'm Arctic adventure. always easily
| aroused has during the week been much excited
| by three separate but almost simultaneous Incl
| dents One was the departure or The expedition
| which Is TO meet Lieutenant Peary and his com
| rades and bring them home: II task. II II well
| believed. Of no serious difficulty. Another was
| the setting forth OF Mr. Jackson's expedition.
which was TO have gone when Ileut"nant
| Pcary's did. but has been delayed until the
| present time And finally came news from MT
| Wellman's expedition, confirming earlier reports
| from other sources, that the Arctic waterways
are this year unusually free from Ice, and thus
| indicating II promise TO the various voyagers OF
| rapid and easy progress. OF these three eX-
petitions two under the American flag, and
| therefore command our especial sympathy. But
| Mr. Jackson's. while under the British flag, has
| some features Of uncommon Interest which
| equally commend 1t to general attention.
| While the Peary party has been dcvotng Itself
| chiefly TO works Of exploration and obs"rva-
ton with only incidental reference to the North
| Pole, Mr. Jacksons purpose Is 10 push straight
| for the Pole and TO make everything else sub
sIdiary thereto Doubtless he will make many
| important researches, and for such tasks he Is
emincnily we'll fitted especially by his expert
| ence on Walgatz Island In The Kara Sea, ana
among the Samoyeds. But his aim Is to reach
| the Pole or. at any rate. to get nearer TO II
than others have done; In which. II needs scarce
| " to BE- observed he has chosen the most diff
| cult and least promising line OF Arctic work
| Exploration Is comparatively easy, and has been
accomplished with much success by many par
ties In late years New lands and seas have
been discovered. and those just touched or seen
by earlier Adventures have been surveyed and
| mapped The geology. meteorology. nora ana
fauna Of those regions have been carefully stud
led. and much that Is Of practical value has
| thus been added 10 the worlds store OF knowl-
edge.
But when this Is said, the net results Of mod
ern Arctic ventures are summed up. SO far as
making progress toward the Pole II concerned
all recent achievements have been unworthy OF
consideration. Nearly three centuries ago Ba-
rentz discovered Spitzbergcn, which IL further
north than the fields Of most subsequent opera
tons. Parry. In 1927, reached north latitude
So As, while Lockwood, In 1889, only reached
So "a fhc highest point yet attained by man.
1t Is pleasant TO know that thus the American
flag has been planted nearest Of MI to the Arctic
Pole Yet surely ii Is rather humlliating to
think that hfty-fve years OF modern science.
with all the advantages Of steam and electricity,
have enabled us 10 make only about forty miles
Of progress on the P0lewarl march. AT that
rate, more than six centuries longer would be
rcqAIrcd to reach the desired point.
What Mr. Jackson will accomplish remains to
be seen He IL a man Of determination. expert
ence and resource and has as perfect nm equip
ment as any adventurcr ever took with him into
the realms OF Ice. He goes. too. In the same
direction that Barentz. Parry and Weyprecht
and Payer went in-some Of the most success
full Of explorers. And while patriotism makes
Americans hope our flag will continue to lead
the advance-guard and will get nrst to the Pole.