Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-28

make his way poleward by easy stages,
carrying his supply depots farther and far
Their and making sure Of every foot Of
ground which he gains. the Americans
make a rush at the goal or, as the News
puts It. endeavor to wing the pole by
sort of snap shot"
1t il needless to remark that Mr. Jack
sons plan has advantages which ours does
not possess, and that we have some adj
vantages over him. Whom fortune will
FAVOR time alone can disclose, but mean
wniie the English and American aspirants
for polar honors are getting on well to-
gether. One OF the pleasantest incidents of
ou- stay In London was the farewell
luncheon given by the Jackson Harms
man polar expedition at the Constitutional
Club. Many noted men were present and
II would have pleased every American
reade. OF this letter to hear the hearty ex-
English cousins. "Of course, we prefer
that an Er glishman should have the honor
OF winning the pole" was their sentiment,
but If 1t can't be an Englishman, we hope
that II may be. and believe 1t will be, an
american. That keeps It in the great
English family
On. One Of the leading English journals of.
fered US large sum for the privilege of
sending Its special correspondent with US,
but We could not accept. Another agreed
to pay US a reward OF 10000 for reaching
me north pole, provided we would send to
II TOT exclusive use the accounts Of our
travels. This also was declined, as the
tradesmen over here say in stencil on their
receipted bills. with best thanks"
Reward offered for the Pole.
An Enslishman called our attention 10 an
old statute under which, he said, we could
win reward of almost fabulous propor-
lions by reaching rhe north pole. 1t seems
that years ago parliament offered 5000 for
discovery Of the pole. and lesser sums for
attaining lower degrees Of north latitude
above the eighty Just as we had be-
gun to dream Of the royal $1,000. It was
discovered that the provisions Of the statute
In question applied only to discovery of the
pole with ship, and British ship at that
This bars us out. for we cannot claim our
little aluminium boats to be ships, nor are
We willing to haul the stars and stripes
from their single bamboo masts
The news that comes to us from Norway
Is encouraging. Our Christiania agent has
neen mere, and he says the Norwegian mas
tiers or hunting vessels which 60 out for
whaJe. seal and bottle-nose sharks are con-
ndent this Is to be an extraordinarily favor
able year for navigation in the northern
waters. The winter has been uncommonly
mild. and greater quantities of ice than
usual have foated out OF the arctics In
fact there Is more Ice in the Atlantic about
the banks of Newfoundland than for many
years, ana All the transatlantic steamships
have had trouble with II. The more ice in
the Atlantic the less in the waters about
Spitzbergen and the better chance for us to
ma the southern margin of the ice pack
considerable distance from the northern
shore OF Spitzbergen. The farther north II
Is the better, though II the open chara cter
OF the winter and spring has caused more
ice TO be set in drift we may have delay and
difficulty in reaching the edge of the nack
AT the same time we do not forget that
sailing vessels have been as far north as
81 IL degrees in May, cruising along the
edge OF the solid pack. and we are hoping
somewhat
fairs this year. If we do, we shall have so
much the better chance OF success
We go now to the continent after the long,
cared draft dogs. the beasts Of burden Of
the Dutch and Belgian cities. which we
hope to make such good use Of in the far
north. WALTER WELLMAN