Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-01-11

so many men have sought in vain to reach,
| but which is as sure to be Surmounted rs
the world stands and the human race con-
| tinues to exist.
| Though well 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 Il party to Il
| glorious success. Notwithstanding his age,
| he is a 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 i'll fated commander and com
panions in the tundra of the Lena delta
A Pathetic Picture.
Probably the saddest picture to be seen
| )h the walls of the government depart
| ments in this city is the one which hangs
| in the room of the navy department occu-
pied by Commander Melville. who is chief
Of the steam engineering bureau Of the
navy. 1t shows in graphic fashion the scene
in the Lena delta when Melville, clad in u
heavy suit of fur to enable him to resist
The frightful cold of that, the coolest part
If the earth--colder by far than the north
| pole itself--appeared ut spot where, pro-
| 5ruding through the snow like amutc and
lnavailing call orhelp, was the frozen hand
| If poor DE Long There this brave man
and six or seven of his companions had per-
! shed 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 Il search which
| Of itself was heroic and memorable in all
,rctic work, full of heroism as are those
| chapters Of mans struggles with nature in
| Ter angriest moods.
| 1t is Il grewsome picture and attracts the
attention of every visitor to the Office. One
AN scarcely realize that the bluff, hearty
| commander, soft of heart and hand, is the
| ;ery man who braved the rigors of IL Sibe-
| ian winter to search through week after
week for this sad scene.
The Way to the Pole.
| Commander Melville believes he knows
| he way to the pole and has not changed the
| opinion which he expressed in his book II
ew years ago, that with a properly equipped
| )arty and Francis Joseph land as II point of
departure the right sort of men with the
| light sort of leader will be able to march to
| he pole itself and back again with little
isk of life and without being called upon
% suffer extraordinary hardships.
Mr. Melville holds different theory con-
,erning the conditions which exist at the
pole than that held by most arctic stu
tents. He believes the north pole of our
Earth is surmounted by an enormous ice
cap, perhaps 1000 feet in thickness, dwin-
| ling down to thin edge 200 or 300 miles
| rom the pole. The surface of this great
ce cap, in his opinion, is almost as level as
| floor. Over it ,.he believes, "A party Of men
With siedges could travel at rapid rate
| The difficulty which they would encounter
would be approaching and getting upon
his mass of paleocrystc ice, this sea born
Ilacier which innumerable ages have
tuilded.
Whether this theory is correct or not it
certainly is exceedingly interesting, and
ve shall never know what the conditions
# ice, of water or of land are at the geo
| ;raphical pole till some daring explorer
| ontrives to reach that region, and, what is
luite as important to say the least, to get
ZONE again. 1t is pity that Commander
Melville cannot be placed at the head Of
party setting out to test by actual investi-
.ation the correctness of his theories. IL
he government were to engage again in
| he field of arctic work, it is more than prob
sble Melville would he chosen for leader OF
he expedition, but there is no chance that
he government will do anything of the
prt.
Lieutenant Peary's Efforts.
While interest in arctic work is very kern
lmong the people of the country and amoog
he scientific men of Washington, congress
ould never be induced to make another ap-
'ropriation for that purpose. So tragic and
,unliliating were the experiences of Lieu
! enanu Greedy and his men, and the vain
forts made TO relieve them. that at least an
ther generation will have to pass away be
ore our government can be induced to be
;ome sponsor for a new expedition. This II
be regretted, because Americans have
,hown themselves to be the most daring
md successful of all arctic explorers. Cp
o date it is the American flag which has
seen planted farther north than any other.
Americans have approached nearer the pole
han the parties Of any other nation.
We hold the record still. but in the opiu.
ion OF the arctic experts of Washington we
shall have to look to our laurels during the
next few years. I find remarkable con.