Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-06-24
SUNDAY. ....... :...JUNE "a. 1894.
Arctic Expeditions.

what - known as the Peary auxiliary
Arctic expedition sailed from New York
last week for st. Johns, Newfoundland.
on one OF the steamships plying regu-
larry between the two ports. At st.
Johns 1t win be transferred to the whaler
Falcon. and start Immediately for the
frozen zone The object of this expedition
Is primarily TO bring back the Peary
party. but ii will also make some expiora-
lions on Its own account and determine. II
possible. the fate OF Bjorling and Kallis-
tenius. the two young Swedish naturalists.
whose vessel came to grief on the coast
OF Ellesmere Land in 1892
The departure OF the auxiliary has at
tracted comparatively little attention. for
the reason that II Is not assumed that
Peary Is In danger. and the disaster TO
the venture Of the two young Swedes did
not AFFORD any reasonable ground for
dissertations upon the horrors of Arctic
voyages. and for arguments against such
undertakings Peary has had valuable
and successful experience in Greenland.
and through tho intrepid work Of himself
and others there, the ice conditions of the
country and the best methods of meet
Ing them are pretty well known. His
party were thoroughly equipped for their
Journey. and IL was in the programme
that an auxiliary expedition should fol-
low them this summer. Indeed, II has
been generally taken for granted that he
and his associates would be brought back
safe and sound, and II may. therefore.
be said that even the original expedition
has not excited the usual amount OF
interest attaching to Arctic voyages. AS
20 the young Swedes 1T is conceded that
they were III prepared for their voyage.
and that In some respects their venture
was fOolhnrdy. Besides. II IS not at all
certain that they are not alive. seeing
that they left message on the shore
OF Jones's sound that they would seek
shelter with an Eskimo tribe which is
said to inhabit the interior of Ellesmere
Land.
There are however, two other expedi-
lions I'm the north polar regions which
command deep interest. And that inter-
est is not unmingled with anxiety, al
though the danger OF Arctic exploration
has. of late years. been, by reason of the
small-party system. and improved
methods Of travel. reduced to the mini
mum. These expeditions are the Well
man and the hansen. The former is to
make an audacious dash for the pole from
a far-north land-station. 1t is TO travel
from that station In conveyances con-
fisting OF combination OF boat and
sledgc, is divided into two sections-an
advance and "A support section-and II 1,
expected that the advance section will,
with it's light equipment, be able 10
make a flying trip 20 the goal and back.
Tho Nansen voyages are in a powerfully
built vessel and are drifting with the
Arctic currents in the hope and upon the
theory that they VIII be carried across
the pole The wellman party calculate
upon returning TO civilization by the fall
bit hansen counts upon a possible three
years absence. hansen is a veteran in
Arctic research and travelling. So far
he has known no such word as fail, and
his countrymen--the Norwegians-are con-
fdent that he viii reach the pole Stu
dents Of Arctic conditions who have
looked carefully into Wrllman's plans
think that thu chances are greatly in
favor OF his success. also.
IL either party should be lost entirely.
or be subjected 20 the terrible suffering
that overlook the Jeanette and the Greedy
sNns1ltinpa ,ve will Ia certain 10 have n
ssyival OF the discussion of the ''useless.
mess and folly" OF Arctic voyages. and
OF the ott-repeated attempt TO discourage
them. Nevertheless, Judging the future
by the past It is as fixed as the laws
Of the Medes and the Persians. that man.
prompted by love OF science. ambition, or
desire for excitement, viii never rest
until he has made the polar seas give
w al their secrets.