Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-16
UNKNOWN REGIONS
To Be Explored in the Frozen Zone
Of the North.
THE PLAN As PROPOSED BY Mr.. STEIN
It Receives Substantial and Scien-
tific Endorsement.
TO START, IN THE p Rim G

\
In the coming spring. If all goes WELL an
expedition will leave this country for the
arctic regions which will be followed with
great interest by those who have given the
subject a good deal of attention. The plan
which it is proposed to carry out is the re-
suit of the thought Of Mr.. Robert Stein OF
the geological survey Of this city. 1t has
received the Endorsement Of the National
Geographic Society and Of competent men
who are familiar with arctic exploration.
The plan has been pronounced thoroughly
safe and practicable by every authority
that has passed Judgment, and Of the $1O-
900 needed to defray the cost Of the expedi-
ton So 40 has been promised. This SUBJ
stantial encouragement, as well as the gen.
eral interest displayed in the scope and pur-
pose of the expedition to explore Ellesmere
Land, as it is known. has led the author of
the scheme. Mr. Stein. to issue circular
which gives a full and complete account of
the plan. The circular states that lat Cape
Tennyson, which Is at the northern en-
trance to Jones sound. or as close to it as
possible, it is proposed to establish a base
of operations, consisting Of house and
provisions for two years for at least ten
men. The point marked Depot on the &C
companying map indicates approximately
the site Of this station.
"About May 1, 1894. the party will leave
St. Johns, Newfoundland. on whaier:
zone whaling firm has offered to transport
the party for $3.50 per man Tor the rouho
trip Having landed them at cape Ienny
son the whaier proceeds to the whanng
grounds in Lancaster sound, about eighty
iniIes south OF Jones sound. II cape Ten,
nyson cannot be reached the landing VIII
be made on Coburg Island or even az n Enpe
diately on landing four men proceed 70
erect the house. The others follow tne
coast of Ellesmere Land westward, not.
however, before they have seen Two y ea
them At a point as far ahead as practi-
cable (say 100 miles fIom the basel an aa
yanced depot will be established II possi-
bic an attempt will be made TO reach
Hayes sound.
~ Into Winter Quarters.
"At the end of eighty days about the De-
ginning of September) the whole party Will
be reassembled at the base ana go INTO
winter quarters. In the following spring
1880 an endeavor will be made to extend
the preceding years explorations, to con-
psct IL nossible with the discoveries of the
Gree,v marty on Greedy ford. Timing their
return so as to arrive at the base about the
end of August, the party VIII ABANDON the
station and make their way southwark TO
The south shore of North Devon. That cape
projects far southwark into Lancaster
sound, the whalers' hunting grounds IL Is
one of their landmarks. BY an arrange
ment made before leaving st. Johns a
whaler is to call at that point at specihed
time say between September 10 and Sep
TENDER 30, 1895, to take the party on board
and land them either at st. Johns or In
Scotland.
"Details will necessarily be determined
by the conditions found to prevail In Jones
sound. 1t Is hoped that much, II not most,
of the distance can be accomplished IN
steam launch; but whaleboats and sledges
will also be provided Dogs will be bought
in Greenland and may be used In siedge
work in the spring of 1895. If the Eskimos
are found on the west coast the advanced
depot3 will have to be guarded by at least
three men; otherwise 1t may be lett un-
guarded.
A Great Unknown Region.
1.-The north pole Is surrounded by an area
, 13I 600 sduare miles in extent more than
one-third of the United States). which Is
entirely unknown. Schwatka mas SHOWN
that the economic resources OF the polar
regions are by no means inconsiderable.
and the success of the whaling industry
shows that these resources can by system
attic methods be obtained with little risk
Especially however, are all competent
Judges agreed that science can not fail to
profit greatly by arctic research; and 1t
has long passed into an axiom that science
lever makes a conquest without giving to
industry a share in the spOils Enngnt-
ened opinion therefore demands that the
! unknown area be reduced as fast as can
! be done with safety.
| "A plan is here presented which has been
pronounced thoroughly safe and practi-
cable by every authority that has passed
judgment thereon: Having well-suppiieo
! base with assured annual communication,
the party will be, humanity speaking, be-
yond the reach of disaster. 1t promises to
diminish the unknown area by that portion
which at present seems most interesting.
! It's field of operations is distinctively Amer
/ ican inasmuch as it proposes to trace the
west side of those lands whose east side
/ witnessed the labors OF Kane. Hayes, and
| Gre Ely. In particular, the outlines Of Hayes
Sound and Greedy Fiord, those waters so
peculiarly American, are to be completed
by this expedition. If 1T proves that a per-
manent camp can be maintained at the en-
! trance of Jones Sound it will render a
most valuable service to the whaling indu"-
try and to future explorations in that "a
/ rection. No one can doubt that explorers
will go forth again and again till all the
! arctic mysteries are solved. 1t will be q
| comfort to humanity to know that at the
main gateway of the arctic there Is we'll
provisioned camp which renders disaster
practically impossible within radius OF
| IL least 300 miles.
The Missing Naturalists.
mo more striking illustration could be
givel Of this fact than by the calamity
which renders the present expedition a ne
cessity. In June. 1892. two young Swedish
naturalsts, Bjorling and Kallstenius, with
a crew Of three. set out from st. Johns on
a collecting trip along the west Greenland
| coast in small schooner. the Ripple. The
wreck Of this vessel and the body Of one of
the crew were found by Capt. Mckay of
the Dundee whaling steamer Aurora on the
Cary Islands. on June II. 1888 Letters ad-