Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1894-04-24
Fwc ARCTIC EXPEDITIONS.
A SIMULTANEOUS ADVANCE ox rME
NORTH rOtE.


No many expeditions. have either a..
ready started az soon will start TO the
Arctic region that one must note caro-
fully each ons 10 keep track Of them ell.
Lieutenant Pcary's departure last sea-
son VAS made much Of BY the pewspa-
pers, and % no onc 10 APT "a confuse him
and his special purposes In making the
Journey with DR.. Nanscn and his vent.
ure, Of whom far lees has been said.
Yet both Of these young and venture
some Individuals LETT with the Intention
Of beginning their work at the same time,
the earllest commencement Of the Arctic
summer, took their wives along with
them, and expect % cut across long and
unknown areas Of leo aud snow 10 specl-
fed localities. These two parties will
easily be the fret In the eye Of the
world for some months, but IL II very
probable that In the end moro daring ex.
ploers will eclipse their Efforts. Tie
nsmes threatening Pcary aud Nansen
with rivalry are jackson, wellman and
stein. the two latter explorers being
American. Jackson aud wellmsu are to
make dash at the pole Itself. Well.
man II now en- route To bis point
Of departure, Norway, and jack
sou ID already on = probable march from
his base Of supplies, Franz Josef Land.
Thus Il IL clearly not mere newspaper
talk TO speak OF the coming season north
Of the Arctic circle AZ q comparatively
lively one. The points OF attack OF the
actors In the operations undertaken just.
ify this expectation literally. 10 u not
nj all unlikely that Lieutenant Pesry's
trail will be crossed by Mr.. wellman,
or vice versa, or that wcllman and Jack.
son may zee something Of DIR. Nansen
Incidents may lead TO will certainly be
joyous ones u they are ever brought
about. "A there will be ladies present
At some Of them, q possibility exists
that the sessou may BE- remarkable Tor
gayety in the midst Of Wild, strange
scenes. Aud In case an open Polar
sea. that old myth, 10 discovered, and a
warm spot IL found Just at the point
where the axis sticks out, the season
may turn out To be more strange aud
wonderful 10 its qualities Of scientific
value and rsn,emtrance than any OF the
parties directly concerned have imagin-
Ell II would be-. One cannot but wish
these men and women happy days along
With their trials, so u IL Ia be hoped that
their summer will be- no less delightful
than these vague Ideas suggest IL may
be.
Lieutenant Peary IL 10 continue hls
.iedging work at the northern coast of
Greenland. ilis aim IL not definitely
tn reach the north pole, or Indeed ia
push ~ far north aspossible. Wise In his
plans aud his methods, be- only wants
To reach Independents Ray, on the
northeastern coast Of the great island,
aud outline and survey the archipelago
upon which he only glanced In 1897. lie
believes he can examine thoroughly all
this district, and obtain such scientific
Infoi nation az 90 the character OF the
country that it will henceforth be known
to all men who care to read about IT,
Iiis starting point IL Mccormick Day OF
Whale Sound. Dr. Nabsen, the Nor
wegisn, starts from the New Siberian
Islands, located not far tn the westward
Of Herring Sea. 10 IL his theory and
Baron Norden.kiold supports the view,
that current sets In toward the pole, Z
few miles northwest Of the New Slberi'
an Islands, aud that this tide Will carry
him up Into an open sea at the pole and
back 10 warmer regions sgsln by way OF
the east coast Of Greenland. Nansen ],
primarily q cznoel.t In his work. lie and
his party trust their lives 10 their canoes
aud Ia the currents entering aud nowina
from the northern seas. II NAnsen',
plans succeeds he and Peary will be bul
few miles apart by the month OF
August.
OF the other exploring parties, that
now being organized by Mr.. Robert
Stein Of the United States Geologica
survey. with the object Of reaching
Eilesmere Land and resculng the younl
Swedish explorers, IIjorling snd
Kallstenius, IL the most note~orthy
but seems To promise results In no sense
more valuable scientifically than the En-
peditions Of Jackson aud wellman
bjorilng and kAlistenlus we're last heart
from at the Cary Islands, west Of Green
land, where their little schooner va
wrecked. They had left word At thai
point, however, Of their determination
10 90 To Eilesmere Land. Mr.. Steif
proposes not only Ia rescue these ANA
ieurs. but to establish q Systematic
.cheme for exploration In aud iron
Ellesmere Land for future years. Th'
coming summers experiences Will tes
the feasibility Of the plan. Mt. Stelr
expects To start from Newfoundland
about May 1. OF the other two parties
wrlimaD's will leave Norway for Spltx'
bergen early In May. Its headquarter,,
will be Danes Island, spltfbergen. \
hundred days campaign IL To be under
taken and 10 be carried ~ far Into thu
unknown north AZ possible. jackson,
party starts north from Fran, josef
Nav I or earlier. A good base OF sup
pile. Ia. been act up by his men. 1hei
route will he parallel to that OF Well