New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-26
TRUE SIGNIFICANCE or PEARys WORK

cr>rpAt ". GREEDY COMMENTS FANORAHN
on THE EFFORTS or THE EXPEDITION.
Washington. Sept. General a. w ur'sN' 'i''
Arctic explorer. who was absent from NaS"'e'"
when the news OF Lieutenant Peary arrNa' va"
received has returned to this city with his famHS
To a United Press reporter who asked MIN no" ~
regarded the various expeditions OF hieu'e"""
Peary. General Greedy replied
1T may not be satisfactory to some people 10 s"'
that the energy courage and perseverance Oh H''"
tenant Peary have resulted In some OF 'ne n''
brilliant geographic feats Of late years His jour
ncy over the Greenland iCecap far surpassen III ~
tent and discoveries the Journeys OF Nordensh'oiu
and Nansen upon the inland Ice from ~V 10 ~"
miles 10 the south. From Il geographical point Oh
view the most important result has been inc 'o'"
ton OF the extreme coast lne OF Northeast "'''"
land Peary's efforts. single-handed. nave done
more 20 outline the coast than the entire e"oI u
OF European travellers for century past lie
reached n point more than 200 miles above the eN-
IRENE north reached by the German explorers III
1870 thus extending nor;hward the east coast 81
Greenland more than two degrees OF latitude. MS
discover OF Independence Bay increases the 'ohs-
tude OF East Greenland about fifteen degrees al"
thus tends 70 prove that the extreme North Green
land coast is very narrow. while Lockwood Land
10 the north OF Greenland. Is OF limited extent
what are the main scientific benefits derived
from the expedition?
THE most important is the enabling Of expert
enced American biologists TO study on the spot 'he
glacial conditions OF cape York region. The appi-
cation OF photography to this work has enabled
Chamberlain and others to do more extensive anu
important work In few weeks than their Euro
pean predecessors did in as many months
What do you think Of the adverse criticism OF
Pearys work.
There IS large class of people who see no good
in anything unless IT is strictly utilitarian some
complain of the squendering OF tens OF thousands
OF dollars on athletics. baseball. football ETC.
while others see nothing but bitterness arising
from horse racing and yachting contests am
one Of the men who believe that every contest
with nature or with man. that arises from an hon
est and fair effort succeed, should be encour-
aged in this critical period OF modern civilization.
These contests. efforts and JOURNEYS mean sell
denial application and public -spir!tedness. when
must pertain TO the welfare OF the community.
Peary's Efforts have been entirely AT private eA
pense. the very small pay allowed MIN WINE
success has been so far beyond the much-lauded
Journeys OF hansen. Nordenskiold and others VINO
but IT is alleged that explorers use their sur
ferings and misfortunes for lucrative purposes on
the lecture platform
That certainly has never been o an DeI6r2
Kane Melville nor myself has ever earned dol
lar in that way. HAYES and Peary have BON lee
tured but solely that they might put every dollar
thus raised into the work OF exploration that they
had much at heart
DO you approve or Peary me'hods ana pan OF
u have always approved Of Pearyys methods as
regards the icecap travel. OF which | predicted his
brilliant success in 1891 On each occasion have
clearly outlined in advance what possible under
his methods. They are admirably suited to Inward
ice-travel but cannot b. very successful Tor travel
over the sea or along the coast
as IL true that Pearys explorations extended
further north than I.Ookwoods or your own expe-
dition2' 49,
''The northing OF Lockwood and Branard In 1852
has neither been excelled nor even approached by
any suhseouent explorer The fact that Peary
reached the most nOrtherly point ever attained on
the east coast OF Greenland has led TO this misap-
prehension Peary's northng Is 100 miles 10 the
south of Iockwood's but nevertheless Peary's sue
cess In crossing Northern Greenland gives him a
Mace and standing among Arctic explorers that Will
stand through the years to come.