The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-01-16


way, caused by the warmth of the japanese
current, which flowing through the Boring
Straits, passes northward along the east
coast of Wrangel Land, possibly extending
to the pole itself, the experiences of whalers
being that when compelled to abandon
their ships in those waters these invariably
drifted northward, thus indicating thatth
prevailing currents flowed in a northerly
direction. Dr. Nansen thinks that the
Jeanette expedition is the only one that
hit upon the correct theory of obtaining
the object in view This opinion is founded
on the following facts. DR.. hansen said,
Just before his departure:
''The Jeanette drifted for two years in
the ice from Wrangel Land to the New
Siberian Islands Three years after the
ship had gone down to the north of these
there were found a number of objects on
the drift ice near Julianehaab, on the
southwest coast OF Greenland, which, from
unquestionable marks, must have belonged
to the sunl1en vessel and been frozen In the
ice. Among these numerous objects which
were first found by the Eskimo (see Danske
Geografisk Tidsskrift, 1850 may be special
ly named the following: a list of stores
with De Longs (the commander of the
Jeannette) own signature; list of writing
of the Jeannette's boats; pair of oilskin
breeches marked Louis Noros, the name
of one of the Jeannette's crew who was
saved the peak of the cap with the name
T. G. Nindemann, the name OF one of the
crew who was saved. Which way, then,
had the foe Con which these were found)
reached the west coast Of Greenland"
These facts at once aroused curiosity as
to how these objects accomplished the
voyage across the Arctic Ocean, and as to
what unknown current had borne them
from Boring Straits to Greenland; and it
is thought highly probable that there is
comparatively short and direct route across
the Arctic Ocean by way OF the north pole,
and that nature had supplied means of
communication, however uncertain, across
it.
DR.. Nansen's expedition endeavored to
realize these hopes of direct route across
the apex Of the Arctic Ocean. DR.. Nansen
pointed out that the Gulf Stream, the
depths of the ocean and the prevailing
winds and atmospheric pressures tend to
cause such a current as he intended to try.
Assisted by King Oscar of Sweden, the
Storthing, geographical societies and pri-
vate contributions, DIR. Nansen had a vessel
constructed which he believed would
escape harm from abe crush Of the ice
foes. Dr. Nansen thus described the YES
sci:
"The hull has been shaped like shall
low, wide Q; or perhaps it would be better
to call it semicircle, as there are no
straight lines except near the bulwarks. 1t
viii thus be seen that the vessel would be
gradually lifted by the pressure on her
sides, and the bottom, being more or less
fat, would be able to rest on the ice with
out topping over like vessel of ordinary
build. Length, 125 feet; beam, 36 feet;
depth from deck to keel, II feet. With her
heavy cargo she viii be about 800 tons dead
weight. The hull is built almost entirely
of oak, and is very strong. At the points
exposed to pressure from the ice her sides
are from thirty to thirty-two inches thick.
The hull is coated on the outside with 'ice
sheathing,' composed of a thick layer of
greenheart-a very hard American wood,
having an oily and slippery surface. Her
engines, which are made by firm OF Nor
wegian engineers, are triple expansion and
we shall stick all the time, not leaving the
vessel except for the purpose of making
exploring excursions or for hunting.
''I shall leave Norway in June next and
sail direct to Nova Zembla. Here we shall
stop to revictual and to examine the state
OF the ice. So soon as the condition of the
latter permits we shall leave for the Kara
Sea. This will probably be early in July.
Skirting the Siberian coast and passing
Cape Tscheliuskin, the most northerly
point of the Old World, shall pass on as
far as the mouth of the River Lena. Leav-
ing the coast at this point 1 shall start in
northerly direction along the western
coast of the island of Kotelno, the most
westerly of the Liakoy or New Siberian
group, and shall continue in this direction
until the pack-ice renders further naviga-
ton impossible. We shall do our best to
force the ship through the ice, but we shall
at last reach a point where we must stop.
This will probably bring US to September,
and we shall, in this way, get to some dis
lance north of the New Siberian Islands,
but I cannot say how far, as no one has
ever been there before.
"When navigation becomes no longer
practicable l shall have nothing left but to