The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-02-14
HE FINDS THE POLE
SUCH Is THE REPORT OF NANSEN
IN THE FAR NORTH.

Which Report Comes by Channels Much
Less than Direct, But Which Might
Convey the Truth for All That, IL They
Had It-Lieutenant BraIneTd States the
Theory of the Arctic Currents Upon
Which DIR. hansen Based His Erpedi-
tion, But Expresses Fears That hansen
IL Gone Forever.
st. Petersburg, Feb. ia telegram
from Siberia, says that trader named
Kouchnareff, who is the agent Of DR..
Fridtjef Nensen, the Norwegian ex-
plorer who sailed June 4, 1893, for the
Arctic regions, has received informa-
ton to the effect that Nansen has
reached the north pole, found land
there and is now returning towards civ
ilization.
St Petersburg, Feb. 13.-The news
from DR.. Nansen which was telegraphed
here from Irkutsk, Siberia, was recelv-
ed there from Ust Yacht, at the mouth
of Yana river. The Yana river falls
into the Arctic ocean by several mouths
in latitude 20 degrees north and longi-
tude II degrees east Of Greenwich. list
Yacht. of Uit Yansk, is one of these.
In fact, USt, or COST, is the Russian
name for the mouth Of a river. Ust is
only a little more than 100 miles from
Liakox island, which is one of the new
Siberian islands. The mouth Of the va
ma is considerably over hunder miles
east Of the Lena delta.
The Inflated Jeanette was crushed in
the ice in II degrees, Is minutes, north
latitude, and 155 degrees east longi-
tude, on June 10, 1881. This point is TO
the northeast of the New Siberian is
lands. Those of the expedition who
reached land came 500 miles in boats
and sleds to do il. Their point of arri
val was west and north Of Ust Yansk.
GENERALLY SKEPTICAL.
London, Feb. 13.-The reported dis
covery by DR.. NsnSen of the north pole
is much discussed in the press this
morning both in London, and according
10 foreign kilograms, elsewhere, and the
general opinion seems TO be somewhat
skeptical, without denying the possibi-
lily Of the truth of the report.
But this report IS held to at least in
dictate that Dr.. Nansen is safe and is re-
turning. The Royal Geographical So
cietys officials consider it strange that
they should recsiYe no word, as DR..
Nansen promised that that society
should have the very first news and
they have as yet received nothing.
The Times prints various conjectures
on the subject and concludes that If the
news be true, DR.. Nansen has accom-
plished the task more readily than was
expected.
BRANERD'S OPINION.
Washington, Feb. 13.-Dr. Nansen, &C
cording to Lieutenant Davis L. Brain
erd, L. S. A, who accompanied the
Greely expedition as subsistence officer,
bases his theory Of the current which
he relied on to carry him through the
Arctic regions, on the first that the
trend of he jeanette was generally in
direction Of the pole and that pieces OF
driftwOod. etc, have been found on the
east and west coasts of Greenland and
along the east coast of ElleSmere Land
and Grinnel Land, which, from their ap
pea rance and character, seem to in
dictate that they had drifted from the
Siberian coast. Other articles, such as
q large stopper or plug for powder
horn, a coasting stick, a cane, etc, evil
IDENTIFY the work OF Alaskan Indians.
have also been found in the same places.
Therefore, the supposition was advanc-
ed that they drifted across the pole
down the east coast Of Greenland,
around Cape Farewell and UP into Baf-
fins bay and Smiths sound.
II was recalled by Lieutenant Brain
ard that the relics of the Jeanette
left on the ice at the time she was
crushed. were eventually found on the
west coast of Greenland, near Julian's
Head. to have reached which place, il
was estimated, the relics must have
drifted at the rate Of about three miles
a day.
But" the lieutenant added. Or.
Nansen seems to have disregarded, or
at all events taken his chances on, one
important factor. the battling and I'M
certain nature of the current flow,
about which nothing is definitely
known.
81 believe that not only will the Nan
sen expedition prove a failure, but
that II viii end in disaster. L think it
doubtful whether DR.. Nansen will ever
be heard from. 7 think that he has
had too little experience to cope with
the difficulties ne viii inevitably en-
counter, ard especially with the ice"