Evening star., 1896-08-13
N AN EN- EARD FROM
Said to Have Returned to the Shores of
Norway.
Reported Arrival at yardO Island
Board the Steamer Wind
wnrd-lIis Project Outlined.

CHRIsTIANIA. August 1s.-The Aften
Posten announces that DR.. Nansen. the
arctic explorer. has arrived at Vardo Island.
Norway, on board the steamer Wi2dward
which recently went to Franz Josef Land
N order to bring back the JacHsonFar
worth expedition.
1t will be remembered that last February
news came that Nansen had reached the
North Pole and was returning, but the re-
port subsequently, proved incorrect, or at
least, proof of ITS correctness was not OBJ
tained.
The ex, edition sailed from Chr.stiania,
Norway, June "A. 1898. the doctors plan
being to make for the new Siberian Islands.
and thence head north until the Fran. by
being imbe1ded in the ice. would be COM
PEELED to drift along the west coast of any
land which Night be found.
On August 23. 1875. DR.. Nansen sent
dispatch from Vardo, reporting that on the
"a of that month he was about to sail into
the Kara sea, and that the Fran had be-
hayed splendidly up to that stage OF the
j. urney. especially in forcing her way
through the ice.
A London dispatch. dated March i of last
year, anEoanCed that letter dated Kjelle-
ford, February -, had reached Hammer
fest Norway, announcing that telegraph
inspector at station in the mountains be
tween Labesy ard Langfjcrd. had seen d
balloon moving in a southerly direction,
AID believed that it was possibly carrying
dispatches from DR.. Nansen, but until the
February dispatch no further news of the
baliOON Of DR.. NaHSen was received.
Some Previous Reports.
In April. 1S,3, the Figaro of Paris circu-
lated a runcr that DR.. Nansen had found
the north pole. and that it was situated on
q chain of mountains. 1t was then added
that he had planted the Norwegian flag
there. The story was generally regarded as
being without foundation.
On September IL of la year advices were
received in London from the Danish trad
ing station of Ansmassalik. on the east
coast of Greenland. that ship supposed to
be DR.. Nansen's Fran had been sighted at
the end of July stuck fast in an ice drift
Then December H. dispatch from Chris
tiaria. Norway, stated that DR.. Nansen 5
wife had received letter by carrier pigeon
reporting that the expedition was doing
well. AS no carrier pigeons We're taken
Eorth by the Naasen party this report was
evidently Inaccurate. but 1t was psblished
for what 1t was wortn
Career Of Manson.
Dr. FIidtJof Nansen is a distinguished
scientist of Norway. and an enthusiastic
believer in the possibility Of finding the
north pole. He is about thirty-iive years
OF age. He entered the University of Chris
taria in 1850 and two years later went on
& sealing trip to Denmark Straits. on the
east coast of Greenland. in the Viking.
Later, in 1SS2. Eensen was appointed
curator of the museum at Bergen. which
position he retained until 1Sss, when he
led small expedition of six men to Green
land. crossing the southern part of that
portion of the globe.
1t was probably during this trip that
NanSen conceived the plan of making
attempt % reach the north pole in a vessel
constructed specially for such an undertak
irg. In any case. after his return 10 Nor
way Nsnsen took the preliminary steps to-
ward fitting out his expedition, and tn.
Fran was planned ami constructed.
she is generally classcd as a three masted
schooner. but she had a 1:0-horse power
steam engine in addition TO her sails.
Her displacement was $50 tons, and her
sides were so constructed as to force all
ice meeting the vessel 10 pass underneath
her, thus preventing 'pinching'' and
.screwing. The Norwegian parliament
allowed Nansen about S52.OOO to fit out his
craft. and in addition. he was assisted in
his work by many private subscriptions,
including of SJ,isD from King Oscar.
The Fran was launched October 26, 1S:l2,
at LaurWik, Fear Christiania