New-York tribune., 1897-01-17
PRESSING TOWARD THE POLE.

Among contemporary Arctic explorers there
is probably none better entitled to recognition
as an authority than Lieutenant Peary. lie
has on more than one occasion aDundan'iy
proved his faith by his works Others nave
reached slightly higher latitude. But no one
| has more thoroughly explored the land as he
, has gone along. no one has filled up more
| blank spaces on the polar map. and no one mas
more carefully studied the conditions OF earth
| and sea and air. and Of life in the far, frozen
North His uttcrances on the subject OF Arc
tie exploration must therefore be heard WIN
respect and his plan for a campaign TO the
| Pole preached the other evening before the
American Geographical Society must be re-
| par,pd as one of the most authoritative YET put
| forward for snrpassing under the Stars ana
Stripes the brllian, and as yet unrivalled
| achievement of Frithof Nansen.
| One of the chief items in Lieutenant Pearys
| nlan of camDoicn is TO provide abundant stores
| of food along the route. so that whatever else
| nav happen starvation shall not. or that the
correctness is indisputablc. Many. proDaDy
| most. of the disasters that have occurred 10
| Arctic expeditions have been due TO lack OF
| food supplies With modern methods OF pres
ervation and concentration Of food. that part
| of the work can now be performed win coih
narrative ease Another item Is that the part!
| should be a small one If for no other reason
| than TO be sparing Of food. The ideal party
| he thinks is one Of two members, Iheor!
which both he and Nansen have put into sue
cessfu practice: but he probably would not op-
iect TO three or four. This. of course, refers 10
the party which makes the final dash Tor 'he
| Pole The party which goes up win the
| shin and establishes the various depots or pro-
visions and the extreme base OF supplies must
| bo more numerous. The little company Is,
however. to have the comradeship ana assist
| once of q number of EsQuimaus, OF whom
Lieutenant Peary has a high opinion FINALLY
.1he leader Of the expedition must be mt the
head Of the advance party, principle whlch
Lieutenant Peary has himself consistently prac-
! tised.
That is the plan The route is, naturally
enough. that which Lieutenant Peary has him.
self repeatedly traverscd, the old, familiar
| route ND Bafln Bay. Smith Sound and Ken
nedy Channel. and then 10 the northeast. until
the uttermost poleward extremity or Green
land is reached. There. perhaps near the point
reached by Branard and Lockwood in May
I 1880 a final base of operations and depot OF
! supplies is TO be established. and from 1t the
little party of adventures are to strike straight
northvard for the Pole. across the drear I'M
known. That. Lieutenant Peary reckons right
| w. IS the route which will give the nearest land
| base TO the Pole most important considerations
| There will then be fixed, definite point to
| which return may be made; and If the ocean
currents. which there bear westward, should
| prevent a return TO that point the Adventures
NAV effect a landing somewhere on the Green
land coast between Cape Washington and the
| PoIaris Permissible all of which has been ex-
| nlorcd and along which stores of provisions are
| TO be placed at convenient points for use in
| lust such an emergency.
| One other essential feature of the plan must
| not be forgotten That is to raise sufiicient
| fund in advance Lieutenant Peary puts il at
| ONLY 1JOOOO-to insure the continuation of the
| work for ten years If necessary, so that the IN
| comDlere results of one seasons Ell Orts will not
have to be abandoned the next year for lack OF
| means For such fund Lieutenant Peary
looks TO the American people. or to some one
generous and pubic-spirted man who Will do
for American exploration what Mr.. Harms
| worth is doing for British. That il will he
forthcoming he has a lively hope. And why
rot? For. as he well says. there is not man
! "or woman whose heart would not thrill with
| "natriotjsm to see the realization OF this
"uroicct and know that II was American
! "money intelligence energy and endurance
J that had scaled the apex of the earth and
| "lightcd il with Old Glory.