The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-24
NANSEN WELCOMED HERE.
ENTHUsIAsTIo RECEPTION OF THE
E4PLORER ON HIS ARRIHAL.

Met Down the Hay by q Delegation OF Norws-
CLANS ana Escorted 90 Town-Then Taken
to n Public Function sure isis own
Theory IL Right and That Andree IL sare.
DIR. Fridtjof hansen, the famous Arctic OK.
plorer, arrived here yesterday on the Lucania.
Tho NorweRians OF this city and Brooklyn had
made great preparations to give him n royal
welcome. and, about $50 strong, they steam.
cd down the harbor on tho excursion
boat Favorito to meet the incoming
Cunarder. When the Lucania came
along. Nansen's admirers set UP a great shout,
and the passengers on the liner ran to the sido
to watch Nanscn's reception. The band played,
and all Joined in u Norwegian hymn as the ex-
plorer crossed the plank and boarded tho Favor
lite. The steamers in the vicinity saluted vigor-
ously with their whistles.
The first formal welcome to DR.. Nansen was
! that OF Karl waxen. the Norwegian Consul in
this city, who made n few remarks In Norwe-
gian. DIR. Nansen re lied in Norwegian. Then
Prof. Libbey of Princeton University and for.
eign corresponding secretary OF the American
Geographical Society, gave DR.. Nanscn a wei.
come in the English language, and DIR. Nansen,
with n scarcely perccptiblo foreign accent, re.
piled in the same tongue.
DR.. Nanscn said, first Of all, that he was con.
WINGED that his theory OF the Arctic region was
correct throughout.
This whole region near the pole is actually q
floating continent. Tho water there is deep. the
ice is continually breaking away in places. and
there is ample opportunity for exploration. Tho
ice there Is not 30 thick as further south"
DIR. Nanson said that Capt. Sverdrup OF the
Fran was planning to make another expedition
this winter, but that he himself could not pos.
sibly hope to go. When DIR. Nanscn was asked
to discuss the scientific results Of his e~xplora-
lions he replied that he had not arranged his
many data in n way to justify any discussion Of
And l can't pass judgment on Peary's plans:
haven't informed myself as to them. But l do
have confidence in his ability and persever.
and he is probably now in his winter quarters.
a InSd T% nn,nn ro return rbo" at hn the p present les nsd time inn, b is 4
by this time it would have been to report n fail
nrc, have great hopes of AndrGo and his at,
From the pier DR.. Sansen went at once to the
Savoy. Another, welcome awaited him there.
was a mass Of flowers from his many friends.
From the hotel DIR. Nansen went to Chickering
Hall where a reeeption had been prepared for
Tho hall was crowded, and when DR.. Nensen
came, ON the stage with the President, cx.Judge
Charles p. DAILY. there was n storm of applause.
several members of the Geographical Society
occupied seats on the stag. among them Ad.
Long and Capt. Brainerd OF Arctic fame.
On the proposition Of President DAILY. DIR. Nan.
sen was made an honorary member of the
society: Just at this point Mr.. Ieary came
with Dr. Nansen. This caused another burst
of applause. President DAILY then delivered n
lengthy culogy f DR.. Manson, and praised
highly his eryices to science and the bravery
with which he accomplished his work. This
was the introduction to the pr scnting of a gold
medal. established by he late Weep csident Of
the soc ETY.. Gen. Cullum, to DIR. Nansen. The
inscriptio on the medal read thus:
Awarded to FrldtJor hansen. for his voyage in the
Sc. Ii. lsS3-ls96.
DR.. Nansen, in accepting the medal, said in
part:
II give my sincercst thanks for this great
honor, and | appreciate IL especially be-
cause it comes from q nation which con-
plorations and scientific knowledge, from
the prospering nation OF tn. world. To tel
you about my exploration is impossible. butt
en- state a few results. We went out to ex-
theory we thought that the ice around the pole
was drifting, and we have pro ed this to {, 9 so.
The polar problem IS thus, to some extent,
solved.
II think the pole can be reached. and,
in my opinion, there are several ways to
20. One is to let q ship drjtt. as we
did; another is to use dogs and slcds.
That is what tho next American explorer. Mr..
the details OF his plans. l feel sure he will do
honor TO his country. and ! hope that he will
carry the stars and Stripes further north than
we carried, our flag. / hope he will reach the
pr. Nansen.s speech concluded. Mr.. Peary was
introduced. He praised his rivals attempts and
successes in tn highest terms, and said that the
whole world was proud of Nanscn and his
marks in the snmc tenor. and then the audience
pressed forward to shake hands with DIR. Nansen.