The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-12-13
HOPE TO RE Oh THE POLE.
plans of Canadian Expedition 10 sta,t
Next May.

Quebec, Dec. 9.-The mem bers of the
Quebec Geographical Socie y, and some of
the Canadian Cabinet ministers as WE'LL
believe firmly that their country's flag
will be planted at the North Pole ty a
French Canadian navigator In the clos
ing days OF the preseno century, or in the
opening one of the twentieth. he pure
~ Canadian expe lition to the North Pole
is expected to start next May. 1t will be
led by Capt. Bernier of Quebec, who
comes of an old seataring family, and has
already commanded some forty
ships and steamers in different parts of
the word Arctic exploration has been
his long study. The Laurier Govern
ment is giving the expedition substantial
aid, and it's leader has now the assurance
that its total cost will be betrayed, save
about $40, 600, which he is confident will
be forthcon ing from Canadian sources
wishir the next few weeks.
DR. Dawson. director of the Dominion
Geological Survey, says that the expedi-
tion has a fair probability of success, and
Dr. Nansen, after having seen all its de-
tails. said to Capt. Bernier "You will
or there if you are persevering enough -
he captain asserts no special originality
70 his plans. They are based, he says,
u the results achieved by hansen. He
is of the opinion that man. of the other
xpeditions failed because they were
tanned in opposition to nature. They
tArted northWard in seas where the cur
sent ran toward the south AS the vessel
advanced in 8 nor herly direction it was
conseq emily meeting drift ice, which,
sad CT assisting, barred its progress
Ii the explorers advanced on stedges over
the ics tiae. they became exhausted by
us le,s efforts, for the slow current grad
ustlly drove to the south the foe on which
they thou h5 they were advancing. In
the case of those expeditions which were
exceptions to this rule unforeseen circum-
stances interiered with their success
This va, the experience Of both the jean
cite and the Fran, anG Capt De Long
was per eetly justified, according to Bern
Ter, in saying that it the vessel had resist
cd the pressure of the ice he would have
passed over the pole or in it's immediate
vicinity Bernier estimates that if De
Long had remained upon the ice Hoe
which crushed his vessel, he would, three
years later at the most, have reached
opitzbergen, as it was part of northerly
bound drift.
The leader of the Canadian expedition
proposes TO take advantage OF jus5 such a
bortnern- bound current His intention
is to charter a good sealing steamer and
proceed to the mouth of he Lena river,
Siberia, and as far further toward the
north as possible, probably abandoning
her in about 70 deg. north and between
$50 deg. and $40 deg. east longitude.
4 he party will consist OF seven men, in
Guiding Two scientific observers, aud
two Essimos to take care of the dogs and
reindeer With every equipment that hu.
man ingenuity can devise he expects at
n minimum rate of four miles day TO
rearh the pole, and within eighteen
months to have finished his mission anu
reached Spitzbegen in the other hemis-
pbere He hopes TO be assisted thither
from the polo by Ii southerly- bound cur
rent. From Spitzbergen he expects to re-
turn to civilization by the Norwegian ex-
oursion steamer.
A S a precautionary measure the expedl'
tion will be provisional for two wears
and half In his equipment there Will
be unique boat in COMPARTMENTS bullt
OF aluminium and WOOD With all the nec.
essary appliances for wind and haud pow
sf anu SO arranged that it will serve also
as house. There will DO thirty sled ges
OF various Kinds, modelled to carry from
]. a0U to 1000 pounds each, also nade of
aluminium and wood, TO Il { into and form
the bottom OF a rubber raft TWENTY-FIVE
feet long, six feet wide, four feet deep