Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-13
WITH D0GSAND DEER.
CAPT. J. T.. DERNIER'S PLAN TO
REACH THE NORTH POLE.
TWO PROJECTS BASED ON SCIENCE
An Experienced Navigator Believes
He Can Overcome the Difficulties
hut Mysterious Point.

QUEBEC. March 10.-Not since man
laid the first gruesome foundation Of the
pathway Of lost human lives that leads
towards the unreached North Pole has a
proposition to overcome the apparently
unsurmountable obstacles, aroused such
widespread interest as that Of Captain J.
T.. Bernier. Captain Bernier is a sailor
Of wide and varied experience and a
daring navigator. He has been a sailor
since he was II years Of age, and there is
no nook or corner of the known world
that he has not visited. His project for
reaching the North Pole is not plan
that he intends another shall carry out.
Learned scientific societies have en-
dOrsed his views as both feasible and
capable OF successful accomplishment.
Among them stands pre-eminent the
Quebec Geographical Society, which has
Joined in an application 10 the Govern
ment of the Dominion Of Canada for
financial aid. Captain Bernier pro-
poses TO head the expedition that will
attempt to reach the Pole in the way he
sets forth and this fact adds considera-
bly, TO the Importance Of the signed
statement from him. which is printed be-
low.
CAPTAIN BERNIER'S ARGUMENT.
To get an intelligent idea from the
very beginning OF what has been accom-
plished In the attempts 10 get nearer 10
the North Pole, it is necessary TO Jurn
90 the pages OF history that pertain TO the
old .vtn "a olH
man sailors ventured where others
paused aghast. and their holiness was
Rewarded by the discovery OF Greenland.
To the Normans succeeded several cen-
turtles later IN the struggle with the ice,
the English, and after them the Dutch.
Believing in the existence OF an open sea
10 the north Of the continents, the layi-
gators Of Northern Europe long sought
u passage between India and China. FAN
ure 20 find this passage only made them
the more persistent in their efforts. II
was a fight in those days with the ODDS
all on the ice. The frail ships OF the Nor
mans and the old Dutch carayels pos
sessed neither the swiftness nor the Ie-
Distance necessary 10 triumph over the
frozen wastes Little by little, however,
abe art OF naval construction progressed.
and at the same time with greater and
greater ardor. and with new aids. man
launched his assaults against the polar
banks.
WITH DOGS AND sLEDS.
Long before the advent OF polar expe-
ditions the tribes OF Asia and Northern
America haruessed dogs 20 sleds and ira
yelled over the icy deserts of the regions
they Inhabited. With stouter ships and
with the dog-drawn sleds then, the strug-
gle continued with some hope Of success.
By advancing thus Commodore Albert
Markham reached in 1876 the most north
ern point yet attained BY the routes OF
Smiths Straits and Bering Straits the
attacking parties have struggled on, only
10 be forced 10 turn back with the eoal
unattained.
The route OF Smiths Straits has been
OF late the most frequently attempted
Americans have affirmed the existence in
the arm OF the sea Of vast basins OF open
water. Unhappily the true situation was
different. In crossing the open space re-
tween Greenland and Spitzbergen. navi-
gators have been checked at ATTITUDES
much further south.
In 1853 and 1870 the German expedition
OF koldewey could not get its sleds fur
ther than II degrees OF latitude on the
eastern coast OF Greenland. On this side
there is polar current which brings
down 70 the south an enormous quantity
OF ice. thus shutting on any chance OF
success In this direction on the side Of
SpitIbergen the conditions are far more
favorable. The warm current which flows
nortaward along the eastern shore OF this
archipelago continues 10 80 degrees In
no other place is Il possible 10 attain so
easily northern latitude In free waters.
"A few expeditions have followed this
route. The principal advance made north
OF Nova Zembla was that OF Weyprecht
and OF Payer dS72-lsID. Blocked al the
northern extremity OF this land the
Austro-Hungarian vessels drifted 20 the
north by the current and discovered
Franz Joseph Land. Pursuing his route
IN the direction OF the Pole. PAYER reach
I'd g degrees. minutes. Since then this
archipelago has been visited by Leigh.
Smith and By the Jackson Harms worth
expedition
The first attempt made 10 reach tha
Pole by way OF Boring Strait was thar
Of Cooke, IN lS0 The last was The nm
fortunate expedition OF the Jeannetfe
Thus, IN all directions, the hsrrtsr y,
zee mas arrested the efforts Of man. and
10 conquer THIS resistance, Il has become
necessary 10 ind a new means OF pene-
uating the polar basin and TO choose a
new route. This brings me 20 the pro.
ject by which hope to reach The coveted
goal
HIS FIRST PROJECT.
IN 1880 the Jeanette was crushed In
me north OF the archipelago OF New She
ia ATS d@lay az fwo years IN cross.