Washington sentinel., 1899-02-25
DID Andrea Find the Pole2

1
strayed and missing explorers o
the North PoleP asks w. ii. Gil
der, in the New York ToHrNaI.
1t certainly seems to be the con-
census of opinion among those
whose experience or study entities
their views 10 respectful consider
alton that, as j vas Nansen's FIRST
objective point on his way south
ward from his farthest north, so 1t
will prove to have been the hrst
station, or resting place toward
which Andree turned his weary
footsteps upon his return from the
North Pole; that is, ifhe really did
reach that goal Of his ambition,
the point where latitude ceases and
all meridians of longitude con-
verge where there is no north. no
east, no west-indeed,no direction
but south.
Never since the middle ot the
present century, when Sir John
Franklin failed to return with his
expedition that went out on the
Erebus and Terror in search OF the
Northwest Passage, has there been
such deep and widespread interest
in any party OF explorers as is now
felt in Andree and his two intrepid
companions, Fraenckel and Strind-
berg, who lett Danes Island, near
Spitzbergen, July II, 1897, to en-
deavor to reach the North Pole in
a balloon, especially constructed
and equipped for this voyage upon
the most advanced scientific prin-
clples.
Ever since the big airship sailed
away on it's course it has been quite
the thing for wiseacres to scott at
those brave men and to say, "They
are gone, sure enough, and noth-
ing more will ever be heard OF
them" But quite as many people
and those of exactly the same
class-made similar predictions
concerning Nansen, and yet, with
in a very few days Of the date upon
which he told his wife to look Tor
his return home, that splendid
Norseman landed on the northern
coast oi his native country, after a
record breaking voyage Of six days
from Franz Josef Land, where he
had spent some time with Fred
erick Jackson, OF the A. c. Harms.
worth polar expedition. getting rid
OF a personal dirt deposit, resulting
from his wonderful ice journey, and
taking on a little flesh from the
good cheer at Jackson's winter
camp on Cape Flora.
No matte. what others said con-
cerning Nansen's plan and outfit
on the Fram-and even before he
sailed, both were literally and sew
erely criticised-his own faith was
never shaken. The result proved
that his faith was we'll founded. So,
too, was it with Andree. But the
adverse criticisms Of his airship
and his general preparations rolled
away from him like water of the
back OF duck, and there is really
now no m ore reason to believe that
Andree is lost than there was that
Nansen was lost at the time he was
cheeriully plodding along and
making the greatest polar journey
ever made, and the carping critics
still were insistlnp that he would
never be h card OF again.
Barring accidents, it is more than
likely that Andree accomplished
his purposed voyage to the Pole
in the way he expected, and that
he is now well along OIL his home
Journey. He may be heard from
any time this summer or fall.
Franz Josef Land extends farther
north than any known land, and he
would probably endeavor to make
that his first station, unless he saw
some other group OF islands be-
tween that archipelago and the
North Pole on his outward trip.
This is doubtful, though, from the
TACT that when far north OF Franz
Josef Land, Nansen found the
depth OF the sea constantly increas-
ing, which would seem to indicate
that he was not approaching any
land masses in that direction. That
Franz Josef Land extends so far
north is the reason why students
OF Arctic lore recommend a thor
ough search OF that archipelago
for traces OF the missing explorers.
Another reason is the lands aeces-
sibility, as it is possible to reach it
with a vessel any summer. 1t also
has been, and still is, iavorite
starting place for search parties
bound toward the North Pole, and
Andree would reasonably expect
to find some expedition there or
food stored Tor the use Of future