The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-03-19

Greenland, after 4 rough journey on
July 18th. The party reached peIHl'iA'
near the northern boundary OF me Dd.-
ish domain. on August 4th' ana ne Us
supposed To have sailed on the loHo"-
ing day for the far north. On the
Journey up the Greenland coast syer-
drup purchased some dogs, mdhlu5
about 100 sledge animals, including Ill
teen that ne took from Norway.
Sverdrup's intention was 10 force MS
way through Smith Sound and hopeson
Channel as far north along the coast Oh
Greenland as possible, and then 70 use
his shin as headquarters for sledse eA-
petitions. These sledge parties Will ue
sent out 20 explore and man the holln
EN- mainland coast line and 10 attempt
-o connect Cape Washington the most
lorthcriy point known on the west coast
If Greenland. with Independence Bay on
.he east coast. discovered boy PearN'
and. If possible with Cape blsmafck
rIrther south ora the same coast oiher
-.edge parties will leave the Fran 10
.Xpl0re the archipelago north OF Green
and.
These plans Of Sverdrup's are idenu.
ally the same as those announced
months before 10y Lieut. Pcary. DC
reates an unusual condition of AFFAIRS
in Arctic exploration, that OF one eN-
pl0ror going into the field already oc-
cuped by another and attempting 10
carry out work already planned IL
remains 20 be seen whether Syerdrup
Norweelaus. with the chances of disas-
ter increased by their comparatively
large number. will be able 10 equal the
sledging fcats IA the coming season or
the American explorer who mas peen
called by Sir Clements r. Markham
"the greatest ice traveller In the world
Six OF Sverdrup's crew are men or
scientific education, and geoloey' botany
and zoology are all represented by fpt-
ciaiists. Astronomical magnetic ana
other physical observations VIII Toe TAKEN
and special attention will be given 10
glacial phenomena and to- the study OF
the exact nature OF the s0-c9llcd pale
ocrvstic ice. whose origin. formation and
drift are not yet understood The party
is equipped for four years.
Sverdrup's plan 10 use his ship as WIN
ter quarters for his mon does not ac-
cord with the Judgment of Arctic eX-
pl0rers generally who, since me Mares
exnediti0n I'm 1870. have regarded il as
far preferable, when am expedition mas
a land base. 10 live I'm house on shore.
The Fram's stores include 10 bottles or
brandy and a large supply Of tobacco
which is quite an innovation on modern
ing opinion being that creature comforts
of this sort are better left at home.
The purely Canadian expedition Is
plan Of Captain Bcrniers of Quebec,
who is backed by the Quebec Geoerapn
zeal Society and the L1ur.er Govern
mont. IL will start I'm May rs au the
money necessary TO defray the cost ot
the outfit is now I'm the hands Of those
having the matter in charge.
Captain Bernler says there IS no spe-
cial originality in his plans. Jhey are
based on the results achieved by Nan
sen. He is Of the opinion that many OF
the other expeditions failed because lhey
were planned IN opposition 10 nature.
They started nOrthward i'm seas Where
the current ran toward the south IS
the vessel advanced In a northery dl-
rection it was consequently meetinb
drift ice which. instead OF assisting IL
barred its progress.
II the explorers advanced on siedSeS
over the ice foe. they became exhaust
ed by useless efforts, for the slow cur
rent gradually drove 10 the souln uo
foe on which they thought they were
advancing In the case OF those eApe-
ditions which were exceptions 20 thls
rule Unforeseen circumstances lnteiIere1
with their success. This was the eNper-
Fran. and Captain De Long was per-
fectlv justified, according 20 Bernier' ID
saving that If his vessel had reslsleu
the pressure Of the ice he would nave
PASSED over the pole or ia its immeal.lo
vicinity Bernier estimates that II po
Long had remained upon the lee noe
which crushed his vessel he would, three
years later at the most, have reached
spitzbergen, as It was part OF hoIln-
erly bound drift.
Captain Bernier proposes 10 take au-
vantage Of such northernbOund currents
He intends chartering a good seaiihs
steamer and proceed 10 the NOUN Oh
the Lena River. Siberia. and as FAR tur-
Their toward the north as possible pro-
bablv abandoning her in about I'D degrees
north and between 100 and 40 degrees
east longitude. The party Will CONSIST Oh
seven men, including TWO scientihc oo'
servers. and two Eskmos 10 take care
OF the dogs and reindeer Win every
equipment that human ingenuity can "'
wise he expects at minimum rate OF
/ four miles a day 20 reach the pole' arc
within eighteen months 10 have nnlsnel
| his mission and reached Splt@oeiseh III
| the other hemisphere.
As a precautionary measure the eN'
nedifion will be Dr0visi0ned for tWc
| wears ana n NAH AZ AAt'
there will be a unique boat IN coinpat,,
ments built OF aluminium and Nooa VIZ,
all the necessary appliances Tor VIM
and hand power and so arranged lha1 j.
viii serve also as house.
There will be thirty sledses on various
kinds. modelled 10 carry from lgp %
| 1000 pounds each. also made or aiunll'
mum and wood 20 ht into and FORM IN.
bottom OF rubber raft twenty-five Zee,
long. six feet wide, four feet deep ana
capable Of carrying 1900 pounds. ~
skeleton kayaks will form part or th'
outfit. with covers detached but ready
for use IN case OF emergency. Each o.
these kayaks will be able 20 accommo
date two men and six months lFo"'
siOns.
Captain Bernier will take with him
12O tame and uniformed reindeer 20 20
utilized in carrying the provisions as fal
north as possible. They will be fed viii
about four hundred pounds OF moss
a day. and killed one by one 20 feed
the dogs, OF which there VIII be fifty on
sixty OF the Siberian hound variety Re
fore going into winter quarters the re-
naming reindeer will be killed TO pro.
vide food for men and dogs