The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-04
Nineteenth Century AcEievements--Arctic Explor-
atoms

brilliant all feats in Polar exploration was
doubedy that performed by Dr. Fridtjo Nansen may
be styled the Polar Star He holds the worlds the
furthest north, having degrees
latitude April 1885, nearly two hundred miles further
north than had reached before But this
markabe feat of far dstancng all competitors is not by
the full distinction which Nansen
can claim a Arctic explorer He brought back richer
fruits in the of scientific observations than who
had before him. Not the least of them the
ersed by the Franz which exploded the former common
theory of shallow Polar Indeed Nansen brought
back with materials which added fresh
chapter to the checkered history of globe
Until the two Polar adequately explored our
knowledge Of the physical and geographical conditions of
the earth must remain incomplete All along desperate at
eps have been made to reach the North Pole in order to
discover what the apex of globe Three hundred
years ago Hendrix Hudson reached nearly 8O2 north la
tude took two hundred to get degree beyond
that This accomplished in 1906 by Scoresby Twenty
years Perry attained latitude of 50 degrees
which fifty years until
in 1896 Albert Markham pushed degrees minutes
years Lockwood and Branard of the Greedy
petition this miles Their
remained the worlds record until Nansen and Johansen
pushed onward two hundred miles beyond
In 1878 Baron Nordenskold succeeded in sailing through
the Northeast Passage and his expedition discovered Franz
Josef Land In 1879 the Jeanette expedition sent
by the New York Herald and though ended wreck and
disaster second only to the tragedy OF Sir John Frakns
last expedition its geographical results extensive and
important Moreover the finding of Jeanette relics by
some Esqumaux off the coast of Greenland in 1884 was
largely responsible expedition finding
of these relics which obviously had drfted the Polar
sea- suggested to Nansen the idea OF ansPoar current
led him the conclusion that from
Behrng Strait in generally northwest direction the
North Pole This current he decided
in his expedition.
The story of how Nansen, in his ship the Fran, tr
umphty proved his theory repeated
He has told the story himself better than else
tell it, His leaving the ship in 81 degrees north la
tude his remarkable overload journey during which the
hghes north obtained his retreat to Franz Josef Land
dramatic meeting with Jackson, notable
striking episode the history of Arctic exploration
The three years data which hansen collected during his
expedition and his various collections have been priceless
boon to various departments of science.
Next to Nansen the important contributions to
knowledge of the Arctic regions been made by Lieu
R e Peary though brilliant and remarkable work
been performed by other American explo-
in the persons of Kane Hayes Hail. Greedy De Long
Melville Schwatka, Glider and others.
The Polar regions must have peculiar attraction
the explorer they hold the to
Of knowledge many mansions. pack
amid stress of the wonderful
of nature the secrets of the universe must be read
Though explorers discovered the Poles
they attained still larger results in extending the do
of science, of civilization and commerce.