St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-12-26
Arctic Exploration in 1901.

nave puSneQ very lar toward tue pOle
The Duke of the Abruzzi has advanced to
within 239 miles, Nansen to within 261 q,
and Sverdrup on the Fran to within $50
miles Oft. Their doings have rekindled
the old desire to reach the north pole.
Several parties, having this goal in view,
will be in the field next season, while
Others which will not attempt to go so
far north are likely to do work of equal
value. One of the most scientific expedi-
tions will be that OF Baron Won Toll, the
Russian explorer, whose expedition on
board his steamer, the Sara, arrived at
the entrance to Kara Sea on August Z.
The season seemed favorable for stea m
ing eastward along the Arctic coast of
Asia, but the explorer did not expect to
advance last TALL beyond the Taimur
peninsula, where he is now supposed to
be spending the winter in district that
will richly repay exploration, for few
coasts offer so excellent an opportunity
for pioneer exploration as the region of
Baron Tolls winter quarters. 1t was
this coast which so astonished and mys-
titled Nansen as he steamed eastward
through the ice and fog in 1898. Hither
to unknown islands came into view every
day. He found them isolated and in
groups He saw them near routes that
Nordenskiold and Russian explorers had
traversed. He could not imagine why
these islands had not been mapped unless
they were completely hidden by the
Astounding fogs from the eyes of earlier
explorers. "rhere are here" he wrote.
"any number of unknown islands; so
many. in fact, that ones head gets con-
fused in trying TO keep account of them
ALL" Baron Won Toll is wintering near
this maze of unknown islands. and
though their exploration is not his main
concern he will, no doubt, supply the
data needed for the correct mapping of
this part Of the Asian coast. He is ac-
companied by twenty men, including an
astronomer, zoologist and a physician.
Next summer he will endeavor to pene-
trate as far north as the mysterious San
nikoff Land, which has been seen twice
in this century from the most northern
island of the New Siberia group. Won
of an archipelago to which the De Long
Islands, discovered by the unfortunate
Jeanette expedition, also belong.
The mysterious feature OF next years
work is the part which E. E. Baldwin is
to play in it. The only facts as yet COM
municated are that he is in quest of the
north pole. has engaged a vessel and has
plenty of money for his enterprise. He
suddenly departed for Europe the other
day, telling reporters that he was going
abroad to study European ideas Of Arc.
tic equipment and methods. AS Ameri-
can explorers are second to none in eX-
pert knowledge of what is needed for
Arctic work, it is possible that Mr.. Bald
win may have other purposes also in his
visit across the sea. Capt. Bernier of
Quebec also desires to find the north
pole, and Sir Clements Markham, presi-
dent of the Royal geographical society,
and other Arctic experts are said to have
approved his plans. Bernier says he will
start next spring from Vancouver with
a crew of six sailors and five. scientific
men and will try the Nansen plan of
drifting in the ice across the polar basin.
He will pass out into the Arctic through
Behriug Sea and will begin his DRIFT 800
miles east of the place where the Fran
entered the ice. By starting further east
than Nansen did he believes he will cross
the polar area very near the pole itself,
coming ont in the waters between Green
land and Spitzbergen. There is no report
that he is emulatIng Nansen's example
by building ship specially adapted for
the very trying ice conditions to be met.
II he sails in the ordinary type OF whaler
or sealer there is reason to fear that he
will lose his vessel by ice pressure.
We shall learn nothing till next sum-
mer of the success of Peary's effort to
reach high northing beyond the north
end Of Greenland. We only know that
when he was about to start from Lady
Franklin Bay, early in April this year,
he was within few days Of the frozen
Arctic sea that was to be his highway.
was in good health and spirits and had
all the supplies he needed.
The little news that has reached Europe
from Sverdrup and the Fran indicates
that Nansen's old assistant has not been
able to AXE his vessel through the mar
row Smith Sound passage to north
Greenland but if the report be true that
he has explored the unknown coast Of
EIlesmere Land he has achieved highly
| desirable bit of work. In all the Arctic
regions there is perhaps no unknown
area that has recently offered so definite
prospect of the discovery of long
stretch of coast line as the triangular
tract between Greenland and the Parry
archipelago known as Ellesmere- Grin
nell Land. It has an eastern shore about
five hundred miles long in a straight line
and must of course have western shore
of about the same length. The western
limits OF the southern half Of this land
mass have not been known, and it is this
unknown coast that Sverdrup is re-
ported to have explored Meanwhile DR..
Robert Stein Of Washington has been on
the shores OF Elesmere Land tor a year
and half to carry out that very same
work, but nothing is known as yet as to
his success. Prof. Nathorst will search
I the southwest coast of Greenland and
the coast of Iceland next summer fol
wreckage from the Andree balloon, which
may possibly have been carried by the
west. flowing polar currents to those
shores. The four buoys from Andree's
balloon that have been recovered give
the history of his journey for only two
days. He had ten other er-buoys
which he intended to throw overheard
and DR. Nathorst has offered a reward
OF 500 Swedish crowns for each OF them
-[New York Sun.
News from the Philippines.
The Philippine commission has passeC
| bills prescribing that English be used il