The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-16

and fatal Unknown" which has baffied
SO many daring spirits. An American, a
Russian, French Canadian, noble Ital-
with each other in the lists. and each will
endeayor TO raise. inetaphorically. his
c0untry's flag upon the pole.
| Indeed this noble international race has
already begun. Peary, an American; Sver-
drup, Swede. and Stein. a German
| American. are already in the Arctic. while
| the fate of the boldest of them all, Andree,
| is still In doubt.
mo one will start for the search better
! equipped with men, money, and, l may add,
| personal ability. than Mr.. Baldwin," said
| a gentleman connected with the Weather
Bureau, yesterday. William Ziegler, a
New York business man and millionaire,
is backing the expedition. The young et-
plorer himself has had considerable ec-
perience in Arctic exploration. He WIS
with Peary in 1899 and 1894: three years
! later he hurried to SpitZbsrgen, in the
hope OF accompanying Andree on his bal
loon voyage. There was no room for him
in the car which carried Andree and his
two companions upon their probably fatal
Journey, and Baldwin returned disappoint-
ed. The next year he accompanied the
Wellman expedition to Franz Josef Land.
1T was during this latter trip that
Baldwin formulated his plan for finding
the Pole. His expedition, according 10
the latest advices. will enter the furthest
north by way of Franz Josef Land, and l
believe the use of great balloon is to be
part of his plan. There is already on
hand 81 100000 to defray the expenses of
the exploration
The Russian expedition under Vice Ad-
miral Makaroff, which is to be made on
the ice-breaking steamer Ermack, prom
ises to be very interesting. The sides of
the Ermack are fifteen times as strong as
those OF the usual commercial steel ship,
and she can run astern as easily as ahead.
Her propellers can be brought short up
against the most formidable obstruction,
with engines going at full speed, and not
be damaged by the contact She has cut
her way through solid Ice fourteen feet
thick, and through heaped-up, or hum
mocky," ice of more than twice that
thickness. She is 302 feet long and has
three propellers aft and one forward The
fore propeller is an American invention
which Admiral Makaroff has adopted. Its
purpose is to reduce the resistance of
the ice by sucking away the water under
meath it.
admiral Makaroff states that his plans
for reaching the Pole are based upon his
experience in navigating the Arctic re-
gions These he will enter next at a lit
tie to the eastward OF Franz Josef Land,
and will avoid the Spitzbergen region be-
cause the East Greenland current encoun-
tered there carries the ice over against !
the coast Of Greenland, and enormously in
creases Its pressure. By starting further
eastward. the admiral says he hopes to |
take advantage OF the current setting to- E,
ward the Pole. 1t is also his opinion that !
the ice in this region is not SO thick or |
compressed as to the westward. and he |
thinks that as the Pole is neared progress !
Will become less difficult. Either the Err
mack will steam to the Pole. or she will !
get as near as possible and then an ex-
petition in dog sleds will push forward
and erdeavor to accomplish the remainder
CT the journey.
The Canadian expedition will be led by
Captain BerEier an experienced naviga-
tor. who has made life study of Arctic
exploration. He expresses preference for
a steel ship. and he estimates the cost of
his expedition at about 500. COO He pur-
poses to set out on about June 1. leav-
ing Vancouver for Behring Straits. The
rcast OF Siberia will be followed as far
as the new Siberian islands. The first
winter quarters OF the ship will be five
miles from the pole. Then Bernicr ey-
poets to advance slowly. being carried to
The pole by the gradual drift Of the ice
in which the vessel will necessarily be
Embedded. He expects to reach his desti-
nation during the third summer of mis- ex-
1edition
The Duke Of Abruzzi, first cousin to
he King Of Italy. and Fridtiof hansen.
he Norwegian, will together lead an ex-
petition into the frozen north. 1t IS
needless to review the qualifications of
hese two great explorers Presumably,
he Abruzzi-Nansen expedition will start
~ way OF Franz Josef Land. over the
cute already taken by the Duke in which
re has reached the further north.
OF next years German expedition no
'etails have been made public The
of Lieutenant Peary, and Of
Ierr Andre are unknown. They may be
ieard from at any day. and the results CT
heir voyages may entirely change all the
laborate preparations now being made
or Ar'tic exploration.
The First Chinese Exclusion Act.