The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1901-02-27
AnlDAgaETsTHEpOlE
Captain Bernier Says Hell Claim
1t by Right Of Discovery.
WILL LEAD EXPEDITION N SPRING

Start win ne Wade From vaneoavrs
and CO ThrouEh BerInE strait.
NEXT winter win Ne spent ID
North. whence Early start WIZ Ne
Made For Their DestinatIon - All
Arrangement. Perfected.
IF reach the pole shall claim
that territory by right % discovery for
Canada Captain J. L. Bernier said in
discussing his polar scheme. on which
Be- expects 20 start early In the spring
The captain viii sail from Vancouver
with a crew Of l. men. who are 20 be
scientists. sailors. hunters and snow
shcers. Captain Beruler has discussed
tie project with Sir Wnfrid IAurier.
who, u is said. has expressed great in.
tsrest IN the enterprise. In fact. The
premier q Canada has promised as
sfstlnce.
-AparT altogether from the scientific
results Of my expedition Captain
/ Beruler said, there is the great ma
] uonal quest.cn II determining Cana.
da's northern boundary. II the bound
I ery between Canada and Alaska were
| continued northward. q wonld strike
the north pole. A similar line through
Bafin hay. prolonged 70 the pole.
should BE- Canada's northeasteriy from.
tier. and ~ we reach the pole we could
claim the whole country north of US
/ by right q discovery. Owing 10 our
neglect 90 DO that the Americans are
going IN. and the returns az Washing.
ton show tat American whalers. seal
ers and fishermen take SS.coocoo Of
sea animals and FISH from Canadian
waters which Canada has not ,yt
been able 20 claim by right Of discov.
cry.
4 believe that the waters between
Canada's northern seacoast and the
pole VII, under the influence OF chang.
ing climatic conditions. soon become
the fishing grounds Of the world"
Captain Bernier said that be purpos
ed having a vessel specially construct
ed to stand the strain in the Icehelds
and pound its way through them by
use OF an auxiliary steam power. He
has bad plans prepared In England for
two vessels. one 60 be Of wood. the 9th.
er 70 be Of steel He prefers the Tor.
mer for the reason that IL can be built
In Canada The plans have been laid
before the Canadian government
Speaking OF the course outlined. the
navigator said the ship VIII Eroceed
from Vancouver 20 Fort Clarence.
south OF Cape Prince OF Nalss. Alaska.
There dogs, live provisions. coal. etc.
viii be taken on board. and the expedi-
tion win enter Bering strait about the
Ist Of July.
On entering the Arctic ocean the ship
will take an easterly course. following
the northern coast Of Siberia, where
open water is pretty sure 10 be found
Ia July and August. When n point be-
tween 165 and 40 east is reached. the
vessel will be headed for the north. and
II will be pushed toward the pole as far
as possible. Blasting IL necessary viii
be resorted TO 10 enable them TO reach
the most northerly point possible be-
fore being finally frozen In for the win
ter.
Captain Bernier expects his vessel TO
be frozen In for the first winter about
45O miles east OF where Nansen's Fran
was frozen In and about ESQ TO roo !
miles from the pole. Here two obser-
walton stations equipped with self reg
istering instruments will be establish |
ed and viii keep in communication
with the ship by means OF the Marconi |
wireless telegraph system as well as by |
gun signals.
While in England Captain Bernier
laid his scheme before all the leading |
arctic explorers and others interested |
and received their unanimous indorse-
ment Sir Clements Markham particu-
larly interested himself. Sir Clements
Is the president OF the Royal Geograph-
ical society and accompanied the arc.
he expedition OF 1850. He presided
over the meeting OF the Royal Colonial
institute, where Captain Bernier laid
bis plans before the leading scientific
men OF England. lie also arranged
'or the loan OF all the scientific lnstru-
nents required for the expedition from
he British admiralty.
Captain Bernier, whose family has
been sailors for 325 years and who.
iince he obtained his masters certif-
ate at the age Of II. has commanded
Z vessEis and never failed to reach his
'ort, ij 4S years old. lie has had con-
iderAble experience In Ice work. espe-
ially In the gulf OF st. Lawrence and
N the coasts Of Newfoundland and
.abradOr.