Evening star., 1901-03-25
TO SEEK THE POLE
NOVEL. PREPARATIONS FOR THE
BALDWIN-ZIEGLER EXPEDITION.
Plans Have Been Made to Meet I'm
foreseen Emergencies-WiII
start in June.

Preparatory to making dash for the
north pole, Mr. Evelyn 3. Baldwin. who
has already had noteworthy experience in
arctic exploration. is visiting Washington
for the purpose of comforting with scien-
lists and others, and is a guest at the
Shoreham Hotel. The expedition will be
known the Baldwin-Ziegler polar ex-
pedition. the active financial hacker of the
undertaking being Mr.. William Ziegler of
New York city. Two vessels will be used,
the America, a three-masted vessel, with
equipment for steam propulsion, now
being fitted out at Dundee. Scotland and
the Frithjof similarly provided with sail
and steam power, which Is being made
ready at TrUmsoe, Norway.
Mr.. Baldwin will sail in the America
leaving some time in June. The party will
consist of thirty men. and the duration of
the journey is fixed for twenty-seven
months. Four hundred dogs have been
secured in Siberia. Particular care has
been taken in preparing food supplies for
both men and animals. Former expeditions
have been sadly trammeled by their in
ability to carry supplies sufficient to meet
possible emergencies, but the strides prac-
tlcal science has made in the matter of
making concentrated foods assures Mr..
Baldwin's problem an easier solution.
Few Fears of scuryy.
By means of desiccated vegetables, fruit
pulps and similar things the dreaded
scuryy. which frequently follows a
strictly meat diet in the arctic regions will
be. it is hoped. avoided. Scientifically the
expedition will be equipped on the same
modern lines. Mr. Baldwin was connected
with the weather bureau for several years,
and his experience and education in this
connection will probably be of great ad
vantage to him and his companions. Mag
netic observations will form important part
q q
graphic work Apparatus and instruments
for conducting both will be of the latest
character. While sea soundings will be
taken at regular intervals to determine
movement of currents, specific gravities.
depths. thickness of ice and characteristics
OF tides. kites equipped with Instruments
Will be utilized to ascertain the conditions
or the upper elements.
Departure on the Search.
1t Is the present intention to have the
America leaves Dundee and the Frithjof
leave Tromse simultaneously. and meet
in Franz Josef Land, which route will be
taken north. In case the expeditions of
Lieut.. Peary and Capt. Sverdrup, which
are now believed to be somewhere in the
Smith sound region, should return before
June /, Mr.. Baldwin may take the Green
land instead of the Franz Josef route, as
his plan has been drawn on the elastic
pattern. and may be changed to meet any
unforeseen conditions. Should either Peary
or Sverdrup, if they return, bring news of
having reached the pole, Mr.. Baldwin con-
templates giving up the arctic voyage and
taking his expedition south to the antarc-
tic. 1t Will be seen, therefore, that in the
preparations for attacking the ice prob
lem, as well as in the pliability of plans.
the Baldwin-Ziegler polar expedition Is
novel to superlative degree.
In the way of provender the menu for
men and dogs will be unparalleled when
former arctic expeditions are taken into
consideration. There is an expectation
of course, that bears, seals, walrus, sea
birds and other fowl will afford certain
amount of fresh meat at certain times dur
ing the journey, but salt junk upon
which nearly all former parties have been
compelled to subsist with the ultimate
probability of scurvy, will be a small por-
tiOn of the food cargo in this instance
Timed meats the new emergency ration Of
the United States army; other prepared
foods In concentrated form, including. des-
located potatoes for the men and dried
fish and a peculiar mush compound for the
dogs, will be carried.