Washington sentinel., 1901-06-15
OFF TO THE POLE.
The BAIdwIn.Ziegler Expedition
TO the Frozen North.

cedented IN the history OF Polar
exploration. No less than six ex-
peditions, backed by as many ma
tions, are in the field, all com
manded by men of unquestIoned
courage and ability. and each san
guine Of success. Russia, Italy,
Germany, Norway, Canada and
our own country will vie with each
other for the distinction OF being
the first TO discover the long
sought region where latitude and
longitude are not.
II is due to the enterprise and
patrio ism of Mr.. William Ziegler
OF New York that the most per-
lectly equipped of all these expe-
ditions will represent the United
States in this great international
race for Polar honors. The Bald
win Ziegler Polar expedition, as it
is called, left New York on June
8, under command OF Evelyn
Briggs Baldwin, the well known
Arctic voYager ana meteorologist,
whose experience, backed by the
unlimited capital placed at his dis
posal by Mr., Zlegler, ensures at
least be!teting oil the Polar rec
ord, if not the actual discovery of
the elusive Pole itself. AT present
the Italian Duke Of the Abruzzi,
no last year penetrated the ice
fields as far as so So. holds the
honor OF having been ''lurthest
north"-but by a very narrow
margin, Nansen having reached
go IA in 1895. In 1907 Hudson
So az, and this record
was subsequently surpassed by
Phipps in 1878 (so0 48O; ~
ScoresbY 1906 (SIo IA 4a"); by
Parry in 1877 (Sa' 4s'); by Mark
ham in 1876 (83' a3) by Greeley
in 1881 (S30 s4O; and bv Nansen
and Abruzzi as stated above.
Evelyn Briggs Baldwin, the or
ganizer and commander Of the ex-
was born at Springfield,
Mo, in 1862. He is a man Of
medium stature whose face, kindly
and clean cut, expresses energy
and courage n a marked degree.
He was the meteorologist OF the
PearY expedition in ISos-94, and
but for the fact that there was no
room for him, would have shared
the tate Of Andree in the latter's
tragic balloon voyage from Spitz-
bergen in 1897. After makinF ex-
tensive observations ot auroral dis
plays, and Arctic meteorological
studies, Mr., Baldwin joined the
Wellman expedition of 1893 90
His reports will be incorporated in
the forthcoming annual report OF
the United States Weather Bur,
eau.
On the present expedition Mr..
Baldwin will have a party number
ing about forty, including many
well known scientists. Two YES
sells will be used.
Com auder Baldwin's plans, as
recently announced, are as follows:
The personnel OF the expedition
will leave New York about June
8 for Dundee, Scotland, where
they will board the America and
proceed to Sandefjord and from
soc, IN Norway. AT Tromsoe she
will be joined by the Frithjol. The
Frithjoi will carry party Of skilled
hunters into the ice fields for the
purpose of procuring a cargo OF
bear, seal and walrus meat which
will be landed atvarious desig mated
points in Franz Josef Land. These
deposits will be picked up later by
the America. Meanwhile the
America will proceed from from
soc to the White Sea to take on
tour hundred Siberian dogs and
twenty Siberian ponies which are
now being brought overland to the
north coast OF Russia. This ac-
complished, she will rejoin the
Frithjof at Franz Josef Land, and
both vessels will then steam north
ward as far as the conditions Of the
ice will permit. when the Frthjof
will return 10 Norway. The Amer
ica will remain in Franz Josef Land
as a movable base OF supplies.
Aided by his immense transport
train, Mr.. Baldwin expects to be
able to advance his entire equip
ment to the most northerly point
OF land in the Franz Josef archi-
pelago before the long Arctic
night closes in. Here houses will
be erected and the party made
snug and comfortable for the long
period OF inactivity which must
ensue. In the spring of 1907, with
the coming oi dawn, Mr.. Bald win
with his chosen companions, will
set out uQon his perilous journey