Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-02-21
VANCOUVER TO POLE.
Capt. J. e.. Bernier Proposes to Plant
the Canadian Flag at the North.
crn Angle of the Dominion.

QUEBEC, Canada. Feb. 2O-Capt
j. e. Bernier, who is anxious to
start from Vancouver in the spring of
1902 to attempt to plant the Canad-
ian flag on the north pole and thus
| establish the northern base Of the do.
| minion of Canada, which he holds
| should be defined by two straight lines
forming an angle at the pole, has the
support of Admiral Markham and the
Royal geographical Society of Eng.
land. lie has just returned here
from London and has gone to Ottawa
to urge his claims upon the dominion
government. Capt Bernier has al
ready been assured of assistance to
the extent of cash contribution of
S25.000 to 100000 He thinks. how.
ever. that the government should build
and loan TO him for the expedition
the specially designed ships which
would cost from 100000 to 5000 900.
Capt. Bernier points out that the ship
after the return of the expedition
would be Invaluable for the purposes
of winter navigation.
He proposes to take with him 100
small hydrogen balloons, which will
be released at intervals during favor
able winds, with reports of the pro
gress of the expedition, addressed to
various scientific societies and news
papers.
The start Of the expedition proper
Will be made from Vancouver in April
or May OF 1902. From Vancouver
the ship will proceed to Port Clar-
enee, south of Cape Prince of Wales,
Alaska, There dogs, live provisions.
coal. etc, will he taken on board, and
The expedition viii enter Rering
straits about the LIST of July. Upon
entering The Arctic ocean the shin
viii ttho an easterly course, following
the northern coast of Siberia. where
open water Is pretty sure to be found
in July and August When point
between 165 and 40 east is reached
the vessel be headed for the north
and she viii be pushed toward the
nolth M far as possible, blasting being
resoited to If necessary to push her
on her course before being frozen in
capt. Hernier expects his ship to be
frozen in the first winter about $50
miles east Of where Nansrn's Fran
was frozen in and about 900 to 700
miles from the pole. Once frozen in.
Capt. Bernier will place himself in the
hands Of nature. He will be fast in
the great field of Ice which steadily
drifts, year in and year out, in curv-
ed line across the north pole from the
direction OF the north coast of Siberia
toward the Greenland sea. There
is. In fact, II great current covered
with a vast field of ice flowing across
the pole, and Capt. Bernier will place
his ship in this ice field in the position
he considers the most favorable for
passing over near the pole as the ice
field proceeds upon its course toward
the Greenland sea.
Two observation stations with self
registering Instruments will be estab-
iisbed one to westward, the other to
eastward, SO that observations will be
maintained over line of 100 miles
These observation stations will be
kept in communication with the ship
by means of the Marcoai wireless tel
egraph system. and by gun signal,
and the route between the ship and
the station will be marked by alum.
inum posts fixed in The ice.
Cant, Bernier expects to be in the
drift Ice for period of three years,
and during the third year he expects
to be level with the pole. He does
net pretend to say that his ship or his
observation field of 100 miles will
pass over the pole. but he feels conf
dent that the ship will not pass fur
ther than 100 miles from the pole
he will consequently keep prepared
or sleigh expeditions OF 100 miles in
The direction of the pole. He hopes
10 be able to spend a fortnight at the
pcle, taking soundings. thermometer
aud barometer observations, magnetic
and pendulum tests, etc.