The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-12-29
NEW ARCTIC RESEARCH.

Dr. Nansen Describes a Projected Elk
petition to Magnetic Pole,
DR. Fridtiof Nansen, says the Lon
don Chronicle. has just contributed
highly interesting account of forth
coming polar expedition to the Chris
tiania Morgenbladet from which we
translate the following extracts;
| How many of those who. far from
| the beaten track, shape their course by
! the unerring magnetic needle have,
during the still night watch as they
follow the oscillations of the compass,
pondered over the mysterious force
which as yet we know not, but which
| Is always ahere, turning the needle
point toward the north, ready to show
the way to the traveller both by land
and sea? But this force becomes still
more mysterious to us when we realize
| that it is steadily changing from year
to year. both in direction and strength,
without our having thus far been able
to discover the cause.
Long ago Arago could say, Nothing
| is more mysterious in the whole physi-
cal world than the continual and uni
versal changes which take place in the
magnetic elements of the earth'-and
we know little more about the matter
| to this day. Are these changes to be
attributed to unknown alterations in
| the inner mass of the earth? Or are
| they, perhaps, due to cosmic causes,
changes in the sun? That we do not
| know! Are these changes followed by
alterations in the magnetic poles them
! selves? We imagine So but cannot
speak with certainty on the subject,
! for we must take observations of the
poles themselves during prolonged Pc
RODS. This only is certain, that obser-
vations taken over the whole earth
have resulted in surprises In spite of
the most learned calculations made be-
| forehand.
sit is to lift a corner Of the veil
which hides this mystery-and nothing
| ess-that Captain Roald Amundsen
/ has made his goal toward which he
/ has already for years been working
with a patient energy and steatlfast-
ness worthy of the Importance Of the
undertaking. From a recent article by
/ "A AlitllSEiti l|e1A|lN VA NiAS 4ANA
genbladet will be aware of the main
/ features of the voyage upon which he
will start next spring in his tiny craft,
the Gjoa, along with seven compan-
ions. A perilous journey, say many.
! Too ambitious plans, with such small
means, say, perhaps, others. / think
neither the one nor the other. The I'M
| dertaking is, indeed, nothing less than
to discover the magnetic North Pole it,
self, and there to carry out observa-
tons during a series of years-that
pole which James Ross alone partly in
vestigated in 1881. Afterward Amund-
sen will erdeavor to make the North
west Passage, which so many ships,
| during centuries, have tempted in vain.
Even though the task may seem 81
gantic one, it is my belief that the
| plans are so we'll considered and the
preparations carried out so carefully
| that there is a good prospect of the ex-
petition proving a success. Captain
! Amundsen Is one Of those who have
made the important discovery that the
success of a polar voyage in great
measure depends on the preparations
| maze before ii start Is dLlSlAIpLGo'
DIR. Nansen then gives ars~account of
Captain Amundsens career and of his
special preparations for the present eX-
petition. His first intention was to use
| a Tromso sloop, but he found sloop
would not be sufficient for his pur-
pose So DR.. Nansen continues:
| HE hereupon purchased in January.
1901, his Arctic vessel the GjOa, which
he made five months tour to the Beh-
ring sea and to the region between
| Spitzbergen and the east coast or
| Greenland. obtaining during the jour-
| ney valuable deep sea observations. 1t
was of particular Importance that he
penetrated far within the East Green
| land polar stream-the continuation or
that which carried the Fran across the
| polar basin-making at the same time
series of most interesting results,
which are not even yet fully worked
out but will contribute their share OF
fresh light on the currents or these
seas, inasmuch as they are more copl-
J Gus and carried out with more exacti-
| tude than the very meager materials
previously available. Since that time
Amundsen has been steadily maturing
his preparations, and that with the
| thoroughness which is characteristic of
him. The ship has been fitted with a
! petroleum engine and strengthened
! by internal supports, ETC., new and
proved instruments supplied for the
| commissariat question gone into most
carefullyu with Professor Torup.
"And what are the prospects of sue
cess? I think very good. The magnet
| ic North Pole differs from the earths-
let us call it-n1athematical North Pole
| Gor it is, after all, only a lnathemati-
cal point in two essential respects
J (First) the magnetic North Pole is COM