Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-08
CONDITIONS IN ARCTIC.
Facts That Indicate Ziegler Expedition
May Be Frozen In.

From TIE New York sun
Those who have studied the difficulties
of navigat ton in the artic are not much
surprised by the tidings brought by the
letter which William Ziegler has received
from Anthony Falls, in command of his
north polar expedition. The letter was
written in Barents sea, between Nova
Zembla and Franz Josef Land. and
brought south by sealer which Ziegler's
steamer America happened to meet.
The expedition had been following the
edge of the ice pack west of Nova Zembla
for many miles vainly looking for lead
through which to push north. 1t
about to turn westward, nearer to Spitz-
bergen, in the hope of finding opening
to the north.
When the ice conditions difficult in
Barents sea the fact is generally due to
Prevailing easterly winds, which bring great
masses of ice from the Arctic ocean. This
Ice is piled up against the eastern shores of
Spitzbergen, rendering them unapproach-
able.
AS rule. the waters between Nova
Zembla and Franz Josef Land may be
crossed by steamer every year. Some
times. however, it is impossible. to push
through the ice to Franz Josef Land.
Further news of the Ziegler expedition
may not be received till next summer. but
for the conditions this year are such that
it will not be surprising If the America is
frozen in and will be compelled to spend
the coming winter helpleSSly in the ice
between Europe and Franz Josef Land
The Tegetthof, on which Weyprecht and
Prayer, the Austrian explorers, discovered
Franz Josef Land, on August 30. 1873, had
exactly this experience. The vessel, steam
ing north, succeeded in pushing into the
ice but was caught fast by the closing foe
while still within sight of Nova Zembla.
Her party had a most miserable time as
they drifted slowly north through the dark
ness of the following winter with Ice blocks
piling up till they lowered fathoms hlgh
above the ship. 1t seemed certain at times
that the vessel would be crushed so the
EXPLORERS built house on the main foe,
where coal, food and other supplies were
stored. ,.
the winter of 1S72-73 and through the fol-
loving summer until the last of August,
when they finally saw the outlines of
bold and rocky land rising before them
Their toll and suffering had not all been in
vain for they now knew that they had
added a new land to the known domain or
the world. Then came the great sledge
Journeys of the spring of 1874. which re-
vealed large part of the archipelago they
had discovered. The TegetthOf, however,
was never freed from the ice. She was
abandoned on May 20, and the party sue
ceeded with terrible difficulty in dragging
boats southwark to the free sea, where
they fell in with Russian fishermen, who
took them back to civilization.
The Danish Meteorological Institute re-
Gently published its report on the ice con-
ditions in the Arctic sea in 1902 These
conditions were very unfavorable for navf-
CATION alike in Barents sea. the region OF
Franz Josef Land and around Spitzbergen,
east Greenland and Iceland. The Euro
pean Arctic has had two successive bad ice
years, which was very unfortunate both for
the Ziegler expedition, under Mr.. Baldwin
last year, and for the present expedition,
under Mr.. Fiala. 1t will be good news
indeed If it Is learned that by some happy
chance Fiala has reached Franz Josef Land
this season and is able to do the fall work
preliminarys to his proposed sledge journey
to the far north next sea SON