Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-07
.PEARY TO TRY AGAIN
Will Depart for the Arctic
Regions Next July.
DESCRIBES HIS PLAN
HIS UNDERTAKING INDORsED BY
THE PRESIDENT.
Expedition Will Be Financed by the
Peary Arctic Club-Wil Take
Steam Vessel.
DESCRIBES HIS PLAN


Steam Vessel.
With the consent and approval of the
President and Assistant Secretary Darling
of the navy, Commander Robert E. Peary,
civil engineer in the navy, will make an
other attempt to reach the region OF the
north pole.
Acting Secretary Darling ras done much,
Commander Peary says, to make 1t posi-
BILE for him to begin the Undertaking. Sep
TENDER q 1908, Commanded Peary wrote
the following letter to Mr.. Darling, which
received the approval of Rear Admiral
Mordecai E. Endicott chief of the bureau
OF yards and docks the immediate superior
of Commander Peary:
Commander Peary's Letter.
Sir: Referring to my application for
leave of absence accompanying this l beg
to state for your information that l pro-
pose to secure a suitable ship, put her into
one of our best shipyards, have her REIN
forced and strengthened to the maximum
degree, and fitted with American engines,
possessing the maximum OF strength anu
power with the minimum of weight ana
space-so that she may go north as an eA
ponent of American skill and mechanical
ability. ,
with such ship l should sail north
about the first of next July, and on reach
ing the Whale sound region. shoulo take
on board my EskimoS, establish my perma-
nent subbase at Cape Sabine, ana lneii
force my way northward to my proposed
winter quarters on the northern shore OF
Grant Land, establishing caches as 1ar as
practicable en- route. By the earnest re-
turning light of the following FEBRUARY
| should start due north over the Polar
pack with small light pioneer party,
followed by large heavy main parry. !
should expect to accomplish the oistahce
to the pole and return IN apouo , ~ ns ahaS,1
or a little more an average travel OF ABOUT
ten miles a day. Returning, should preak
the ship out late in the same season ana
return home! .
a to prevent reaching the northern shore
of Grant Land, 1 should winter as TAR north
as practicable and force the snip 10 the u9
sired location the following year. IN thls
event the expedition would De gone TWO
years. ,
This plan is the result OF some WE'VE
years of almost continuous experience III
those ATTITUDES. and is based upon an ex-
tended personal acquaintance with the re-
eion from Sabine to "a degrees north latl-
tude. a thorough familiarity with climatic
and other conditions and with Eskimos.
Plans Distinctive Features.
THE distinctive features of my plan are:
The use of individual sledges with compare
lively light loads, drawn by dogs, giving
travelling unit of high speed and radius of
reach, as opposed to the mar sledge' with
its heavy load, slow speed and limited ra-
dius; the adoption of Eskimo methods and
costume and the fullest utilization or the
ESkimoS themselves.
..The advantages of my plan and route
are a fixed land base 100 miles nearer the
pole than on any other route more rlgld
ice pack extending poleward than Is 10 De
,~cif cf1 NJ a
wider land base upon which to retreat, and
a wel-beaten line of communication ana re-
treat from winter quarters to comparative
ly low ATTITUDES, which Is pracucapie al any
season of the year.
1.-The work outlined above comprises two
distinct stages, viz: The navigation of the
ship to the northern shore of Grant Lana,
and the traverse of the polar pack with
sledges from the northern shore of Grant
Land to the pole and return. In connection
with the former four ships the Polaris, the
Alert, the Discovery and the Proteus) have
accomplished this feat. In regard to the
second, 1 have already made four trips in
those same regions in which the average
airline distance from start to finish was
the same as the distance from Grant Land
to the pole. The airline distance from
start to finish of my 1900 sledge journey
was such that, had my starting point been
the northern shore of Grant Land, 1t would
have carried me beyond the pole and re-
turn.
Last Great Geographical Prize.
81 beg to state for your consideration the
following:
1.-THE north pole is the last great geo.
graphical prize the earth has to Offer Its
attainment will be accepted as the sign of
mans final physical conquest of the globe,
and it will always stand as one Of the great
milestones in the worlds history.
1.-The attainment of the north pole is, In
inin
duty. Its attainment by another country
would be in the light Of a reprQach and
criticism.
1.-The sense of all the foremost geogra-
phers-pract ical and theoretical-now con-
verges upon the Smith sound American
route, along which l have been working for
years past Other routes have been elm
mated If we delay in pre-empting this
route some one else will step in and win the
prize.
believe that my experience-gained in
years of practical work my special methods
of travel and equipment-the evolution of
years of practical work; my personal ac
quaintance with every feature of my chosen
route and region, and my command of the
full resources and utmost efforts of the
entire little tribe of Whale sound Hyper
koreans who have lived and worked with
me for years, give substantial reasons for
anticipating successful outcome to an ex-
petition based on the above lines"
Acting Secretary's Reply.
In replying to this letter today Acting
Secretary of the Navy Darling wrote to
Commander Peary follows:
Dear Sir-In granting you leave of alb
sence for the purpose of prosecuting your
arctic work 1 am moved to remark that 1
believe you are better equipped than any
other person in the country to undertake
this work. You have the requisite courage,
fortitude and physique. You have had
longer term of service within the arctic
circle than any other explorer. You have
had large experience in sledge journeying,
both upon the land and upon the polar
pack. You are familiar with ice conditions
through the Smith sound route and north of
Grant Land and the continent. You have
demonstrated your ability to maintain your
self in that latitude for longer period In
health and safety than any other explorer.
You have reduced the Inconvenience and
hardship of the arctic service to mini
mum You are conversant with the Ian
guage and customs of the Whale sound
Eskimos and personally acquainted
with every Individual in the tribe. They
have become accustomed to your leader
ship. and If you succeed in transporting the