Evening journal., 1903-09-24
PEARY'S POLAR QUEST.
Explorers Plans to Pierce Re-
gion Of Eternal Silence.
FEELS CONFIDENT OF SUCCESS,

Lieutenant Tells How ana why lie !
WuI Go and How He Proposes 90
Accomplish His unprecedented
Days Dash TO Solve Geography's
Last Tremendous Secret.
When James Creelman, the stan cor
respondent of the New York World in
terviewed Lieutenant Robert Il. Peary.
who is to make another attempt to
reach the north pole, he asked him the
following questions: "Why do you want
to go to the north pole? And If you
get there what good VIII you have
done?"
The intrepid explorer replied in part:
Il want to finish my life work. /
want my country to have the honor OF
solving the last great problem in geog-
raphy-to succeed where all others
have failed.
81 have often been asked what good
there was in discovering the north pole.
/ admit that there are no dollars and
cents in it--that is, l can see none.
From a strictly utilitnrian standpoint.
though it must be remembered that in
getting to the north pole by the Smiths
sound or American route must travel
through an area that covers practically
all the missing links of arctic knowl-
edge.
This route lies through Bafiins bay,
Smiths sound and the Kennedy and
Robeson channels 70 the north shore
of Grantland. There we will be on
the shore OF the central polar basin,
on land a hundred miles nearer TO the
pole than any other known place in the
circuit of the pole. II is a sloping fore
shore, with shoal water off the coast
To the right is the still unsurveyed
gap In the northeast coast OF Green
land. To the west is a similar gap in
/ the western coast Of Grantland. These
are the only missing links in the coast
lines of the higher arctic regions. An
other important service can be rem
dered to geographic and photographic
science by soundings on the direct line
TO the pole TO determine fully or par
tally the character Of the polar basin.
When these points are filled in 1t can
be said that arctic exploration is prac-
tically complete.
"As for the scientific side OF the voy-
age to the pole. no man can tell what
a fact is worth until he knows that
fact. Every step we take into new ter
ritory eliminates ignorance. The hu-
man race should never rest content un-
I'll every part Of the land and water
surface Of the earth has been visited.
All geographical mysteries must be
solved. 1t is impossible to say what
. the value Of a seemingly useless fact
may be until 1t has been combined with
the rest Of the worlds knowledge.
Il have seen a statement in the news.
papers that the last yacht race to de
fend the cup cost the. American syndi
/ cate something like 100000. 1 don
. know whether that is true or not, bu
for quarter of that sum we can get Il
the pole. l do not ask for more thar
100000.
1T is important that my next expedi
ton shall be supported we'll l expec
: 10 make il the last Now that th'
, United States government has olicially
4 approved Of the work. hope that the
/ national Endorsement viii result In in
= teresting some man or men to give
enough money to insure success
Il intend that this shall be an Amer
lean expedition-American in money
in ships and in men. feel confident
that / can reach the north pole now
. and l am determined that the undi
! vided credit shall belong to my coun
/. try"
E "But you have been confident Of sue
cess beforeT
Yes, but l have gone nearer to sue
cess each time. The last time / did
,, what did in spite OF my ship. have
never had a ship Of sufficient power
I All want is ship THAI viii take me
e TO the north shore Of Grantland at The
e right season. l will answer for the
e rest.
Il know the problem well. know
what / have to encounter, and l know
I just what | need to insure success.
> have made longer journeys, counting
air line directions, than any other ex
= plorer. When my ship reaches thu
north shore of Grantland l shall bi
400 statute miles. or 400 nautical miles
from the pole. The distance to be GOV
cred is seven degrees. ] have alread.
gone a hundred miles OF that distanc
in q straight line. There is nothing t.
be seen but ice. What there is at tn
y pole no man knows. In four separat
u iournave l have frovolod greater dis
tances than from Grantland TO ia
pole. My ship was so poor that eoul'
II not start out far enough north. Il
} the spring Of 1900. my best trip,
{ covered an air line distance which If
a. had started from the shore OF Grant
/ land would have carried me beyon
, the pole and back again.
= "The situation is easy 10 understand
r If l can get the right kind of a ship
! and If l get money enough know hoV
Il TO get the ship-I can sail on July
3. say. and get to Cape Sabine by the en-
la Of the month. / can stay there unit
q; September gathering walrus meat. nj
l. tive helpers. dogs and whatever else
- need. | can winter on the shores q
4 Grantland and have everything read
al to start for the pole at the first retur
Il OF arctic daylight IN February. Thi
ie would give me 100 or 110 days to reac
the pole and get back.
or "When / am on the north shore {
n Grautland will have 420 nautici
u miles between me and the pole. haV
'' already demonstrated that ! can tray'