The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1904-05-19
NAVIGATING ARCTIC SEAS.
Experienced Seafaring Men Discuss
One of Russia's Latest
r.. Naval Projects. =

+ whether or not the proposition to
send Russia's Baltic fleet to the Pa
cific by way of the Arctic ocean is SCI
riously entertained at st. Petersburg, it
is certainly provoking wide comment,
says the New York Tribune. That fact
alone is more or less condemnation
OF the scheme. The very discussion
implies a recognition of it's perilous
and audacious T., character, No. such
sensation would, be created, by an an
nouncement that the same vessels
would be dispatched to the same des-
tination through the Mediterranean.
Suez canal and Indian OCEAN What
ever may be the considerations Of poll
icy that haYe suggested.the idea, there!
fore, every sane and Intelligent person
must perceive its. dangers. Wise men
may we'll differ as to the precise degree
of risk, put they cannot be blind "a
the risk itself. r
Few persons are so we'll qualified to
Judge of the feasibility of this project
as Admiral Melville He was: MEM
Der of the company which went up into
the arctic regions through BehriISg
strait on the Jeanette, and after their
ship went down he spent many weary
months on shore near the mouth of the
Lena. Well, with the right com bina-
ton OF circumstances good season.
an adequate coal supply, the aid of a
powerful ice breaker and so on-EAd-
miral Melville thinks it possible that
the. fleet might get through. He is
careful not to say that success is prob
able, even with everything in favor Of
the attempt; and he adds that if the
season were not an open one it would
be necessary to winter at some point
on the Siberian coast-which is not ex-
actly rapid transit. Greedy and Peary
are even more skeptical. In fact, the
majority of Americans who have had
practical experience in arctic naviga-
ton look upon the venture as fool
hardy.
DR.. Cook is an exception to the rule
He is trifle more sanguine than the
other authorities just quoted and he
cites in support of his belief the fact
that Nordenskjold, with the Vega.
made the voyage from the Atlantic to
the Pacific without serious harm. The
precedent is not a happy one. however.
because the Vega was obliged to spend
winter in the arctic seas and, took
over year to complete the voyage.
Again. one must Offset against that in
stance of the sinking of the Jeanette.
Nansen's famous feat does not. throw
much light on the prospect, because he
committed the Fran to the control of
the drifting ice and she remained in it
for over year. Still further. it must
be remembered that both the Vega and
the Fran were built so as to withstand
pressure from the ice on their sides
and had great powers of resistance be-.
low the water line. The modern war
ship is especially weak there and would
unquestlonably succumb if she were
once badly pinched. Even Achilles had
his vulnerable spot.
Practically all the calculations made
by outsiders concerning the chances of
success in this enterprise are based up
on the supposition that the Russian
fleet would be piloted by one or more
ice breakers. These are useful insti-
buttons, but there is limit to their ca
they operate only in summer.
1t is safe to say that at that season
the temperature conditions existing Is
or 20 degrees farther north would be
much less suspicious. Still greater dis
advantages would result from another
fact. In a harbor like Cronstadt. or
upon a large sheet of water which is
entirely frozen over, the ice is station
airy. The width of channel which is
once cut there is not likely to alter.
On the other hand. in the Arctic ocean
the pack is in almost constant motion.
A lead between two foes will open at
one moment and close at another. Adj
jacent cakes are forever grinding
against one another, slowly and relent-
lessly, under the influence Of the winds
and marine currents. There would be
no certainty that the breadth of an ave-
nue. opened by the pilot would be main
tanned long enough to insure the adj
vance of the convoy, and there would
be no guarantee of immunity after the
gap narrowed. If the breaker were not
itself frozen in the warships might all
be sunk y the crushing of their hulls.
Before Russia tries this experiment
she might ask some foreign insurance
company how much. it would ask to
indemnify her in case of loss. The re-
DIV would doubtless be instructive.
Whence the Spots on Fur of Animals.
Although we are told that the leopard
cannot change his spots, It's certain that
the markings on the fur of some animals
do change. Especially is this true where
the ANIMAL has distinctive winter coat.
This change has been studied by Bar
rett Hamilton, British naturalist, who
is of opinion that whitening of the fur
generally accompanies development Of
fatty tissue, which is manifestation of
insufficient oxidation, and hence of