The Washington times., 1906-11-11

three years or peril ana pfl-
walton IN the frozen North,
CAPT Roald Amundsen and his men
are back in civilization, after having
at last made the Northwest Passage,
and they are greeted with the news
that the prize of 100000 offered by the
British government for navigating the
passage has been Withdrawn. A pri-
vate message received by the expior-
ers contained the information, but
gave no reason for depriving the vic
tors OF their prize money.
II Is not probable that the prize had
much influence with Captain Amund-
sen, but il was certainly an incentive
20 the men who risked their lives on
the expedition with him. The $780,
600 offered by the British government
about eight years ago in the desire 10
encourage polar exploration In general
and more particularly 10. realize
dream TO which some Of Britain's fore
most navigators have devoted their
lives ever since the discovery OF the
Western world.
To all who know the story OF the
search for the Northwest Passage the
fact that Captain Amundsen and his
little vessel, the Clio, have actually
achieved it is one TO kindle the mag
ination. In this the NTH century of
endeavor, Captain Amundsen has had
the boIdness to conceive. the courage
20 attempt, and the good luck to
achieve the first voyage by a single
vessel through the Northwest Passage.
After more than four centuries of
strenuous effort II find the passage
and make the journey It is a notable
fact that il was left for the little
Gioa-a sIocp of forty-seven tons bur
den, seventy feet long, twenty feet
beam. manned by eight men. and pro
PEELED by a small petroleum engine
20 accomplish the feat.
II Is not really that Amundsen has
accomplished such remarkable feat
or made any original discovery I'm this
matter. Il Is simply that he has real
izci the dream Of centuries. 1t was
known before he sailed from Chris
riana in June. 1903. that after he had
completed his observations Of the mag
netic pole, which were the prime OBJ
iect of the expedition he would try to
make the Northwest Passage and come
home by Bering Strait The exact
route bv which ne hoped to make the
tourney was known-has been known
to every student OF polar exploration
since the records of the Inflated
Franklin expedition were recorded.
THAT expedition really discovered the
Northwest Passage. but not a man
survived the attempt to make it. Nc
Clure of the Investigation, made it.
ebout the middle OF the last century,
not bv the route discovered by the
Franklin expedition and used by
>mundsen. but by an infinitely moro
5iffruIt one a little further north.
That Is. he pushed his investigation"
through BerIng strait into the Arctic
ocean. and finally reached the north
east coast Of Banks Land. where he
was frozen in for two years till his
supplies were nearly exhausted. Ahan-
doning their vessel. the party finally
reached the Resolute. further east.
we're transferred later 10 the Phoenix.
and taken through Lancaster Sound 10
England They lad tue satisfaction
of being the first men To- cross between
the Pacific ami Atlantic oceans TO the
north Of America. They had found
continuous sea an tho way and had
discovered IA northwest passage: but it
took three ships as well as some ice
sledgirg TO get them across. They had
proved il possible 10 pass from sea 10
~ H 10 n