The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-03
WHAT PE.4Rl HAS DONE.
Record Made In shortest IImc-Renlsrk'
able Sl'rigP Journey.


abIe SlrigP Journey.
In reaching the latitude of So g. Mr..
Peary approached to within 2CO.36 statute
miles of the north pole. All the highest
records rave been made within the last
twenty.four years. Here is the list: The
Duke OF the Abruzzi, 1870, ?39.l5 statute
miles from the pole; Nansen, 1898, 26l
miles; the Fran. 1895 during her drift
after Nansen left herr, 2SO.55 miles; Peary.
1901, aoe.75 miles; Lockwood. 1882, $3.50
miles.
IL is the most successful attempt on the
pole yet made. not only because Peary has
made the nearest approach to the pole yet
achieved. but also because he reached
his highest north in by far the shortest
time after leaving for the Arctic. All ex-
petitions excepting those OF the Duke of the
Abruzzi and Peary that have been con
s~picuous for high northing made were in
the Arctic two years or more before at
tanning their highest north. PeaTy sailed
from New York July is, 1905. He does not
xive the date of his highest north, but
Il seems evident that he was within zoo
miles Of the North Pole some eight or
nine months after he left this city.
The Duke Of the Abruzzi came nearest
10 enulatiag Peary in this respect. His
work was regarded as unexampled in the
fact that only a year after he was reported
Co have reached the south coast Of Franz
Josef Land, over $50 miles south Of the
highest point he attained. he vas in open
water, bound for home, and the telegraph
had already flashed the news Of his success
and his return al over the world.
The facts given in his despatch show that
pesry made a terrific struggle 70 reach the
poIe. His feat OF sledging over the ice OF
the polar ocean will stand in a class by
sfself. Nothing like il has hitherto been
achieved.
We may get some idea OF the work he did
when the fact il mentioned that from bis
last land base at Cape Colombia to his most
northern point he advanced more than
900 miles toward the pole.
His Journey may have been a great deal
longer as his courss was dedsc5ed by ice
ridges to the right OF left Of a straight
line, but what he did was to make a north
ing Of over 400 miles from he promontory
Of Grant Land where he struck out on the
ice. IL may be said without any further
details that there Is nothing to compare
with this attainment over the hummocky
ice of the North Polar Sea in Arctic annals.
The fact that his journey was delayed
by open water after he had passed the
highest northing ever made In the Amer
lean Arctic II a surprising circumstance.
Open water has been seen along h south
eru border OF this Part Of the Arctic Ocean
and IN the north Of Robeson Channel. The
Greedy party found reaches of open water
in this sea along the Greenland coast. Bat
no explorers who have been North on this
sea ice have ever before met w1ter. Con-
siderinK the great distance Peary made
from his land base. IL IL not at all unlikely
that II he had found ice all the way TO the
pole. as he bad good reason 20 expect, he
would have reached his goal
As near as can he Judged the explorer
must nave been at least 200 miles from
land when the whole pack was disrupted
by a gale and he drifted cast tn the coa-, Of
( Greenland, at least about 2po mile 70 'hC
northeast Of the winter quarter, of tho
Roosevelt. His caches hai been dc,troyeI.
ne reached land by eating his dogs ana
his party were cnstaw9yr on rI,s bleak
coast, Penry's knowledge Of 'Iia cpa.,'
undoubtedly gavei him conGHcrc, thgt
be would meet musk oxen tpera lie Gin
and they saVeA Us life again a. on nj,
ssoond trip TO the north OF Gree llsnd over