New-York tribune., 1906-06-21
VIEW WORK IN THE ARCTIC.

| At least half a dozen Arctic explorers Will
hold q more or less conspicuous place in the
| public eye this year OF these Peary and Well
man will unquestionably he the centres of chief
popular interest. but they will not monopoilze
the attention of geographers. Amundsens mis-
sion was accomplished last season. hut until he
has come down through Behring Strait, month
or two hence much curiosity will be felt con-
! cerning details of his work which not yet
known. Almost simultaneously with his return
to civilization another Scandinavian-Captain
Mikklesen-will be pushing northward and
eastward around Alaska, to open his campaign
in the Beaufort Sea. In the mean time two
other bold spirits will undertake to learn more
about Greenland than has hitherto been dscov-
cred The Due d'Orleans who made modest
venture of this sort last year, has announced his
intention of renewing the investigation. Inas-
much as his plans seem TO be immature as yet,
they may at present be disregarded. Captain
Erichsen has raised the money necessary to fit
out his expedition, has equipped his vessel and
expects to sail from Copenhagen on July 1.
His project, therefore, is worthy Of imme-
diate consideration.
Erchsen has been in Greenland already. He
went there in 1902 and spent fully two years in
the vicinity of Melville Bay, on the west coast
His explorations were not extensive but the
experience which he gained then will naturally
to establish himself at some convenient point
on the east coast, and from that base make
number of Journeys inland over the continental
ice cap. One of these will be to the most north
erly point of Greenland. and another, TO be be-
gun year later, will take him in a westerly
direction completely across the continent
Both undertakings, if successful, ought to
yield valuable results. There is gap on the
northeastern coast Of Greenland. 400 or 400 miles
in extent, that has never been charted. Until
recently no one who went up the east coast got
much beyond latitude 76 80, owing to the ice
pack, which is especially troublesome there.
The Due d'Orleans added nearly one hundred
miles, or something more than degree, to the
map last year The Frenchman's achievement,
however, puts the limit to discovery from that
quarter at about the 18th parallel. Lockwood
and Brainard, advancing from the westward
more than twenty years ago. pushed up TO lati-
tude SO "a. and examined the northwestern
coast very carefully. Next to nothing is known
about the region lying between these two points.
Peary once went there. but when he OBJ
served that the general trend Of the coast was 10
the southeastward he abandoned the survey.
Just then he was interested exclusively in de-
termining the most advantageous spot for leav
ing the land for the Pole. If Erichsen is able
to say, two or three years hence. what sort Of
coast lies between Cape Washington and Cape
Bismarck, he will render useful service to
geographical science.
Several notable overland trips have been made
in Greenland. Nansens created a sensation at
the time but his route lay further south than
Erichsens and was much shorter. From the
vicinity of Cape Bismarck to Melville Bay the
distance is nearly or quite seven hundred geo
graphical miles, and part of the intervening
region has an elevation of ten thousand feet.
II is imDOSSible to fOretel lust how fruitful
mans observations may prove to be in such
desolate locality. The proposition does not look
as promising an attempt TO chart the north
eastern coast. The mere performance, however
will appeal to persons who fond of daring
adv