New-York tribune., 1906-11-22
PEARY'S LEADERSHIP.
the place.

| Though the latest effort to reach the pole did
not result quite Peary himself had expected.
there are abundant reasons for congratulating
him and his country on what he accomplished.
To have beaten his own record by TO miles was
great thing. To have surpassed the achieve
ments Of Nansen and Cagni was a still more
creditable performance and one which will en-
hance his worldwide fame.
One influence which contributed largely to Lis
recent success his ability to venture out on
the floating ice which covers the polar sea ear
ller in the season than in any other campaign.
In 1900 April was we'll advanced when he en-
tered upon that critical stage of his undertak-
ing, and in 1902 he left Grant Land Cat Cape
Hecla) on April g. This year he was able to
take that step on March l. Hitherto Peary has
been hampered by the necessity of transporting
his supplies from the winter quarters Of his ship
to the final base Of his operations (Fort Conger)
several hundred miles to the northward. He
was thus led to believe that If he could effect
Judgement in that neighborhood at the very out
set he would save time the following spring
and find the ice irmer than It would be after
the sun had been visible above the Arctic Circle
for weeks. His expectations were only par
TALLY fulfilled, for he found disappointingly
large number of crevices and leads in his path
Yet he was unquestonably helped by the fact
that the Roosevelt succeeded In pushing her way
! last summer TO the vicinity of Cape Sheridan.
She was then at least fifty miles further north
than the site Of Greely's camp (Fort Conger)
and three hundred miles from Cape Sabine.
It is evident, too, that the work Of maintaining
a supply Of food for the explorer and his dogs
was better organized this time than on previous
occasions When he started from Cape Hecla
in 1902 there was only one party. 1t embraced
Peary, his faithful companion Henson, and four
Esquimau sledge drivers. This year there were
five or six parties, most Of them being intended
only as temporary supports to the explorers
| own None Of them except Peary's and Henson's
which were subsequently consolidated, seems TO
have gone beyond latitude "a :3S but the system
of cooperation which had been adopted appre-
ciably promoted the main object OF the expedi-
ton Peary was also favored, doubt, by luck
He encountered an amazing lot of difficulties
! but every now and then there were compensa-
tons in the form of surprisingly firm ice Still.
he would not have taken advantage of these if
he had not been exceptionally vigilant and dar-
/ ing.
The explorers ship received pretty severe
treatment, both while going northward and re-
turning. She lost several propeller blades, two
or three rudders and her rudder post, and was
otherwise badly injured. None of these expert
ences, however, should cause surprise. Peary's
other ships were unequal to the ordeal Of forcing
a passage from Cape Sabine to Cape Sheridan
The Roosevelt was built especially for that task,
and performed 1t. Peary fully realized what he
was about. and the ship justified his confidence
| When 1t is remembered that he brought her
safely through her work and brought back every
one of his men alive it will be perceived that he
has displayed a marvellous combination of gen.
eralship and devotion to his subordinates De.
spite the necessity for living a large part Of the
time on short rations, it is probable that all
who have served under him during the last
sixteen months would be ready to do so again
If the chance were given them.