Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-04
NO WIRELESS ON PEARY'S SHIP
NO ROOM ON ROOSEVELT AND
APPARATUS HEAVY.
Gift Books for Crew Cover Wide
Range of observation-disclosures
Inspect Vessel.

NEW YORK, July 1.-The work of get
ting the Peary arctic ship Roosevelt
ready for the start on the first leg of her
voyage to the arctic Monday afternoon
proceeded with a rush yesterday. The
recreation pier. at the foot of East oath
street. where the vessel is berthed was
crowded all day with people anxious to
inspect everything about the vessel.
Among the visitors were many women,
who took great interest in all that was
going on, and when the sailors were not
busy hauling oil and other supplies on
board they were piled with questions
about the aurora borealis. Eskimo and
other things, material and immaterial.
with which the arctic region is identified.
The donations of books continued yes
terday undated and if it keeps up until
the sailing hour Monday afternoon
Matt Henson, the colOred arctic expert.
who will accompany Commander Peary
on the voyage. says he will cable Andrew
Carnegie to install Carnegie library on
the poop deck of the Roosevelt
Wide Range of Reading Matter.
These books form a wonderful assert
ment, and include everything from Ho-
meric classic to a third reader. One man
even sent base ball score book. Another
third sent two books on Christian Science
The taking on of stores will continue
today and tomorrow. and when the
Roosevelt backs out into the river at l
O'Clock Monday afternoon all the food.
oil and everything else that is necessary
for the comfort of men and the protection
Of the ship will be in its proper place.
Many persons have wondered why there
Is no wireless apparatus on board the
Roosevelt. They apparently thought with
such an apparatus the vessel could keep
in touch with the outside world during
most of the time she was away. Com
mander Peary explained yesterday why
the apparatus is missing.
There are several reasons why the
wireless is missing from the Roosevelt a."
said Commander Peary. 1.-The first one
being that / have no funds to spend ex-
cept for such things as are absolutely
necessary. on this expedition. In the sec
ond place. l do not see any distinct ad-
vantage to be gained by the inst allation
of the apparatus. AS I understand it.
there is no possibility if / had the instru-
ments on board. that my ship would be
able to communicate from the north shore
of Grantland with any wireless station
now in existence.
Better Use for Space.
'As far as utilizing the wireless for
communicating from the ship to the
sledge parties, the advantage to be gained
from that use of it does not in my opinion
counterbaiance the extra weight that ii
would necessitate my carrying on the
sledges. The space could be better used
in transporting pemmcan. If we get into
trouble we can get back to the ship quick.
er than those on the ship can get to U.S."
Matt Henson, the faithful negro com
panion of Commander Peary on all of his
previous expeditions to the arctic, is the
only living man not an Eskimo who car
speak the Eskimo language like a native
He knows every man, woman and child
in the tribe of EskimOs members of which
accompany Peary on his voyages. This
tribe is the same one that was discovered
by Sir John Ross in 1918, who named them
the Arctic Highlanders. Later they came
to be known the Whale Sound Eski-
mos. Now they are known the Peary
Eskimos. The tribe numbers on the
average of between 2ON and 80 persons
When Peary was last in the arctic their
number was 3O1