Bisbee daily review., 1908-07-05

This year is witnessing some rs- markable expeditions 10 the north and the south polar regions. A half dozen or more parties have started or are going to start in the effort to uncover the mysteries of these frozen regions, and the interesting and unusual thing about some of them is the effort to utilize modern invention in Oyercom, ing the obstacles of ice and snow in making the journey Last year the world was kept on the alert. by the Wellman balloon expedition, which made great preparations, but never fort to carry out its plans. This year we have Peary making preparations for another start for the pole. the in- trepid explorer laying his plans care fully along the lines which experience has taught him are the only practical ones of realizing his hopes. Lieut.. Shackleton of the royal navy of Great Britain started last year for the Ant arctic regions and is there now equipped with motor sled on which he hopes to make long journeys which would be impossible with dogs or ponies Amundsen, it is said. is train ing polar bears with the expectation Of using Cnem instead of dogs in 2 dash for the pole And there are oth- CTS who propose to try to reach the pole by novel means of transportation.
 Dr. Jean Charcot, the famous French Antarctic explorer, has been testing in the snows of the Alps a motor sled which he proposes to use in another effort to reach the south pole, for which regions he is planning to start in August next. It is his plan to take three motor-driven sledges to aid him in reaching his goal. Each sledge is furnished with a 24 horsepower motor connected with huge, wide wheel, re- sembling the propeller of a paddle boat A series Of experiments recent ly carried out by Dr. 'Tharcot on the snowcIad declivities of the Hautes Apes. in Dauphiny, have proved re- markedly successful, the sledge climb ing the hills and dropping down into the valleys at uniform speed of eight miles an hour, and never getting be- yond control
 Lieut.. Barnes of the British navy also has constructed a motor sledge which he cheTishes the hope will aid in forcing the secrets of the frozen north, and which it may be his good fortune to drive fairly up to the goal which so many are seeking.
 Capt Benard, a French naval officer of great experience, is perhaps the first explorer to make a start this year, he having some time ago left Dunkirk, France, in a sailing vessel called the Jacques Cartier" for the polar regions The vessel, which car ries a scientific corps of nine men and crew of eight, is especially built for work in the frozen regions, and Capt. Bernard will be content to study the fora and fauna of northern lati- tudes if he is unable to make a dash for the north pole itself. The expedition was planned by a committee for oceanographic research, established in Marseilles some two years ago under the presidency of NJ. Charles Roux, and it is expected that if Capt Ben ard does not succeed in bringing the pole back he will bring other things with him which will throw new light on the far northern country.
 The Shackleton expedition to the Antarctic regions will be watched with peculiar interest because of the test which is to be given the automobile. Twenty-eight men started with the party, Of which number 12 constitute what is known as the landing party. After landing on King Edwards land