The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-19
THE YEAR 1909
 DOUBLY FAMOUS Anniversary of Birth of Many
 Great Men YEAR OF GREAT DEEDS The Discovery of the North Pole. Wireless TeIegraph's Work. Great Ocean Speed-Man
 Begins to Fly.

of them, indeed, were among the most distinguished men of modern times. And as some of our newspapers have recent ly pointed out, in looking back over 1909, we realize that 1t, too, is a remark able year. and likely to be famous In history as a year in which great things were done.
 To the girls and boys of the United States probably the centennial anniver- sary of the birth of President Abraham Lincoln-one of our greatest Presidents was the most conspicuous because of its general celebration in the schools.
 But 1909 was the birth-year, also, of one of the greatest statesmen of Eng land, William Ewart Gladstone; of one of it's greatest poets. Alfred, Lord Ten nyson, and of perhaps its greatest scien- tst, Charles Darwin.
 The musical world rejoiced that 1909 had produced two of the most illustrious composers, Chopin and MenCelssohn; and two of America's most brilliant writers. Edgar Allen Poe and Oliver Wendell Holmes, also were born that year.
 The city and state of New York also celebrated the one hundredth anniversa- ry of the beginning of successful steam navigation on the Hudson river and the three hundredth anniversary of the ex- ploration of that river by Henry Hud- son. But 1t must be remembered that there have been several other important centennial celebrations in 1909 Among the minor 'Three-Hundred-Y ears-Ago'' celebrations a notable one was the erec- ton by the Chicago Cong1 1egational club of tablet in Amsterdam, Holland, In memory of the Pilgrim Fathers. who afterward came to America. It was there 300 years ago that they decided to cross the sea and begin a new life in the New World. Governor Bradford thus expressed it:
 By a toynte consente they resolved to zoe into ye Low Countries, wher they heard was freedome of Religion for all men and lived at Amsterdam"
 A similar gift by the people of Boston was made to the city of Leyden in Hol- land.
 But famous as 1909 is as a one hun dredth (and a three hundredth) anniver- sary year, it seems likely to be even more famous as the beginning of an era of marvellous advancement in the fields of science. Indeed, several re- markable scientific achievements-genu inc 'fairy-tales of science'-must al- ready be recorded to the credit of the year.
 tail.
 l. The Discovery of the North Pole Probably the most dramatic event of the year, bringing to a triumphant conclu- sion more than three centuries of arctic exploration, has been the announcement of the discovery of the north pole. With 1n a single week of 1909 such announce ments and claims were made by pr. Frederick A. Cook and by Commander Robert E. Peary of the United States navy.
 Arctic explorations began in 1853 by English explorers, Willoughby and Chan cellor. seeking for a passage through arctic waters.
 In 1876 Martin Frobisher discovered Frobisher bay and brought home earth that he claimed contained gold. He made two later voyages and was fol- lowed in 1885 by John Davis, who dis covered the straits that have since Borne his name.
 William Baffin, in 1616, reached about 77 degrees and 45 minutes north latitude. His record remained unequaled for 2S6 years
 William Barentz made three voyages On the last, in 1596-97, he discovered Spitzbergen, but failed to find the sup posed eastern passage.
 Various exploring parties were sent out to the far north at about this time by New England. Holland and Dem mark, and each one added something to our geographical knowledge of polar regions. One of these parties in 1907 was commanded by Henry Hudson, who was disappointed in not finding the northwest passage" and then turned southwest. His little ship. the Half Moon, found what was much better-the Hudson river and the site of the pres- ent great metropolis, New York. Qtal- fans claim that Verrazano, and not Hud- son, was the first discoverer of this river, but that Hudson was the first to to explore and make it widely known.)
 Lieut.. John Franklin was one of the most famous of the explorers of the frozen north. His explorations ended in 1926.
 Then followed Capt John Ross in 1929, Cant. c. Back in 1883, pr. Kane In 1853, and several other famous explorers-in- cluding Greedy and Nansen-during the last 40 years have tried noply, but ln vain, to reach the pole.
 
 explorations in 1886 and several times has pushed his way into the far north. Dr. Cook was surgeon for Commander , Peary on his trip in 1891, and the jour- ney inspired him with love of arctic exploration that was put into practice in several hunting and exploring trips.
 This brief review of some of the many arduous explorations of the north by many brave men helps us to realize the difficulties they had to overcome, and makes the success of 1909 all the more important and wonderful.
 g. Wireless Telegraphy. In some re- spects the most dramatic of all events on the ocean and the most wonderful of all accomplishments of science was the saving of the lives of some 1500 passen- gers on the Republic of the White Star line by wireless telegraphy. The boat was about 45 miles from Nantucket, on her way to Naples, last January. Early in the morning she was struck by an- other boat, the Florida.
 This accident was chiefly due to a heavy fog. The steel stem of the Flor dia smashed through steel plates on the side of the Republic as if they had been made of cardboard. Both the ships were badly damaged and hopelessly groping in the fog. But Jack Binns, the wire- less telegraph operator of the injured steamship Republic faithfully stood at his post and sent off messages for neip. Thesa electrical waves went in every di- rection. Soon came the answer. through the unseen electric waves in the fog, that boats were on the way to rescue.