Evening star., 1909-09-11
HO|STED NAVY ENSIGN
Department Has None and
Peary Is Mistaken.
CLAIMED POLE FOR FLAG
Arctic Explorer Notifies State and
Navy Departments.
WINTHROP TELEGRAPHS BACK
Sends Congratulations on Achieve
ment Upon Jurisdiction.

fication to the Navy Department direct
of his return and Of his discovery OF
the north pole came to the department
this morning in dispatch sent by him
from Battle Harbor yesterday.
1t reads as follows:
"Respectfully report my return.
April 6.
'PEARY.~
message also has been received at
the State Department from Commander
Peary. 1t is as follows:
"BATTLE HARBOR, September 10.
"HOn. Secretary OF State,
"WashingtOn, ID. C.s
"Respectfully report hoisted Stars
and Stripes ON north pole April 6
and formally took possession that
entire region and adjacent for and
in name of President United States
America. Record and United States
flag left I'm possession.
.PEARY."
Winthrop Wires Back.
Acting Secretary Winthrop of the
Navy Department sent the following
telegram Of congratulation to Com
mander Peary:
"TO Commander Peary,
"Battle Harbor, Labradors
"YOur telegraphic report received.
Navy Department extends hearty
congratulations ON your successful
attempt to reach the north pole.
sWINTHROP."
Mr.. Adee is acting secretary of state
In the absence of Secretary Knox. who IL
at his Valley Forge home. A copy oi
Peary's dispatch win be sent to Mr.. Knox
Mr.. Adee declined to make any com
ment whatever on the dispatch from Com
mander Peary, on the ground that thu
question raised by 1t Is not now befor'
the department.
Mr. winthrop voiced the sentiments o
the naval officials when he said that th
Navy Department was naturally gratifet
that Commander Peary. an officer in tn.
Civil Engineer Corps OF the naval estab
lishment, had succeeded after many at
tempts in reaching the pole. The com
mander Is now on leave OF absence from
the navy, but is detailed to duty with the
coast and geodetic survey making tida
observations on the coast OF Grantlanc
and Greenland
The acting secretary said that no doubt
Peary's leave would be extended until
such a time as his report to the coast
and geodetic survey Is completed.
No navy EuSlSu.
Some little comment and no little amuse.
ment was created in the Navy Depart.
ment at Peary's statement that he hac
hoisted the navy pennant on the nortf
pole. Unlike number Of foreign coun'
tries, the United States navy has no spe-
cial ensign, the flag that flies over 1t:
vessels being the same as that which
floats to the breeze over the White House
at Washington.
There is a naval pennant used to desig.
nate ships in commission under certain
circumstances.
OF course, these officers said, what Peary
meant was that the national flag hao
been hoisted at the pole. They said his
lapse was really due to his ignorance OF
things naval, all of his time of service In
the naval establishment having been or
shore duty.
Government officials Cautious.
officials of the government, and par
ticularly those of the State and Navy
Departments, as most directly interested.
are showing special caution in their COM
ments on the controversy which has
arisen between the friends of Explorers
Cook and Peary as to the discovery OF
the north pole. 1t is therefore impossible
to get any responsible official Of the
government to commit himself at this
time as to the merits of their respective
claims.
AS explained by an official of the Navy
Department, who did not wish his name
used, the two explorers were acting en-
tirely in a private capacity, and In nc
sense represented the government of their
country. Both expeditions, he explained
were fitted out by private organizations
and individuals. with private capital, and
were not controlled by or responsible tC
the government.
Although Commander Peary Is men,
ber Of the Naval Civil Engineer Corps. 1T
was explained, he was not acting for
that corps or for the Navy Department
in his arctic explorations. He had been
granted permission to continue his pri-
vate explorations in the arctic and was
asked to make tidal observations in the
arctic for the coast and geodetic survey.
Ownership Not Passed On.
Notwithstanding that Commander -,eary
was not acting solely In an official ca
pacity in arctic explorations, the officials
Of the government are naturally gratified
at his success in reaching the north pole.
however, they studiously avoid either ap-
proval or disapproval of his reported ac-
ton In taking possession Of the entire
region of the pole in the name Of the
President of the United States.
It is recalled that the President replied
to Commander Peary's gift of the north
pole that .he didn't know what he should
Adee also said today that Pearys claim
of possession Of the north arctic region
raised no question for the action Of the
State Department.