New-York tribune., 1909-06-27

fee of considerable thickness will be forming OF
the open water to the south and this VIII allow
our ship to be safely frozen 10 the big foe.
nOrtherly wind may drive island some dis
tance to the south, but We sure 70 come
back and proceed upon our northwarG Journey
When winter has frozen tho water along he
coasts of all lands bordering tho Arctic
Ocean, may compare the ice pack to great
lid resting the north polar basin but con-
sisting of many large sections. some of which,
driven northward by the prevailing winds in the
Bering Strait region, finally caught by the
strong ocean current which sweeps the cast coast
of Greenland and enters the north Atlantic. The
middle section Of the great ice lid being unin-
terrupted by shore lines, moves more rapidly
than all other parts. It also makes NOR prog
ress in winter than summer. because durine the
latter season the foes are less tightly packed.
! thereby allowing the carrying winds shift
them somewhat from 4 straight course. The
course lines Of the Jeannett, and the Fran con-
form in 4 remarkable manner to the contour OF
the nearest coasts upon which the ice pack i'm
pnges which is addition;.. evidence that the
foes can never drift widely apart
An Illustration Of this fact was given i'm the
Jeanette expedition when small stor,house
which was erected on d foe vas blown out OF
sight, but after two years vas found close at
Jeanette was driven upon the ice nocs to the
southeast coast Of Greenland Had tn, mem
bers of this expedition been equipped according
to my plan they could have safely dviftcC across
the polar sea The drift Of the sEIrwrecked
German expedition for q thousand miles off the
southeast coast Of Greenland without loss Of
life similarly demonstrates the security attend
ing this natural method Of travel Again. Cap
tain Tyson. after the loss Of the old Folaris,
drifted with party Of men, women and chill.
dren for 1900 miles upon ice foes during more
than an entire Arctic winter and with meagre
protection. The drift OF the Jeanette for two
years and Of the Fran for three wears without
the loss of d soul proves che reasonable GER
tainty Of providing foI tn, health and security
Of our expedition for longer absence.
Owing to the slowness of the drift-abOut two
miles a day. OF one degree a rnouth-we shall be
able to conduct side expeditions along our course.
A line Of stakes erected a; intervals, say, for
distance Of one hundred and fifty miles, both to
starboard and port, VIII not Only serve a guide
posts for our field parties but also as means
Of determining the relative position Of the ice
foes. Observations from captive and dirigible
balloons, as Wei as by means Of kites. viii
facilitate our efforts in this respect In this
way, too we WI acquire a vast amount Of
meteorological data pertaining tc the upper air
strata Of the Arctic regions WITH our phot
balloons we viii not only determine The velocity
and direction Of the ar currents At various
heights, but also dispatch messages toward If
not to the outer rim Of the ice pack where many
Of them vii, be picked ur ty whaling and seaI-
ing vessels IL the summer season. Ny aero
nautic plans are based on nv experience with
the Baldwin -ZiegIer expedition. when fifteen
balloons were inflated and dispatched from
Franz Josef Land. Numerous messages borne
by them reached their destination. and many
more Of them would undoubtedly have come to
hand if had been able to continue inquiries for