The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-16
DEFENDED
BY ENGLEBR|GHT
California Congressman Resents
Attack on Polar Explorer and
Champions Him.
ACCEPTS TRAVEL RECORDS
Declares Rapid March Figures Are
Lower Than Others Already
accepted.
ACCEPTS TRAVEL RECORDS

WASHINGTON. March ia
statement vigorously defending the
claims Of Commonder Robert II.
Peary to the discovery of the North
Pole has been issued by Representa-
tive Engiebright. of California, who
was the one member of the sub-com-
committee of the Naval Affairs Com
mittee of the House to vote against
any postponement OF the reward OF
Explorer Peary by congress. MI
Ensiebrights. statement Is In answer
TO the attack made upon the Peary
claims by Representative Macon. OF
Arkansas.
II have no doubt whatever that Mr..
Peary reached the Pole" said Repre-
sentative Englebright Wednesday.
According to published reports of
March /, 1909, reached the North
Pole April q and arrived at Cape Coz
lum biaApril 20. making round trip
Of as5 miles, measured In direct
e,-in-S&-Aes average ef-s
little less than eighteen miles day,
which Is the proper figure to compare
with the trips of McClintook. who
averaged ~ miles day, including
waste time
~
"Peary after he left Bartlett made
i1s2 miles to the North Pole in FIVE
days, or an average OF thirty miles "a
day Returning, he covered the same
distance In three GAYS at the rate OF
fifty miles day. The remainder oil
the return trip he made In thirteen
days. OF at an average of rs miles "A
day. These figures have been com
mented upon as being impossible in
making the distance in the time speci-
/ fied. --
/ Mr. Macon calls attention to the
| sledge Journeys of Lockwood, quoting
from GreeleX,A- Handbook his
daily travel was nine miles a day. \
| few paragraphs further in the article
/ Is the statement that In the year fol-
/ lowing. 1883. he made the same dts-
lance In six days that he did the year
| before in twenty-one days, which
would give an average of 81 l-2 miles
q day.
"A. ID. Nash. of California. has
I had wide experience in Alaska with
( dog sledges. In the spring of 1900
! he made a trip from Dawson to
Nome. distance OF 1,40o miles, in
&c daps of travel or an average OF
almost 81 miles a day.
MIR. Nash had mail contract In
ia02-I903 from Nome to Kotzebue.
Alaska, distance OF 800 miles. The
department records that the mail was
{ carried from Kotxebue to Nome.
from April 20, 1902, to May 3, 1908.
a distance of 800 miles. In ten days,
an average of thirty miles a day.
published accounts OF the races
I OF the Nome Kennel Club of Alaska
over the Az mile course. from Grip
pie Creek to Nome. gives the time
! made by the Berger team as 81
! hours and minutes, or an average
OF i3i miles n day. winning prize
! OF $4,000.
What One Man Did.
The annual report Of the Secre-
| tary OF War for the year 1905 con-
tains the report OF the Board Of Road
commissioners for AtHsku, tn which
hnd One man. John Heston, with
his own dog team, made the trip
from Seattle to Nome In thirty days
---by steamer to Valdez, and twenty
three DAYS from there. at an average
of more than 10 miles per day
The distance from Valdez to Cape
Nome lis over f,f00 miles, greater
distance than from Cape Columbia
to the North Pole and back again,
over considerable rough territory. and
yet Mr.. Hestou made the trip with q
single dog team, making IA daily av-
! eraEe time of practically that of the
best reported by Peary and almost
triple the average tine of Mr.. Peary.'
Represe Engiebright an
nounees his Intention to endeavor 70
hasten action before the House Naval
Affairs Committee upon the various
bills now before 1t providing that
Commander Peary shall be rewarded
by Congress for his feat