The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1914-01-23

lGS degrees OF longitude-while the
distance across it exceeds by many
hundred miles that from the north
ernmost point of North America to
the Isthmus OF Panama
The survey of these remote regions
was but one of the many progressive
improvements for Russia initiated by
that luminous character, Peter the
Great. Planned in his last years.
this most extended Of geographic sur
Veys ever attempted was known as
the Great Northern expedition; it
lasted II years, from 1925 to 1912
It's results gave fame to Boring, Mura-
Vief to the Laptiefs, to Prontschischef
and others. In later days they were
followed by Kotzebue, Wrangel, Anjou
and Sannikof
How Russia has persistentiy pursued
maritime policy for the develop
ment of Siberian trade has been
fully set forth by Gen. J. de Schokal-
sky, Russian imperial navy, in vari-
Gus publications Safe routes of nav
igatiOn TO and from the valleys o.
the Yenesei, of the Lena and Of other
lesser rivers are absolutely essential
for the prosperity and development
of this habitable empire, which is
half as large again as is the United
States. Siberia is no longerr coun-
try of convicts, but a land swarming
with pioneers, a wondrous leaven
among its 100000 of inhabitants.
Routes via the Kara sea and around
the north end of Nova Zembia have
been tested, but neither has been
found same for commercial ships year
after year. 1t was then suggested that
a satisfactory route could be found
by entering Boring strait This would
enable Russia to obtain Siberian out
let, with Vladivostok as the main port,
to which would be shipped the prod
ucts Of the vast region to the east of
Cape Chelyuskin
In the summer of 1912 two power
full ice-breakers, the Taimyr and the
Vaigatz, made safely a voyage via
Boring strait to and from the Lena
SCundings anu surveys were made en-
route, but ice conditions around Cape
Chelyuskin prevented the ships from
returning TO Russia through the Kara
sea
Early in July, 1913, the ice breakers
ValgatZ and TaiInyr left Vladivostok
to prosecute their surveys and to re-
new their efforts TO round Cape Chel-
yuskin and return to ST. Petersburg
through the Kara sea.
The expedition was under command
of General Sergelef, imperial Russian
navy, who was incapacitated by
stroke of apoplexy. Lieutenant VIII
kitzky, imperial navy, succeeding to
the command, made running survey
Of the Asiatic coast from the Kolyma
river, latitude 20 degrees north, 'longi-
tude 100 degrees east. to Cape CheI-
ylIskin. It is the first time that this
cape has been visited by ship COM
ing from the eastward. Wilkitzky's
hopes of completing the circumnavi-
CATION of Asia were destroyed in longi-
tude SO degrees east, where he found
an impenetrable barrier OF solid
ice
AS the sea was open to the north.
he decided to explore this unknown
area of the Siberian ocean. To his
establishment, he soon sighted high
peaks, the SUBMITS of new land. In
latitude 81 degrees north, longitude
100 degrees east he landed, hoisted
the Russian imperial colors, took pos
session of the land in the name of the
ear and named it Nicholas Second
Land.
Wilkitzky followed the land north
ward, finding it with a continuing
northwesterly trend. In latitude 81
degrees north. longitude 96 degrees
east. he found IA pack of solid ice,
which forbade further progress,
though the land reached as far as the
eye could see. Retracing his course,
the southern extremity of the new
land was found in latitude IS de
grees north longitude 104 degrees
east. whence the coast took a trend
to the northeast The land is thus