Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-04-23
LANE TO GO AFTER
ARCTIC EXPEDITION
Navigator Will Set Out in
June to Bring Back
Stefansson.
SAIL IN GREAT BEAR
Explorer Ordered Home on
Account of War; Dis
covers New Land.

~ l.. Lane, arCtc navigator OF long
experience, annouced here today that
he will leave Seattle for the Arctic
ocean about June l in three hun
dred-ton power schooner now being
biult here, and expects to return to
Nome or Seattle next autumn with
Nilhjalmur Stefansson and the other
members of the Canadian government
exploring expedition that sailed from
June Il, 1913. Captain Lane plans TO
he at Banks land. in the Polar sea,
about August 3, and to meet Stefans-
son there. Lane. in the power schoon-
er Polar Bear. took Stefansson and
two companions from Banks land to
Herschel island last August. and aft
crwa,d d sold the Polar Bear to Stef-
ansson. who returned to Banks land
with this boat and the small power
boat Gladiator, intending to pass the
winter In exploration of Banksland
and then. on the breaking of the Ice
this spring. making further explora-
ton of the new land which he discov-
cred last year, north of Melville
island. Captain Lane is now in Seattle
supervising construction Of his
schooner.
Verbal Agreement.
Captain Lane is going north, not
under contract with the Canadian
government, but under verbal
agreement with Stefansson. Lanes
new power boat. which probably will
be named the Great Bear. will be OF
wooden construction. and the strong
est ice-resisting vessel ever built on
Puget sound. Lane will take with him
gasoline and other supplies for the
Stefansson fleet. Stefansson has asked
the Canadian government to permit
his parties to continue their work "a
year longer. but 1t is believed that on
account of war conditions the explor-
ers will be ordered home. The ex-
pedition was planned to continue
three and half years.
Unless ice movements are unfavor-
able, Captain Lane expects to reach
Banksland at the time fixed upon. If
he has good fortune, he will call first
at Herschel island. where he may re-
ceive word from Stefansson. II he
does not get instructions there. he
Will proceed north to Banksland,
making stops at points agreed upon
last year. where Stefansson may have
letters or men waiting for Lane. 1t
may be that the explorers will choose
the power schooners Polar Bear,
Alaska. Mary Sachs and North Star.
but the vessels probably will be out of
repair and unable to make the quick
voyage that will be necessary to elude
the treacherous ice. which closes upon
the coast rapidly In early autumn, If
all goes well, the explorers should ar
rive in Nome soon after the middle OF
September.
Seeks New Land.
The Stefansson expedition from the
beginning was divided into two
Parties. The northern. under Stefans-
son, planned to seek new land in the
Beaufort sea, and succeeded, notwith-
standing the loss of the principal
boat. the whaler Karluk. which was
crushed in the ice the first winter
out. The southern party. under Or.
Rudolph Anderson. has been explor-
ing and charting the delta of the
Macsenzie river and the country to
the east. and also making a geologi-
cal survey of .he islands and main
land at the mouth OF the great river,
making especial search for copper
and coal. Copper nuggets abound
along the waterways. and the Eski-
mos make their weapons and utensils
of beaten copper. Stefansson, who
uiS'oNtlt GU Diue-cNeu F.ShlflOS Ill tnt
Coronation gulf country east Of the
Mackenzie some years ago, these peo-
pie being. he believed, descendants Of
the ancient Scandinavian settlers In
Greenland, is not revisiting these Es-
kimos during his present journey.
Stefansson and Anderson have a large
amount OF information and material
and will make complete report to
the Canadian government Stefans-
son will publish a book describing his
discoveries.
Another Expedition.
A dispatch from Christiania. Nor
way. announcing that Captain Roald
Amundsen. discoverer Of the north
west passage and the South Pole,
plans to set out on a North Pole ex-
pedition in the spring Of 1917 by way
of Bering strait. interests arctic nav
igators greatly. Amundsen Intended
to leave San Francisco several years
ago, sail from Bering strait toward
the North Pole and return between
Spitzbergen and Greenland. He aban-
doned his voyage because of lack Of
funds. In the years that have elapsed
motorboat progress has been rapid.
and new engines that burn small
quantities of fuel have simplifid arctic
problems. Amundsen will use a hun
dreo-ton power boat.
Ruy AerOD1aneS