The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-12-31

rs the goose with the golden egg. Let !,
Spitzbergen develop" In Spitzbergen !
we find the finest coal in the world, |
equal to the best Welsh steam coal. |
in most accessible places. This Is
very definitely known by many others
than myself and those thoroughly fa
miliar with Spitzbergen. 1t was Cap
tain Poole in 1904 who discovered coal.
end ii was myself who brought ii home
in 1898, and | had it certified as q
very high class steam coal in the
laboratory OF Il Scottish colliery; but II
was the Americans who first developed
its mining on an extensive scale, in
about 1905, under William Munro. II
is now being more extensively worked
by British. Norwegians, and SwedeS.
Extensive iron ore deposits are re-
ported by the Northern Exploration
company of London, OH deposits are
known and claimed by the Scottish
! SpitZbergen syndicate. as well AS very
extensive deposits of some of the fines
gypsum In the world, while there are
| indications of other valuable minerals.
which will require skilled investiga
ton and handling by expert mining
| biologists and engineers.
Furs and Fisheries.
| Besides minerals there are fur-bear-
| ing animals which would provide
sport and fur IL properly protected by
the British government, and not al
lowed to be mastered and even extern
sively poisoned by northern hunters.
Let these animals be bred and only
legally killed with discretion. and there
will be a large permanent revenue
from them. Valuable foxes and rein
deer still exist IL considerable num-
bers in spite of the indiscriminate
slaughter that has taken place. There
are seals. whales. and porpoises. The
walrus can be re-established as well
as the polar bear. Fisheries, too
might also be organized. aud all these
animals could produce large revenue
II properly handled and properly pro
teeted by an organized and unselfish
government.
Then there are the beauties an6
wonders of this arctic land of prom
Use, besides these wonderful mineral
and animal resources mentioned
Think of the birds, many in their mil
lions, and many of economic value
notably the elder duck, and some
very edible birds and eggs-geese
ducks, and others. One may scar
acres, even miles. of purple saxifrage
like purple heather. One may wad
through luxuriass beds of sulphur but
, tercups, and find brilliant patches o
arctics poppies and other plants, thriy
ing even At great and exposed alti
tudes. Many brilliantly Itch
ems etch out almost every rocb
swampy bits luxLrlate with the riches
mosses, llverworts, and interestin
algae, and pools teen with crusta
, cean and other animal and vegetable
. life; even the remnants of snow ar
: colored with red. yellow. green, an
. other colored algae known over Ger
a turtles.
/. SpitZbergen besides mineral, animG
;. and plant resources, has q large serie
q of beautiful harbors and anchorage
{ so what with these and the Gul
+ stream there is every possible facilit
! TO get there comfortably and safel,
4 Let our shell-shock patients and othe
J. wounded heroes thoroughly recover i
p Spltzbergen in proper sanatoria in tn
: healthiest climate in the world. wher
q you can't get a cold or a fever becaus
G there are no germs--a sterile, wonde
d Eful,' and translucent atmosphere su
y fuses this land where the sun neye
sets all the summer and consequent
the plants never cease to grow, an
= where everything is more wonderfl
: and beautiful than in any inhabite
I, part of the world from pole TO pole.
4