Evening star., 1924-09-24
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
BY PAUL y. COLLINS

The tyranny Of the Arctic is re-
lentless.
In 1921 Capt. vilhjalnur Stefans-
son left a detachment Of four scien-
fists and an Eskimo woman upon
Wransel Island, off the coast of
Siberia Last Summer a relief ship,
commanded by Capt. Noice, found
that the men had died. and the
woman, Ada Blacks jack, was on the
strain of lonely and desperate suffer
ing. Capt. Noice brought the woman
back to civilization. but left on the
island Charles Wells, and a party Of
IS Eskimos who desired to hunt
walrus.
On August 90 the u. S schooner
Herman. under Capt Noice, left Nome,
Alaska to make a second attempt to
bring back the Wells party-a June
effort having failed. Its arrival at
Wrangel Island is likely to be mis-
title of the United States to that
desoIate terra f1rma- Authorities de-
clare. however, that the title requires
no reconfirmation to establish its
validity.
Wranscl Island has an area Of cs9
square miles which is covered with
perpetual ice and snow. It's history
dates back a little more than q CEN
tury. 1t was first discovered in 1871
by Russian ship, and was named
in honor of the Russian admiral.
Baron Ferdinand Won Wrangel. who
had done notable exploring OF the
north coast of Siberia and, from
1929 to 1894. was governor of Alaska
Admiral Won Wrangel never saw the
island which became . monument to
his name. Many years passed. but
Russia took no action toward as
suming sovereignty over it
In lels the island was Fedisooverod
By a British naval expedition under
Capt Kellett. who sailed close in.
but did not land. He named It
Kellett Land, supposing It to be a
peninsula Of a great Arctic conti-
nent Again. actual possession went
by default, for Great Britain, recos-
nizing that the land was worthless
for human habitation, made no enort
to claim IL. although the kellett dis
covery gave her a prima farie title.
In 1881 two United States naval
vessels, seeking to bring relief to the
long-lost Arctic explorer, Capt De
Long of the Z. s. S. Jeanette and his
party Of scientists, landed men upon
Wrangel Island Later, the United
states Navy made a complete survey
of it's coasts, and the island appears
on the official maps Of the United
States as belonging to this Nation.
These expeditions were followed by
that of Stefansson. tho Swedish ex-
plorox. in 1872. It IL said that ho had
made appeals TO CSAnadA for finances
to enable him to make the trip, and.
in return. had promised (or expectedl
to reimburse Canada By adding Is
lands to her domain. II Is not known
that any funds were advanced. but 1t
is reported that both Canada ana
England were surprised when they
learned that Capt. Stefansson had
annexed" WrAngel Island to the
British Empire. American officials
declare that Great Britain has no in
tention Of setting up a serious claim
to the island.
Two phases of the question OF
wrangel Island and its ownership
are interesting. Worthless until now.
Capt. Stefansson prophesies that
within eight or ten years II may be-
come q valuable supply station for
airships travelling from England
across the North Pole, thereby short
ening tho connections between Eng
land ana India BY several hundred
miles. The claim is discounted by
authorities, who point out that travel
n no ionEer measured merely hy dis
tA1oA but Ia&hAF by tine and so3e<y.
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