Year: 1875

Arctic DIscoveries-The Cruise Of the


Pandora.


We print this morning an interesting letter
from Captain Allen Young, OF the Pandora.
AS our readers will remember this vessel
went out to the Arctic regions few mouths
ago in the hopes Of making some new dis
coveries in the mysterious regions surround
ing the Pole. Captain Young has a high
reputation as an Arctic navigator. He was
one Of the gallant spirits who went out in the
hope Of finding some trace of the illustrious
and lamented Sir John Franklin. In 1857,
when lady franklin, with devotion TO her
gallant husbands memory which has given
her name an immortality among those gentle
and royal souls whose lives illustrated the
value and depth of love, planned an expe-
dition under the command Of Sir Leopold
McClintock. Captain Young was the sailing
master, and contributed to the expenses OF
the expedition with liberality 1t was in this


cruise, which has become an event IN the


history of Arctic navigation, that tldlngs


we're found at last Of Sir John Franklin and


the gallant souls who went ont with him to


die. The experience then gained BY Captain


Allen Young, and his great and deserved


fame as an Arctic navigator, pointed hlm out


as the proper person to lead new expe-
dition. The HERALD was accordingly glad to


take part with Lady Franklin and the Cap


tain in fitting out the Pandora and making


new adventure in this strange and wonder
! ful land


The worlds interest in the Arctic regions


has strangely increased in latter years. The
success of the Austrian expedition has been
kind of challenge to all the world, and
especially from nation that has never made
any fame as nation Of navigators 1t was
rather an imputation upon countries like
America, France, England and Germany
who have made their reputation in the
northern seas. The idea of an Austrian
seaman going into the country of Kane and
McClintock and Franklin, and winning
laurels from Hyperborea, was as much
surprise as if Austrian enterprise were to
discover new world. But that sense Of
power and independence which comes with
a better political condition has shown itself
in the new life which has come to Austria
since her rulers have given up the mad idea
of ruling German and an italian kingdom.
The success of the Austrians demonstrated
that the secrets Of the Northern regions
were more than ever within the range of
science. The emulation that belongs to the
nations Of the present day came into play.
The Germans, who also desire to show that
a development Of national power has not
made her people unmindful OF the higher
duties of nation, the duties of inyestiga-
ton and discovery, began at once to plan an
name Of the Emperor alongside Of that of
Francis Joseph and his house. which have
been emblazoned forever on the continents of
the far North. England followed suit. Mr.
Disraeli has always been celebrated for the
adventurous tendencies of his mind. He is
a fresh thinker, and in his political life has
shown his respect for the power of the i'm
agination upon the people. He had seen
how much Mr.. Gladstone had done for his
party and for England by extending its
empire into the African and Australian con-
tinents. 1t was to Gladstone that England
owed her acquisitions in Ashantee and the
gold countries and the islands of the Pacific
seas. These were the compensations for the
discontinue at Geneva, for the loss of the |
island of San Juan by the decision of
the German Emperor, and for the loss of |
the strait claimed by the Portuguese, and |
decided against the English by the French |
in the arbitration submitted to the French /
government. There we're no temptations 10
adventures in any other direction than the
North. If Mr.. Disraeh could supplement |
the glories of the Gladstone administration |
by discovery in the North, if under his |
rule the valor and genius of England could /
solve problem that has disturbed the wise |
men of the world for centuries, it would be
a trophy Of administration only surpassed /
by the conquests in America in the time of
the elder Pitt Accordingly he planned and |
gave the sanction Of his administration to |
the voyage of the Alert and the Discovery, |
which are now in the Arctic seas, and will /
probably not be heard from for two years.
The hopes Of the scientific men of England |
rest largely upon what may be gained by |
these two vessels, which have entered upon
tnelr WOTk VIII huNhHtdBtS III tine way VI /
equipment, with variety of knowledge |
arising from the discoveries of the Austrians
and the Americans, which have never been
possessed by any other expedition.


Something of the regret which every Ameri-
can must feel that our own government had
done nothing to extend our nations fame in
this emulation Of discovery inspired the
HERALD to become associated with an officer
as accomplished and famous as Captain
Young. We were not unmindful Of what
had been done in the way Of adventure and
discovery in Africa by Stanley, and by
MacGahan in Asia. All England had risen
up to do honor to the gallant gentleman who