Year: 1872

The Outstanding Polar Elest-vslus
Of sa Exploration vis Behrins
Strait.


The news given in another column from one
of the Arctic expeditions sent out from Ger


many this year may throw a ray or two of


light over the past Summer weather and ice con-


ditions that have recently prevailed in the high
North. The intelligence is from Hammerfest.
as late as the oath of August. and briefly states
the facts of the rediscovery and examination
of King Carl's Land by Captain Altmann and
his experience of but little ice on the east
coast of Spitzbergen. The Swedes have
usually reported large ice formations on this
inhospitable coast, even in Summer, and from
Captain Atmann's experience it seems highly
probable the energy of Old Sol has been phe-
nomenal there this Summer, as well as in our
part of the world.


There are now half dozen expeditions in
the fields of Arctic research seeking by various
routes and methods to attain the uncon
querable Pole, or, at least, to find "a path to
perpetuity of fame" Like the expedition under
the command of Captain Altman, most of these
adventurers are trying their fortune in the
route lying between the coasts of Spitzbergen
and Nova Zembla One expedition, under the
lead OF M. Pavy, is the only representative of
those scientists who think the true approaches
to the Pole lie to the northward of Behring
Strait This latter hypothesis was ably sus-
tanned and would have been gallantly tested
by N. Gustave Lambert, the French savant,
but that his life was sacrificed to his country's
defence in the late Prussian war.


1t is great pity that there was no interna-
tional concert in planning and despatching
the present expeditions, one of which ought
by all means, to have been sent north of
Behring Strait, if for no other purpose, to
gather the harvest Of magnetic, meteorological
and other scientific observations 80 much
needed by the whole civilized world. We are
not disposed to gauge the merit Of any enter
prise by its merely pecunary returns +; but the
interests of navigation alone require that
every ray Of light that can be collected should
be brought to bear on the mysterious varia-
tions Of the mariners needle and the
general physical phenomena that mark
the high attitudes of the globe The
excellent experience afforded and the tone Of
hardy and skilful seamanship infused into
navy by such daring exploits as those Of Wilkes
and Ross, of Sir Edward Belcher and other
naval commanders of Arctic fleets, will amply
warrant the government in sending out, at no
distant day. an Arctic Surveying Expedition
into the waters as yet almost unfurrowed which
lie beyond Behring Sea. The subject may we'll
engage the attention Of our naval authorities.
There are doubtless great discoveries awaiting
the explorer of this unexplored region, in
which for the botanist, the naturalist and the
astronomer, there is 30 much to learn. The
navy, which engages in no such work in time
of prolonged peace, will soon canker and rot.
There are other achievements for our national
ships besides those of war; and, if the standard
Of excellence is to be kept up, the gallant men
who man them, as some one has said, must
have something else to do than to pick oakum
or run over the masthead after topgallant
vor1c