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Landon - Post- nov
17.
The most fascinating problem in the entire
range of geographical exploration persistently
continues to evade solution. Commander PEARY'S
latest expedition in search of the North Pole has
returned-like all others-baffled and dis-
appointed, and the objective of his quest remains
for the present as elusive a mystery as ever. Yet
it is only fair to say that some little progress has
been made. Just as in the sphere of athletics,
the standard of accomplishment tends steadily,
if slowly, to improve in terms of seconds
and inches, so the achievements of Arctic
enterprise surpass each other with each succes-
sive effort, and thus a further stimulus is given
to a renewal of the chronic contest between the
courage, skill, and perseverance of man and the
passive resistance of nature in her most repellent
form. Just seven years ago it was supposed that
Commander PEARY had succeeded in " going one
better" than the point of farthest North latitude,
which then stood to the credit of Dr. NANSEN.
The expectation that the Norwegian record would
be beaten was not indeed realised in 1889, but not
very long subsequent to that date a further Polar
primacy WAS rained by one of the sledging parties
despatched
nection with the voyage of the
Duke of the ABEUZZI. On that occasion Captain
CAGNI reached as far as 86 degrees 34 minutes N,
and up to the present those figures have re-
presented the high-water mark of Arctic
attainment. Now, however, this too has
been surpassed in its turn, and to Commander
PEARY must be assigned the distinction of
having gone some thirty miles nearer to the
North Pole than any of his predecessors in the
arduous endeavour to reach what is in theory the
summit of the world. It must be reluctantly
admitted that to all intents and purposes the
desired goal is as far away as ever, and that the
progress made towards the end in view since the
days of Sir JOHN FRANKLIN, though technically
considerable and quite demonstrable upon the
map, is not in a practical sense of much real
importance. Explorers have not apparently
made up their minds as to the proper jump-
ing off point for their attack upon the Pole,
though it might be thought that the experience
provided by the repeated experiments which
have been made would by this time have resulted
in creating something like a general consensus of
opinion with respect to so elementary a factor in
the case. Commander PEARY patriotically took
what is called " the American route " through
Smith's Sound, though there is no reason why,
for the purpose in hand, Greenland should be
preferred to Spitzbergen or Nova Zembla. There is
another characteristic about these sporadic efforts
to reach the North Pole which strikes the outside
observer with surprise, and that is the primitive
methods employed. Steam is indeed availed of
to bring the expedition to the place from which
the final and most difficult stages of the under-
taking have to be (entered upon, but from here
it is considered sufficient to trust to sledges
and Esquimaux dogs instead of enlisting the
resources of applied science in support of
the enterprise. The late Admiral MAKABOFF
was credited with the ambition of using his
famous ice-breaker Yermak, or a more powerful
vessel of the same type, in an attempt to reach
the Pole by main force. There is something
heroic about the idea, and it is far from certain
that it would prove incapable of being carried
out. Another, and perhaps a more feasible, sub-
stitute for animal traction may be suggested. We
live we should in of automobilism,
an age enthusiastic and
be doing less than justice to the skill
of our designers and constructors if we assumed
it to be beyond their power to turn out a motor-
carriage suitable for service in the Arctic
regions. The Pole has kept its secrets from the
sailor ; it may yet have to surrender them to the
chauffeur.
Document source description
This file contains sheet music, flyers, and programs of various events, concerts, and lectures relating to Polar expeditions and travel.
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"ocrText": "tion.\nLandon - Post- nov\n17.\nThe most fascinating problem in the entire\nrange of geographical exploration persistently\ncontinues to evade solution. Commander PEARY'S\nlatest expedition in search of the North Pole has\nreturned-like all others-baffled and dis-\nappointed, and the objective of his quest remains\nfor the present as elusive a mystery as ever. Yet\nit is only fair to say that some little progress has\nbeen made. Just as in the sphere of athletics,\nthe standard of accomplishment tends steadily,\nif slowly, to improve in terms of seconds\nand inches, so the achievements of Arctic\nenterprise surpass each other with each succes-\nsive effort, and thus a further stimulus is given\nto a renewal of the chronic contest between the\ncourage, skill, and perseverance of man and the\npassive resistance of nature in her most repellent\nform. Just seven years ago it was supposed that\nCommander PEARY had succeeded in \" going one\nbetter\" than the point of farthest North latitude,\nwhich then stood to the credit of Dr. NANSEN.\nThe expectation that the Norwegian record would\nbe beaten was not indeed realised in 1889, but not\nvery long subsequent to that date a further Polar\nprimacy WAS rained by one of the sledging parties\ndespatched\nnection with the voyage of the\nDuke of the ABEUZZI. On that occasion Captain\nCAGNI reached as far as 86 degrees 34 minutes N,\nand up to the present those figures have re-\npresented the high-water mark of Arctic\nattainment. Now, however, this too has\nbeen surpassed in its turn, and to Commander\nPEARY must be assigned the distinction of\nhaving gone some thirty miles nearer to the\nNorth Pole than any of his predecessors in the\narduous endeavour to reach what is in theory the\nsummit of the world. It must be reluctantly\nadmitted that to all intents and purposes the\ndesired goal is as far away as ever, and that the\nprogress made towards the end in view since the\ndays of Sir JOHN FRANKLIN, though technically\nconsiderable and quite demonstrable upon the\nmap, is not in a practical sense of much real\nimportance. Explorers have not apparently\nmade up their minds as to the proper jump-\ning off point for their attack upon the Pole,\nthough it might be thought that the experience\nprovided by the repeated experiments which\nhave been made would by this time have resulted\nin creating something like a general consensus of\nopinion with respect to so elementary a factor in\nthe case. Commander PEARY patriotically took\nwhat is called \" the American route \" through\nSmith's Sound, though there is no reason why,\nfor the purpose in hand, Greenland should be\npreferred to Spitzbergen or Nova Zembla. There is\nanother characteristic about these sporadic efforts\nto reach the North Pole which strikes the outside\nobserver with surprise, and that is the primitive\nmethods employed. Steam is indeed availed of\nto bring the expedition to the place from which\nthe final and most difficult stages of the under-\ntaking have to be (entered upon, but from here\nit is considered sufficient to trust to sledges\nand Esquimaux dogs instead of enlisting the\nresources of applied science in support of\nthe enterprise. The late Admiral MAKABOFF\nwas credited with the ambition of using his\nfamous ice-breaker Yermak, or a more powerful\nvessel of the same type, in an attempt to reach\nthe Pole by main force. There is something\nheroic about the idea, and it is far from certain\nthat it would prove incapable of being carried\nout. Another, and perhaps a more feasible, sub-\nstitute for animal traction may be suggested. We\nlive we should in of automobilism,\nan age enthusiastic and\nbe doing less than justice to the skill\nof our designers and constructors if we assumed\nit to be beyond their power to turn out a motor-\ncarriage suitable for service in the Arctic\nregions. The Pole has kept its secrets from the\nsailor ; it may yet have to surrender them to the\nchauffeur."
}