146 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



PROPOSED EXPLORATIONS NORTH OF SIBERIA. 



In a lecture lately delivered by Herr Weyprecht before the 

 Academy of Sciences of Vienna upon the expedition instituted 

 by himself and Lieutenant Payer during the past summer, of 

 which frequent mention has been made in our pages, he rec- 

 ommends the following as the plan of campaign for the com- 

 ing season. As soon as the northern coast of Nova Zembla 

 is free from ice, which may be looked for in the second half 

 of August, a movement should be made as quickly as possi- 

 ble to the east, in order to reach New Siberia the same sea- 

 son, if possible. The greatest difficulty will be met near Cape 

 Tscheljuskin, around which the ice is very apt to accumulate, 

 and for the avoidance of which it may be necessary to go 

 around toward the north. East of this the polynia will be 

 found, through which New Siberia, perhaps, will be easily at- 

 tainable. 



If these islands can be reached the first year, it will be well 

 to winter there, or upon any lands still farther to the north, 

 and devote % the next summer to explore the polynia, and in 

 making a movement toward the north. If New Siberia can 

 not be reached the first summer, then the first winter must be 

 passed at Cape Tscheljuskin ; if possible, to the eastward of it. 

 In this event the second summer must be devoted to reaching 

 New Siberia. The third summer, in this case, should be oc- 

 cupied in endeavoring to reach an American part through 

 the polynia and Behring's Straits. A voyage of this kind may 

 require two winters and three summers, and will have as its 

 work an investigation of the broad unknown sea to the north 

 of Siberia. The results of a successful exploration of this re- 

 gion will doubtless be of the most interesting character, and 

 may do a great deal toward solving the remaining problems 

 of arctic discovery. 17 C, February, 1872, 74. 



ARCTIC EXPLORATIONS. 



The general interest felt in arctic explorations-is best seen 

 from the many expeditions either actually at work or now 

 being fitted out. Among the latter may be especially men- 

 tioned the Austrian, as likely to occupy the foremost rank. 

 When Messrs. Weyprecht and Payer, in 1871, returned from 

 their reconnoitring cruise with such important results, the 



