F. GEOGRAPHY. 147 



desire to continue researches so successfully begun became 

 universal. The most liberal contributions of money were im- 

 mediately offered, and in a very short time the sum of $70,000 

 was collected. The emperor, the high officials of the govern- 

 ment, the nobility, and private citizens all willingly gave aid 

 to the enterprise. It was resolved to intrust Messrs. Wey- 

 precht and Payer with the leadership a confidence well de- 

 served by the energy, integrity, and scientific accomplish- 

 ments of these gentlemen. A screw steamer, schooner-rigged, 

 of 220 tons, with an engine of ninety-five horse-power, has 

 been built, an ample outfit for a three years' cruise prepared, 

 and a crew selected with the utmost care. This will consist 

 of two officers and sixteen sailors of the imperial navy, a phy- 

 sician, a machinist, and two chamois hunters from Switzer- 

 land. 



The object of the expedition, according to Mr.Weyprecht's 

 statement, will be to follow up the track in the unfrozen ocean, 

 toward the east and north, met with in last summer's cruise, 

 and to further explore the arctic sea north of Siberia. It is 

 intended to winter at Tscheljuskin, the most northern cape 

 of Asia, to continue the exploration of the central polar sea 

 during the second summer, and to penetrate to Behring's 

 Strait, and an Asiatic or American harbor, during the third. 



Quite a different plan has been adopted by the Swedes. 

 They will w T inter upon the most northerly of the seven isl- 

 ands of Spitzbergen (81.5 north latitude), and next spring 

 proceed to the north pole upon sleighs drawn by reindeer, 

 fifty of which are in training for the purpose. Mr. Norden- 

 skiold will direct the enterprise under the auspices of the 

 Royal Swedish Academy. Mr. Weyprecht, however, consid- 

 ers this plan as chimerical in the extreme. 



Two Norwegian expeditions, in steamers, will explore the 

 Siberian ice-sea in the direction taken by the Austrian expe- 

 dition. They are commanded by Captain J. Jensen, of the 

 steamer Cap Nor, and by Captain Svend Foyn, the celebrated 

 enterprising whaler. 



According to Mr. Gustave Ambert, the French propose to 

 dispatch an iron screw steamer from Havre to continue ex- 

 plorations in the path marked out by Messrs. Payer and Wey- 

 precht in 1871. 17 C, April, 1872. * 



