INDUSTKIAL PROGRESS DURING THE YEAR 1873. Ixi 



ters, embracing rather the completion and results of enter- 

 prises commenced previously than new enterprises begun. 

 By far the most important results are connected with the 

 history of the Polaris^ the American vessel which, as our 

 readers are aware, left Washington in midsummer of 1871, 

 under Captain Charles F. Hall. 



No advices were received of this vessel until the spring of 

 1873, when the public was startled by the announcement 

 tliat a portion of her crew had been picked up adrift on the 

 coast of Labrador and brought into the harbor of St. John's, 

 Newfoundland. This fact having been properly authenti- 

 cated, the Secretary of the Navy sent a steamer, the Frolic^ 

 to St. John's for the purpose of bringing the rescued party 

 to Washington, where an examination by a Commission ap- 

 pointed for the purpose gave to the public, in authentic form, 

 tlie history of the expedition, which will be found detailed 

 at length on page 237. To sum up briefly the general rec- 

 ord, we may state that the vessel proceeded with but little 

 impediment as far north as latitude 82 16', wliich point was 

 attained on the 30th day of August, and where further prog- 

 ress was arrested by the ice, and it became necessary to go 

 into winter-quarters. These were established in Thank God 

 Harbor, in Polaris Bay ; and after every thing was in order, 

 Captain Hall started on a sledge journey to the north. He 

 returned after the lapse of two weeks ; and shortly after go- 

 ing on board his Yessel, died of an attack of hemij^legia. 



The party spent the winter at this point, and as early as 

 possible in the following summer made several attempts by 

 boat and sledge to proceed northward, but being unable to 

 make headway, finally reached the vicinity of Littleton Isl- 

 and, about sixty miles north of Northumberland Island. Here, 

 on one occasion, being threatened with the ice, nineteen of 

 the party went from the vessel to an adjacent floe for the 

 j)urpose of removing provisions and supplies which were 

 thrown over from the vessel. While this was in progress a 

 storm arose, which tore the vessel from her fastenino-s to the 

 ice, leaving the nineteen persons still upon the floe, who, after 

 drifting for fifteen hundred miles, during a period of about 

 six months, were rescued, as stated, by the crew of the seal- 

 ing steamer Tigress. 



The dangerous situation of the Polaris, and the uncertain- 



