THE NORTH POLE FOUND 47 



fact that the year was so cold kept the ice floes together more compactly and 

 added an element of rare good luck to his splendid courage." 



The Matin, a great newspaper of Paris, had this to say : 



"The dawn of a new century has seen marvelous discoveries, not the least 

 of which is that brought to us over the telegraph that the North Pole had been 

 discovered and that an American explorer attained that point of the globe 

 which is wrapped in mysterious legend and always has been deemed inac- 

 cessible. 



"For the last five centuries the efforts of explorers have tended toward 

 the pole ; for five centuries explorers have rushed to the Arctic extremity of 

 the world. All peoples had tried to pierce the mystery of the polar ice and 

 reach the exact spot where is the pole, and it is America which emerges trium- 

 phant in this heroic journey. 



"One thing is certain, a great feat has been accomplished and a marvelous 

 victory has been won by the courage and tenacity of man over the savage 

 brutality and relentless resistance of matter, and none will seek to stint to 

 young America the enthusiasm which the glorious conquest merits ; none will 

 refuse her the tribute of admiration, well earned by one of her sons for the 

 triumph which he has achieved for civilization." 



Discussion also arose over the value to the United States of the newly 

 discovered lands. 



State department officials were of the opinion that it was of little conse- 

 quence to the United States what lands Dr. Cook has discovered on his way to 

 the North Pole so far as actual territorial possession is concerned. 



It was recalled by the department officials that ever since 1828 American 

 explorers in both the Arctic and Antartic have discovered vast areas of land 

 to which no claims ever were made. Admiral Wilkes found in the Antartic 

 a territory of more than 100,000 square miles in area, and Dr. Kane made 

 large discoveries in the Arctic, but no effort ever has been made by the United 

 States to assert its right to them. Gen. Greely some years ago located lands 

 which never before were known to exist. 



Many of the world's greatest navigators have from time to time made 

 discoveries to which no claim ever was made. The principal reason for this, 

 however, is said to be that these lands in every instance were almost inacces- 

 sible and absolutely of no value. 



The islands of Spitzbergen, which were discovered many years ago, still 

 are without a recognized owner. On the maps these islands are designated 



