i]GO SCIENTIFIC RECORD FOR 1882. 



and tides, most valuable determinations of geographical positions were 

 made along the coast of Alaska by the party under his command. 



The voyages of Mr. Leigh Smith in the English steam yacht Eira will 

 hereafter take an important position in the annals of Arctic discovery. 

 In June, 1880, the enteri^rising explorers left Great Britain, and after 

 an ineffectual attempt to reach the east coast of Greenland, finding the 

 ice impassable, the ship's head was turned to the eastward, and passing- 

 south of Spitzbergen, on the 14th of August the coast of Franz- Joseph 

 Land was reached. Between this time and the 1st of September, Mr. 

 Smith explored 110 miles of the south coast of Franz- Joseph Land and 

 its off- lying islands, landing frequently and keeijing a very full journal. 

 Geological and botanical specimens were obtained and great numbers 

 of walruses and seals were seen. From the 1st to the 10th of September 

 the Eira endeavored unsuccessfully to find an opening in the ice pack 

 which would enable the explorers to reach Wiche's Island east of Spitz- 

 bergen, but it was necessary to take a homeward course as the season was 

 advancing, and on the 24th of September the Eira reached Hammerfest. 



Among the important results of the voyage was the demonstration 

 of serious errors in the Admiralty charts of the regions about Walter 

 Thymeu's Straits and other places frequented by vessels every year. 

 Mr. Clements Markham, a most capable judge, i^ronounces this voyage 

 of the Eira to have been the most important summer cruise ever made 

 in the Arctic regions. 



Again, in June, 1881, Mr. Smith sailed in the Eira with the hope of ex- 

 tending his discoveries of the previous year. The autumn and winter 

 passed with no news of the expedition, and in June, 1882, a relief ship 

 was sent to search for the missing explorers. On reaching Novaya 

 Zemlya it was found that the Eira had been sunk by the ice in August, 

 1881, and that after wintering on Franz-Joseph Land Mr. Leigh Smith 

 and his companions had fortunately escaped in their boats to Novaya 

 Zemlya. As they had not been able to save any provisions from the 

 ship they would all have starved to death but for the walrus and bear 

 meat they were enabled to obtain. 



Under an international arrangement stations have been established in 

 the Arctic regions by observers of various nations for the purpose of 

 making meteorological and other i)hysical observations. 



Although no announcements of geographical discovery have yet been 

 received from any of these parties, it is to be expected that, in addition 

 to meteorological observations, valuable contributions will be made to 

 our geographical knowledge by the able officers at the head of these 

 parties. 



The United States have established two stations, one five miles west 

 of Point Barrow, under charge of Lieut. P. H. Ray, United States Army, 

 and one commanded by Lieut. A. W. Greely, United States Army, on 

 the shores of Lad}' Franklin Bay, in Grinnell Land. 



In July, 1882, as previously arranged, a relief shii) was dispatched to 



