324 PROMOTION OF ARCTIC AND ANTARCTIC DISCOVERY. 



inferior resources, and therefore at greater risk. The commander of an 

 Arctic expedition onght to be a man of high scientific attainments, of 

 great experience in the ice, and known to be gifted with the rare qnali- 

 fications of a leader of men. Snch a commander is seldom to be found 

 except in the service of a Government with a wide range of selection. 

 When the circumstances and qualifications that we would desire to 

 secure are unattainable, then we gladly welcome the nearest approach 

 to them. Enterprise, however contrary to rule and however audacious, 

 should ever be encouraged and cheered onward. When there are only 

 small resources, risks must be run and attempts must be made which 

 could not be approved under other circumstances. We shall always 

 admire and applaud the enthusiasm and temerity of those who make 

 attempts to open geographical secrets by private enterprise and with 

 inadequate means. It is under such conditions that the projects have 

 been conceived, and in some cases matured, which have engaged our 

 attention in the Arctic regions during the last two years. The merit of 

 the. work that may be achieved will be immensely enhanced by the 

 special difficulties arising from different causes in each case, but all 

 increasing the risk and the glory. 



In Nansen the expedition to the north of Siberia has the unusual 

 advantage of having a commander of high scientific attainments, con- 

 siderable Arctic experience, and the rare gift of inspiring confidence 

 among his followers. As is well known, his guiding idea is that as all 

 previous expeditions have been stopped by the ice drifting south, he 

 would not be stopped if he entered the Arctic regions in the ice stream 

 drifting north. He thus discards our chief Arctic canon, which is that 

 j)rogress should always be made along a coast line; but the application 

 of that rule has always been to ice drifting in a direction contrary to 

 the course of the ship. It seems very doubtful whether the initial force 

 of the current on the Siberian side of the Polar Sea will be sufficient to 

 carry the Fram into the strong stream which undoubtedly flows south 

 between Spitzbergen and (h-eenland. Her drift, however, maybe In 

 the direction that is anticipated by her sanguine and very able com- 

 mander, and it is almost certain that there is an ice-laden channel, 

 unobstructed by extensive land. We have no intelligence of the expe- 

 dition having reached the neighborhood of the mouth of tiie Lena, and 

 it is possible that the Fram may have been beset in rounding Cape 

 Chelyuskin, or even earlier. In that case it is likely that land will be 

 discovered, which will certainly diminish the dangers of the jiack. 

 Wilczek Land may extend for a great distance to the east. The water 

 to the east and west of the most northern point of Siberia is deeper than 

 that directly to the north, which seems to indicate the existence of land 

 north of Cape Chelyuskin, and it is not unlikely that the Fram will have 

 fallen in with it. In that case "N'ansen will doubtless seek its northern 

 limit, and thence endeavor to get into the northerly drift. Under any 

 circumstances, he is sure to accomx)lish a great deal of valuable scien- 



I 



