1875.] The Arctic Expedition. 519 
planking of elm and pine and a belt of cork. The sledge 
arrangements are particularly complete; all previous experi- 
ence has been taken into account. The sledges hold eight 
men each; they are made of elm, and the runners are shod 
with steel. They are furnished with light masts, which also 
serve as tent poles. The drag ropes are of whale line, 26 
feet long, and the drag belts : are 3 inches broad, and pass 
over the men’s shoulders. For a journey of seven weeks the 
weight of a loaded sledge will be 1646 lbs., or about 235 lbs. 
for each of seven men to drag. The weekly allowance of 
food to each man exceeds 1g lbs., and consists of daily 
rations of 16 ozs. pemmican, 4 ozs. boiled pork, 14 ozs. bis- 
cuit, 2 ozs. preserved potatoes, 1} ozs. chocolate, } 0z. tea 
and sugar, I oz. strong rum, and a weekly allowance of 1} 
ozs. Salt, I oz. curry or onion powder, oz. pepper, and 3 ozs. 
of tobacco. Each individual uses about 14 lbs. of fuel (methy- 
lated spirits of wine or crude cocoa-nut oil) weekly. By a 
system of auxiliary sledges one sledge can advance several 
weeks’ journey from the ship. Suppose six sledges start in 
company, at the end of the first week No. 6 sledge will dis- 
tribute its provisions so as to make up the full complement 
of the remaining five, and will then return to the ship; at 
the end of the second week No. 5 sledge will make up the 
full complement of provisions of the remaining four, and 
will then return to the ship, and so on for Nos. 4, 3, and 2, 
leaving No. I to reach the extreme distance. Meanwhile 
the sledges which have returned will re-provision, and meet 
the returning sledge at various points of its journey. Great 
distances have been traversed by means of sledges ; a siedge 
party led by McClintock walked 1210 miles in 105 days, 
while the distance from Cape Parry to the North Pole is only 
484 miles. 
The Admiralty shortly before the expedition started issued 
a very valuable Manual for the use of the officers accom- 
panying the expedition. It is entitled ‘‘A Manual of the 
Natural History, Geology, and Physics of Greenland and 
the Neighbouring Regions ; together with instructions sug- 
gested by the Arctic Committee of the Royal Society for the 
use of the Expedition.” The instructions are discussed 
under two headings :—Physical Observations and Biology. 
The former relate to astronomy, terrestrial magnetism, 
meteorology, atmospheric electricity, optics, and miscella- 
neous observations ; the latter to zoology, botany, geology, 
and mineralogy. The important suggestions on the deter- 
mination of the magnetic elements, by Prof. J. C. Adams 
and Captain Evans, are accompanied by three capital maps 
WOL,.V.. (N.S; } 3.0 
