E975.) The Arctic Expedition. 523 
westernmost of the Carey Islands, and the ships will pro- 
ceed to Smith’s Sound. The Discovery will winter in lat. 82, 
on the north shore of Lady Franklin’s Strait, if suitable 
quarters can be found ; while the Alert will, if possible, push 
up as far as 84° N. lat., and complete the remaining distance 
to the Pole by sledging. The sledge travelling will commence 
early in April, 1876, and it is proposed that six sledges and 
52 men should then start, leaving only ro men in the ship. 
By means of the system of auxiliary sledges described above 
the foremost sledge will be enabled to be absent from the ship 
for four months, and probably travel 500 miles from the ship. 
Meanwhile the Discovery will send out hunting and exploring 
parties. If nonews is received of the Alert in 1876, the 
Discovery will attempt to communicate by means of sledges 
drawn by dogs; and if during the early part of 1877 the 
Discovery is still unable to obtain news of the Alert, the 
former will returnto England, and it will be concluded that 
the Alert, having passed to the north-east of Greenland, will 
return down the east side of Greenland. Letters and dis- 
patches will be left at Upernavik, 72° N. lat., for the last 
time before the vessels penetrate the unknown regions, and 
these letters we may expect to receive in England before 
Christmas. Then we shall probably hear no more of the 
expedition till the Autumn of 1876. Commander Markham, 
in a letter to Sir Henry Rawlinson, brought home in the 
Valorous, and read at the recent meeting of the British 
Association at Bristol, says :—“‘ I think everything promises 
most favourably, and if we have only a reasonable amount 
of luck, I am confident we shall achieve success. We 
have asplendid lot of fellows, both officers and men in both 
ships, all eager for the fray and anxious to be at it. If we 
succeed in getting our ships to 83° or 84°, we shall be at 
the Pole in ten months’ time.” 
No time could be more fitting than the present for an 
English Arctic expedition. We have enjoyed a profound 
peace for a number of years; the wealth of the country 
has prodigiously increased; taxes are low; the Exchequer 
is in a satisfactory condition ; our most experienced seamen 
are at liberty to take part in the undertaking; and there 
is a lull in political affairs. The whole nation watches 
with one heart the progress of the work. In this too- 
practical age it does the world good to see Governments 
and men animated by the one desire of the discovery of 
new truths at any sacrifice. Whatever may be the result 
of the expedition, it must redound to the honour of this 
country and of the enlightened Government under whose 
auspices it was instituted. 
