' ‘THURSDAY, DECEMBER 109, 1872 
ARCTIC EXPLORATION 
_ | T is now upwards of twenty-five years since the British 
+ Government sent out any expedition to those little 
__ known northern regions, the exploration of which has won 
a so much glory to the British navy, formed such a splendid 
and peaceful sphere for the training of our sailors, and 
_ been so fruitful in the highest results to Science. Since 
that time, and especially during the last few years, every 
important civilised power in the world, except Britain, 
as beea doing what it could to advance the interests of 
cience, which are coincident with the highest interests of 
humanity, by sending out expedition after expedition to 
force from the Arctic Regions the wonderful secrets which 
they have so long held in their icy grip. What has been 
done by other nations has been sufficiently detailed from 
time to time in these pages, and the knowledge thus 
“gained cannot but be of the greatest service to any deli- 
_ berately organised expedition which this country may send 
About seven years ago the Geographical Society tried 
to move the Government to take action in the matter, 
andto fit outan Arctic expedition ; but Government excused 
‘itself then on account of the want of agreement among 
ographers as to the most favourable route to be followed. 
Since then there has been much discussion on this point, 
and the results of recent expeditions have led to almost 
entire unanimity among those best able to judge as to the 
Toute which is most likely to be in every way attended 
with succesful results. Therefore the distinguished de- 
putatioa which on Monday waited upon the Chancellor of 
‘Exchequer and Mr. Goschen was not one got up in 
hot haste as the result of some temporary excitement, but 
was the culmination of long discussion and deliberation 
founde 1 oa many years’ accumulation of pertinent and 
aluable facts. The deputation was the bearer not merely 
the desires and convictions of the distinguished scientific 
Societie- whom it represented. Arctic exploration has inthis 
country ever been popular with all classes, and to judge 
from the earnest and enthusiastic tone in which most of 
putation, the public mind is as strongly set as ever on 
seeing that work completed which for so long has 
ngaged theenergies of some of the greatest names on the 
roll of the British navy. 
_ That the Government will forthwith respond favour- 
ably to the universal desire, when this has been so 
clearly, fully, ably, and unanimously brought before it by 
‘Our most distinguished learned societies, we think there 
cannot be any doubt. What Government will do when 
tal: men of science come before it with a well- 
fined and important object has been shown in the ex- 
peditioa, so liberally fitted out, which has just left our 
Shores 01 board H.M.S. Chadlenger. Indeed, we believe 
that Government would long ago have done something 
towards Arctic exploration had the matter been brought 
before it as powerfully and definitely as it was on Mon- 
Diy 
As was well urged by the deputation, without such 
an Arctic expedition as is wanted, the work which it 
is sought to accomplish by the Challenger must remain 
incomplete ; the work set before that ship is of magnitude 
sufficient to engage it during all the timeit will be abroad ; 
and if Government is really in earnest in advancing the 
interests of science by marine exploration, it cannot choose 
but fit out an Arctic expedition as the indispensable 
complement to that which is about to explore the middle 
and southern latitudes of the globe. Theanswer that was 
given by the Chancellor was all that was asked, and all 
that we could expect ; and it seems to us that if he and 
his colleagues do what he has promised—“ carefully con- 
sider the matter, ard read over the papers” laid before 
them—they can only form one opinion. We only hope 
that all sections of the Press—as the mouthpiece of all 
the various classes of the people—will say very unmis- 
takeably what is the conclusion that all intelligent subjects 
of Her Majesty desire their purse-keeper, Mr. Lowe, and 
his colleagues to come to. If this and all other legitimate 
influences are used, and if Government treats the subject 
justly, and without prejudice, we have no doubt that by 
next May the resumption of Arctic exploration by this 
country will be a thing accomplished. 
The deputation, headed by Sir Henry Rawlinson, re- 
presented the Royal Society, the Royal Geographical 
Society, the Geological Society, the Linnean Society, the 
Anthropological Institute, the Scottish Meteorological 
Society, and the Meteorological Office in London. Each 
of these bodies, in response to a letter from the Geo- 
graphical Society, sent in papers showing the important 
objects to be gained from its own point of view, by a 
well-organised Arctic expedition. These papers, with 
the statements of the Geographical Society, maps, &e., 
were laid before the Government by Sir H. Rawlinson, 
and itis after the consideration of these that Mr. Lowe 
has promised to give his opinion. It is only needful 
here to state very briefly the points brought before Mr. 
Lowe and Mr. Goschen by the deputation. E 
Arctic authorities are now almost unanimous that the 
best route for an expedition to follow is up the west 
coast of Greenland to Baffin’s Bay and Smith’s Sound, 
one reason being that in this direction facilities are offered, 
in case of disaster, for retreat to the Danish settlements ; 
besides, in this direction the most varied and most valu- 
able scientific results may be obtained, and all seem 
agreed that this is the route along which the extreme 
north is most likely to be reached. The deputation 
thought that nothing better could be got in which to 
convey the expedition, than two strongly-built and tho- 
roughly-strengthened Dundee screw-whalers of from 200 
to 300 tons each, and each having a Government crew of 
60 men and officers. These should start next May, and 
should be equipped and provisioned to carry on their 
work for three summers and two winters. One of these 
vessels it is proposed to station at some distance within 
the entrance of Smith’s Sound, while the other would 
advance as far as possible to the northward, preserving 
communication with the dépdt vessel. From the point 
reached by the other, sledge parties would start in the 
early spring and explore the unknown region in various 
directions. By this means a wide extent of coast-line 
H 
