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The National Geographic Magazine 



earth, and the heavens above the earth." 

 Briefly, he recapitulated some of the 

 triumphs achieved by members of the 

 Society, explorations in the South Pacific, 

 in darkest Africa, and the farthest north. 

 He recalled that in the year 1882 the far- 

 thermost point in the arctic regions was 

 reached by an officer and founder of the 

 National Geographic Society — General 

 A. W. Greely, who held the much-cov- 

 eted prize for fourteen years, when it was 

 wrested from him by that hardy Norse- 

 man, Nansen. He in turn was eclipsed 

 by the Duke of Abruzzi, and it had re- 

 mained for Commander Peary, of Amer- 

 ica, to rob Italy of her well-won honors. 

 As the representative of the Duke of 

 Abruzzi's country was present, he would 

 ask him to respond to the toast : "Con- 

 gratulations from Italy on America's far- 

 thest north." 



BY THE ITALIAN AMBASSADOR, BARON 

 MAYOR DE PLANCHES 



Mr President, Ladies and Gentlemen: 



I beg to express, before all, my best 

 thanks to the National Geographic So- 

 ciety for the kind invitation I received 

 from it to attend this solemn assembly. 



Solemn, not only in the etymological 

 acceptance of the word — sole in anno — 

 but in its largest extent, because you are 

 here gathered not only for your annual 

 banquet, but to celebrate a great deed and 

 a great man. 



An Italian, a son of our ancient and 

 illustrious royal family, a prince who is 

 at the same time a true seaman, held for 

 several years the record of the farthest 

 latitude in the arctic regions. This record 

 is now yours, Commander Peary. With 

 what energy, with what almost super- 

 human endurance, you obtained it, is 

 world-wide known, and I am sure that 

 the Duke of Abruzzi, so high-minded as 

 he is, applauds the triumph of his glori- 

 ous emulator. Nobody was more worthy 

 of success than you. Commander Peary — 

 you, an American, you a veteran, a young 

 veteran, indeed, of the war against the 

 mysterious powers that jealously defend 

 the approach of the Pole. 



In the fields of science, there is no 

 place for low feelings ; in the competi- 

 tion for the conquest of the globe, there 

 is no sentiment of envy. All work for 

 humanity. I am therefore happy to trib- 

 ute, on behalf of the Italians, to you, 

 Commander Peary, to your courageous 

 and faithful followers, to your intrepid 

 companion, Mrs Diebitsch Peary, the 

 most sincere expression of our deep, 

 warm, and heartfelt admiration. 



COMMANDER PEARy'S ACKNOWLEDGMENT 

 TO THE ITALIAN AMBASSADOR 



Mr Ambassador, I deeply value your 

 kindly words. Coming from the illus- 

 trious representative of the country which 

 claims Abruzzi and Cagni, they are 

 doubly prized. The fact that such names 

 as Abruzzi, Cagni, Nansen, Greely, and 

 Parr)'- are indelibly inscribed upon the 

 white disk close to the Pole, shows con- 

 clusively, if anything were needed to 

 show it, that these efforts to solve the 

 northern mystery represent the biggest, 

 cleanest, most manly example of friendly 

 international rivalry that exists. 



It is a magnificent galaxy of flags that 

 has been planted around the Pole, and 

 when eventually some one of them shall 

 reach the Pole itself, it will add to its 

 own luster without in any way detract- 

 ing from the luster of the others or leav- 

 ing any sense of injury or humiliation in 

 its wake. 



The fact that 3'ears of experience have 

 enabled me to plant the Stars and Stripes 

 nearer the Pole than the colors of Italy 

 in no way lessens D'Abruzzi's honors or 

 his magnificent feat. It causes no sur- 

 prise on our part when Norsemen, 

 Britons, and Yankees seek the rigors of 

 the north : but when a son of the south, 

 of sunny Italy, strikes swiftest and deep- 

 est into the mystery of the frozen north, 

 we recognize that it is the hand, heart, 

 and head that do things in this world, re- 

 gardless of race, or climate, or other con- 

 ditions. 



Abruzzi has always had my warmest 

 admiration, not only for his own per- 

 sonal attributes and the fact that what 



