40 G. Amdbup. 



Adolf Jensen and Magister Morten Porsild and the linguist and 

 ethnographer Magister W. Thalbitzeh^ 



To rouse interest in the matter outside the circles specially con- 

 cerned with arctic exploration a meeting was held in the Copenhagen 

 Concert Hall ouOctober 17th 1900 on the initiative of Mylius-Erichsen, 

 the promoters of the meeting being Vice-Admiral ^^'ANDEL, Captains 

 G. Holm and A. P. Hovgaard as also Professor E. Warming and 

 Dr. K. J. V. Steenstrup. 



Invitations to the meeting were accepted by His late Majesty 

 King Frederik VIII (who was Crown Prince at that time), His Royal 

 Highness Prince Valdemar, members of the Government and the 

 Parliament, representatives of the University, Scientific Society, Council 

 and Directors of the Geographical Society, Polytechnic Institute, 

 Naval Officers Society, the press and many more. 



At the meeting Captain Hovgaard outlined the Danish explora- 

 tion of Greenland, after which Mylius-Erichsen discussed the plan 

 for the projected expedition. With the warmth and enthusiasm natural 

 to him, behind which one felt the energy that never gives way, he 

 reached the hearts of many of his listeners and the meeting has cer- 

 tainly been of great importance in advancing the cause of the Ex- 

 pedition, especially the collection of the necessary funds. 



The Expedition was estimated to cost a sum of 260, ()<)() Kroner. 

 Mr. J. С Christensen, the President of Council at that time, promised 

 My'lius-Erichsen to lay a proposal before the Parliament for a vote of 

 130,000 Kroner towards the Expetlition, if the other 130,000 Kroner 

 could be obtained from private sources. From the very beginning 

 Mr. J. С Christensen had recognised, that the task on hand should 

 be undertaken by Denmark and during the whole course of the Ex- 

 pedition he showed a never-failing interest in its affairs, an interest 

 shared in by the Director of the Admiralty at that time. Captain 0. 

 Kofoed-Hansen, and also by his successor Captain T. V. Garde. 

 It was under this Department that the Expedition came to be arranged. 



The first, private person, who gave a contribution to the Ex- 

 pedition was the director of the East-Asiatic Company, Etatsraad 

 H. N. Andersen, and this for the large sum of 10,000 Kroner. But, 

 in addition, he supported My'lius-Erichsen in many other ways and 

 it may be said, that his jiarticipation meant a great deal for the starting 

 of the Expedition. 



Further, the Direction of the Carlsberg Fund again showed their 

 great interest in arctic exploration by voting another 10,000 Kroner, 

 a sum later increased to 20,000 Kroner. But on the Carlsberg Fund 

 the Expedition has also had an excellent advocate in Professor E. 



^ L. Mylius-Erichsen: "Plan til en dansk Skibs- og Slædeexpfdition til 

 Grønlands Nordøstkyst". Geografisk Tidsskrift, Bd. 18. 1905—06, p. Iii5. 



