The Value of Arctic Exploration 



435 



lished. One thing is to be clearly un- 

 derstood, the government is not financ- 

 ing the work. The funds must come 

 from private sources. 



It may be said without egotism that a 

 practical experience equaled by that of 

 no other worker in Arctic regions ; an 

 interest in the work at least equal to 

 that of any other man ; the utmost 

 assistance of the Eskimos, never before 

 available ; the time and the opportunity, 

 thanks to Assistant Secretary Darling 

 and the President — all these are assured; 

 the only thing lacking is the money. 



I assume that if it were demonstrated 

 that the erection of a monument costing 

 $150,000 would redound to the great 

 credit of its builder or builders and of 

 the city wherein it stood, not only now, 

 but for generations to come, it would 

 not be a very difficult proposition to 

 secure that amount from some public- 

 spirited citizen or citizens in many a 

 prosperous city in this country. 



The Pole is a grander monument than 

 any structure of stone or bronze, and a 

 name inscribed upon it would be read 

 and known by future generations when 

 granite and bronze had crumbled to dust 

 and rust. 



There is no way by which a man of 

 large means may win for himself in these 

 days a more enviable and lasting name 

 than by assuming the role of patron of 

 some large effort to increase our knowl- 

 edge of the earth. 



The principal thing we remember of 

 Ferdinand of Spain is that he sent Co- 

 lumbus to his life work. 



All that most of us remember of Grin- 

 nell, of New York, is that he sent Kane 

 to his work. 



To the millionaire, whether he be 

 young and just starting in life, or 

 elderly and retired from business, it 

 offers a broad and elevated field. 



In the words of old Martin Frobisher, 

 it is " the one thing left of this world 

 by which a notable mind may become 

 famous and fortunate." 



CONQUEST OF THE POLE SIMPLY A 

 BUSINESS PROPOSITION 



The conquest of the Pole is today a 

 business proposition, pure and simple ; 

 and, like any business proposition, it 

 can be presented in three sentences of 

 four words each. Can it be done? 

 What will it cost ? Is it worth while ? 



Can it be done? There is not a geog- 

 rapher, a scientist, or an intelligent per- 

 son conversant with Arctic matters who 

 doubts that the Pole can be reached, and 

 that it zi'ill be reached in a few years. 



The requirements are simply those 

 for any large project ; sufficient money ; 

 proper equipment ; adequate time ; en- 

 ergy, experience, and determination. 



What will it cost f The cost of various 

 Arctic expeditions has ranged from a 

 few thousand to a million dollars each. 



On my plan, and with my methods, 

 an expedition which would in all prob- 

 ability secure the Pole, can be fitted out 

 for two years at a cost of $1 50,000. The 

 only expensive item in that outfit will 

 be a powerful ship which shall push me 

 to the northern shore of Grant Land. 



There are hundreds of men in this 

 country today who could defray the 

 expenses of an expedition and never 

 feel it ; thousands who could defray a 

 tenth, hundreds of thousands who could 

 defray a hundredth. 



We have spent and are spending hun- 

 dreds of thousands of dollars for an idea 

 or a principle. 



Take a single example, the interna- 

 tional yacht races. A reliable New 

 York paper stated recently that the 

 cost of the last yacht race to the Amer- 

 ican side alone was in the neighborhood 

 of $900,000, and that it has cost us to 

 defend the cup in the last five years 

 some $2,200,000. 



For less than one-fourth of the former 

 sum, less than one-tenth of the latter, 

 we can secure the Pole. 



And how do the races compare ? 



The races for the America's cup have 

 been in progress for tens of years, be- 



