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The National Geographic Magazine 



COMMANDER PEARY'S SHIP, THE ROOSEVEET 



The first American ship built specially for Arctic exploration. She is now northward bound 

 for the winter quarters of Peary's expedition on the north side of Grant Land 



explorations of the Polar regions, as set 

 forth in -Lieut. R. E. Peary's letter to the 

 American Geographical Society, dated 

 January 14, 1897, and to assist him in 

 the completion of the geography of the 

 same; to receive and collect such objects 

 of scientific interest or otherwise as may 

 be obtainable through Lieutenant Peary's 

 present expedition, or other expeditions 

 of. like nature ; to receive, collect, and 

 keep on file narratives and manuscripts 

 relative to Arctic explorations ; to pre- 

 serve such records and keep such ac- 

 counts as may be necessary for the pur- 

 poses of the association ; and, further, to 

 command in its work the resources of 

 mutual acquaintance and social inter- 

 course." 



Contributors to the Peary Expedition 

 of 1898 were constituted founders of the 

 Club, and the approval of a majority of 

 them was prescribed as a condition of 

 future membership. Alfred C. Harms- 



worth, Esq., now Lord Northcliffe, was 

 elected, in recognition of his gift of the 

 Windward, an honorary member, the 

 only one the Club has ever had, "and 

 after formalities had been completed the 

 work of the approaching season was 

 thoroughly canvassed. Clear and unani- 

 mous agreement was developed from the 

 beginning that an auxiliary steamer 

 should be sent north during the summer 

 to communicate with Commander Peary, 

 to take sufficient stores and material to 

 meet any emergency which should arise, 

 and to demonstrate that the support of 

 the Club was practical and efficient. 



Preparations were actively prosecuted, 

 and on July 21, 1899, the Diana, in charge 

 of H. L. Bridgman, Secretary of the Club, 

 and Capt. Samuel W. Bartlett, as master, 

 steamed out of Sydney, Nova Scotia, for 

 the North, having on board nearly fifty 

 tons of supplies and equipment, filling 

 requisitions of Commander Peary. It 



