50 
A VOYAGE TO SPITZBERGEN. 
official and national, which impede the pursuit of 
Arctic researches by Britons. Whilst we maintain 
that the Spitsbergen route is by far the easiest, we 
are by no means blind to the fact that there are several 
routes to the Pole, and something may be said in favour 
of each, and there is no reason why exploration should 
not be conducted along all. Next to investigating the 
lands which have already been discovered, the most 
important thing to be done is to acquire a general 
knowledge of the Polar region itself: This can best 
be accomplished by simply attempting to reach the 
Pole by the easiest route, leaving the more leisurely 
and time-absorbing scientific explorations to future 
expeditions. There are three ways into the Arctic 
Ocean, viz., through Behring Strait, through Baffin 
Bay, and through the Spitzbergen Gap. The objec¬ 
tions to Behring Straits are that the distance from 
England is so great, that the expense and time 
required would be greater by that route than the 
others ; that the ice presents greater difficulties there; 
and that ships which have gone by this route have not 
been able to advance so far north as by the others. 
Similar objections may be made to the Baffin Bay and 
Smith Sound route as compared with that by Spitz¬ 
bergen. It would involve a greater expenditure of 
time and money. The ships would have more diffi- 
