ARCTIC EXPEDITION.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 332, 16 July 1875, Page 3

ARCTIC EXPEDITION.

Captain Nares, commander of the Arctic Expedition, delivered a-- lecture in the Winchester Guildhall upon Arctic discovery. Captain Nares said that when once the Arctic expedition had started on its voyage into regions from which no information whatever, could be obtained' there would and there must be an everincreasing anxiety as to its position and prospects. He spoke of the discoveries first made by Sir Edward Parry, and the perfection to which Arctic travelling had been brought by Sir Leopold M'Clintock, and observed that the danger of the present expedition to leave at the end of May, became mere child's plav when compared with what previous explorers had undergone. The expedition would leave at the end of May, because no other starting, earlier had passed though Melville Bay. Upernivik the current collects the ice in Melville Bay, giving much trouble to whalers every season, If he should get the wind he would be through very quickly, but they would probably wait until the ice was melted as much as possible, and would not make the attempt to pass through until nearly at the end of August, which was the only navigable month during the year in the Arctic regions. Once through they would be well into the ice. When once through Melville Bay they would be pretty certain to attain the point reached by the Americans, it they experienced equally fine weather; but this effort would entirely depend upon the season. Should they be fortunate enough to reach 85 degrees, like the Americans, as easily as Hall did, to which position they knew the land extended, there was every prospect that they would be able to get 500 miles further, and be still cut off from the cold. If they theii found the land they would only be able to travel round' the shores; but if they found water he should, try and get one of the ships up there. The work was very severe and nothing but a sense of duty would carry them through it. Every man knew it must be and not one would think of giving in. One great trouble to be feared was the southerly current, and, if they could not get into a good harbour before September, it was very possible that they would drift igtiominiously and helplessly homeward with the current.