ANOTHER DASH FOR THE NORTH POLE.

Motueka Star, Volume II, Issue 65, 28 March 1902, Page 4

ANOTHER DASH FOR THE NORTH POLE.

WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY TO BE USED. Reuter’s representative has had an interview with Captain J. E. Bernier, the Canadian explorer, who is organising an expedition to the North Pole. He estimates the cost of his expedition at £30,000. Of this he has already secured £20,000, including a contribution of £1250 from the Dominion Government and £IOOO from Lord Strath cons Captain Bernier is in London with the object of procuring from English subscribers the balance of £IO,OOO necessary for his scheme. The learned societies of Canada, including the Royal Society of Ottawa, the Quebec Geographical Society, and also the Royal Geographical Society, have all given their sanction to Captain Bernier’s scheme, and the Dominion Minister of Public Wbrks recently in the House of Commons,' stated that “no man was better, able to accomplish the object in view than Captain Bernier. Roughly, Captain Bernier’s plan • is to build a special ship for the expedition of about 300 tons net, and with a staff of six scientists and eight navigating officers to proceed from Vancouver for Behring Strait, touching at Port Clarence, in Alaska,-for Icoal and supplies. From there the expedition will proceed due north to a. position 150 miles north-east of the point where the American vessel Jeannette was caught in’the ice, this track being the one used by various whalers and also by the American surveying expedition of 1881. By this plan Captain Bernier claims that he would only become jammed in the ice at a point some 150 miles nearer to the pole than the Jeannette. Drifting at the same rate as the Jeannette, Captain Bernier says that he would pass within 100 to 150 miles of the pole in two years and a half. From that point part of the expedition would leave the vessel, after having made preliminary investigations of the ice. During these investigations the explorers leaving the ship will be in wireless telegraphic touch with the ship, and will plant at intervals of one mile numbered aluminium tubes, 18ft long, containing condensed provisions, and acting as land marks. This portion of the work will be done by relays of men. Captain Bei uier-himself will not leave the ship until these shafts have been erected to within 50 miles bf the Pole. He will then leave his ship in charge of the second in command, and proceed north until the Pole is reached and soundings aie taken.