TO THE POLE VIA BEHRING STRAITS.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Issue 42, 20 July 1878, Page 2

TO THE POLE VIA BEHRING STRAITS.

The proposed Herald expedition to the North Pole has awakened a discussion as to the likelihood of success being achioved by the Behring Straits route. This route is wi'id to have the signal advantage of never having been thoroughly tried. A Now York journal, in an excellent review of the subject, believes that this is the greatest point in its favour. That reasoning from experience, we may almost say we know that the Pole cannot be attained via Smith Sound, because the many advances made on that line have all failed although conduoted with ample resources, tho most complete knowledge of conditions, and boundless courage. No thoroughfare seems to be written up in that quarter. The gallant commander of the English column which last assailed tho mystery from that direction showed clearly why the route was impassible (one does not like to write impossible). The brave Austro-Hungarians camo to the same conclusion about tho Spitsbergen approach, whrch is the favourite European alternative of the older and more trodden one. The ill-fortune of all these experiments—which have not been wholly futile, because thoy have pointed out paths to be avoided, and have contributed much precious lore to our scanty knowledge of the geography, ocean currents and meteorology of high latitudes—teaches us to search for some opening not strewn with the debris of abandoned expeditions, and not chilling enthusiasm and taking the hoart out of hope by its almost innumerable precedents of disaster. Such is tho Behring Straits route. It continues by saying that if Arctio voyagca must continuo to be made, we fool a oertain satisfaction in tbo selection of this route, because we ha\o carefully inspected its claims, and for years have advised that it bo triod. Captains Bent and Maury, and other high authorities in the Federal Navy and inorohant marine, have furnished largo masses of evidence iu its behalf which wo lone ago laid before our roadors. Its. one determining feature is the known existence of a great warm current, tho Kuso Siwo, which swoops from the Coast of Japan through the Btraits and far beyond. The ominont hydrographcra we have quoted boliove that this current—as important to the

Pacific n.s dm (iuii Stream to -the Atlan- ; tic—makes its way into the Arctic Ocean and to the Polo itself. They urge, with much force' that if a vessel strong enough to resist the pressor? of the ice, and carrying sufficient provisions for everv emergency, should be allowed to drift with this current, she would surely, at last, bo carried to or near the Pole. The desideratum is to keep in the current. Captain Bent recommends for this purpose a reliance on thermometrical soundings. These would tell, when all other means failed, whether the vessel was in the Kuso Siwo or not. On this theory a stoomer such as the Jernnette would bn far preferable to a sailing vessel. It could more easily be kept within the , stream. It also has many other advantages over crafts dependent on winds and currents alone. In fact, steam may now be said to be indispensable to the solution of the Arctic problem. If the Joannettu does not reach the Pole, she will yet find a rich harvest field of adventure and science short of that ultima thule. No Stanleys, Agassizs or Carpenters have ever penetrated the region whoso icebound waters her heel will part.—Alta California.