Arctic Exploration.

Auckland Star, Volume XIII, Issue 3594, 15 February 1882, Page 2

Arctic Exploration.

The historian of a thousand years hence, in summing up the leading features of the nineteenth century, will probably (most assuredly, if he is at all cynical) characterise as the most notable scientific craze of the century the rago for Arctic Exploration. Even the sober utilitarian of the present day may be pardoned for regarding as a veritable wild-goose cbase the search for a "North-West-Pasaage," or "Anopen Sea in the region of the Pole," and setting down these ideas to be as vain and unprofitable as the alchemist's dream of the Philosopher's Stone, If people could only divest this subject of the halo of mystery whioh lends a fleeting glory to it, and forget the melancholy interest which centres in it and invests it with an air of romance, they would assuredly long ere this havo asked : Of what practical value would this pasaage, or sea, or both of them, prove to* tho world ? And would they, if round, ever repay the immense expenditure in men and money which has already been wasted in fruitless endeavours to find them ? And to such questionings the practical man might fairly reply that no answer is required, for year after year is only demonstrating more fully that no such passage and no such' open sea exists, or can by any possibility exist. The tenacity with which men cling to fallacious ideas, and their unwillingness to give up long-cherished delusions, are well exemplified by the history of Arctic discovery. Long beforo tho ill-fated Franklin Expedition left the shores of England in 1845, keen interest had. been aroused in these dismal Polar countries, and great commercial advantages were promised from the discovery of tbe North-West Passage which was confidently believed to exist. On that voyage and the many successive voyages undertaken to elucidate the mystery of its disastrous ending, a sum of over £1,000,000 sterling was expended, and tbe lives of many brave men sacrificed. The repeated failure of these attempts did not, however, - damp the ardour of discoverers, zealous in the cause of Science or of Commerce; and year by year, crew after crew of gallant men have continued to invade the inhospitable Polar regions, only to return, if they returned at all, baffled and disheartened. The practical Iruita of these expeditions have hitherto been nil ; but the old glamour still asserts its sway over the minds of men, and refuses to be dispelled. Nor is it likely tbat the disastrous ending of the cruise ot the exploring steamer " Jeannette" will effectually remove the enchantment which lures men on to engage j in this fatal quest. From America and the different nations of Europe there come, on the contrary, tidings of fresh adventures being undertaken, For somo years, Commander Cheyne, of England, who is an experienced Arctic voyager, has been collecting funds to organise an expedition, in which he proposes to employ I balloons as a means of reaching the Pole. Tho renowned Nordenskjold speaks of setting forth shortly on another voyage of discovery ; and the German Government, by la'ost accounts, is determined to participate in the barren glories of Arctic exploration. In all this, viewed unsentimentally, we see only something to be deeply and sincerely * deplored. We do not deny tbat in the ranks of "those who have failed" are to be found some of

the greatest heroes whom the world has •ever seen; and to those who have perished iv a noble though fiuitless fight, aa well as to those who have achieved success, we accord all honour and praise; But it is the fcupremest folly, to refuse to be w.rned by failure, and to go ou battling for an idea which experience proves to be fallacious. Geographical science can unite well afford to dispense.with exact in' formation as to the North Pole, tho development of steam locomotion, and tho opening up of short inter-continental routes of travfil,__move the necessity for seeking a shorter passage through these frozen seas, and there isnopressingcallfordeVelopingthe commerce in oil and furs which alone these desolate regions can be expected to yield. Such a forlorn hope as these Arctic expeditions constitute might well be left as a dernier rissoi . for the employment of our energies, enterprise, nnd capital. While vast fertile tracts of America, Africa, Australia, and the many islands of the Pacific remain unexplored and uncolonised it cannot ,bo said that there is no field for the display of exploring energy and commercial enterprise in a way calculated to benefit the whole human family. There are, besides, in the regions we have named whole realms of scieoce lying ready to yield their stores of instruction and profit to the faithful seeker after knowledge, It would add to the sum of human happiness if tho money and energy expended on Arctic exploration were directed into these channels, and for this reason we cannot but deplore the misdirection of these powers which still continue.. By all means.let men subdue the earth, and make tho wilderness blossom its the rose '; but there is no need for them tackling the toughest part of the job until they have proved their powers by a'ceomplishing the easier work.