THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12591, 6 September 1906, Page 7

THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE.

NORWEGIAN EXPLORER'S ACHIEVEMENT.

United Press Association— By Electrio Telegraph—Copyright. CHRISTIANA, September 4. There is enthusiasm in Scandinavia at the news of tho unprecedented feat accomplished by Captain Amunsden's expedition aboard tho Gjoa, which voyaged in a westerly direction and navigated tho North-West passage. The vessel has arrived at Cape Nome, Alaska. [Captain Amunsden left Norway in the summer of 1903 in the sealing doop Gjoa of only 47 tons, and with a crew of only seven men, in, search of the north magnetic pole. He believed that with a small vessel he could get through the lanes of ice better than with a largo vessel, and that tho fewer n.en he had to feed the better. The vessel had seen severo service in the Arctic ice, and sho was strengthened, after consultation with Nansen, and fitted with a petroleum engine to give her a speed of four miles an hour. His route was from Gcdhaven, Disco Island, west coast of Greenland to Wa-ttenholm Sound, 630 gcrvgraplicinl miles; thence across the head of Baffin's Bay to Capo Horsburgh, 190 g.m.; through Lancaster Sound to Beeohey Bay and Erebus Island. 270 g.m.; thence, southward through PeeT Sound and Franklin Strait to Rcss's magnetic pole, 340 g.m.; continuo south through Ross Strait, 160 g.m., to the narrow strait south of King William Land, thence through the strait separating Victoria Land and Woollaston Land from the main land to Cape Batliurst, 760 g.m.: to Herschel Island in the Arctic. 2:0 g.m.; to Point Barrow, Alaska. 390 g.m., and to Behring Strait, 480 g.m., a total of about 3400 geographical miles. News was received last year that ho had reached Franklin Island, and found' Franklin's monument intact. When he reached the Rosa station be was to establish an observatory there, and go southward to winter quarters south of King William Land, and in the early spring to return overland to the observatory. In the summer he was to return to hia vessel, and endeavour to navigate her westward by the Northwest Passage.]