POLAR EXPLORATION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 211, 30 May 1908, Page 10

POLAR EXPLORATION.

CONTINENTAL SIIELF DISCOVERED.' * Captain Einar Milkclsen, the well-known young Danish explorer, who jointly commanded the Anglo-American Polar expedition to Beaufort Soa, arrived from Alaska on April 2. His vossol, the Duchess of 1 Bedford, was. lost in-the ice-nack off Flaxman Island. .Mr. Ernest de'Kovcn Leflingwell, tho expedition's geologist, lias remained at Flaxman's Island to carry on scientific work. Captain- Mikkelsen started from Flaxman Island on October 10, and travelled along the northern shore of Alaska in the direction of Nome, proceeding thence along, the Yukon Iliver towards Fort Gibson, coming out by way of Fairbanks and Vnldcz. The oxpedition traced the continental shelf in Boanfort Sea,' and ascertained that if land exists beyond tho sea, it is an independent continent. Information was obtained concorning ocean currents that will bo invaluable when Captain Mikkelsen maltos another i attempt to reach the unknown continent. It was a sleigh expedition that found tho coni tincntal shelf, boyond which there is a water of great depth, demonstrating that Beaufort Sea is not a shallow basin as had been sup- :■ posed. Tho journey north was made along tho 149 th meridian, and soundings were taken occasionally.- At a distance.of 64 miles ; from tho. land it was impossible, to, touch i bottom with a 320 fathom lino. Tlno indicated that tho shelf had been nassad.. - Sf