NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN ARCTIC GEOGRAPHY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4299, 31 December 1874, Page 3

NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN ARCTIC GEOGRAPHY.

(From the New York Herald, Sept. 24.) The Austro-Hungarian expedition of Payot and Weyprecht, concerning which information was received some days ago by cable, seems, after [fuller reports, to have accomplished an important discovery. Being locked in the ice they drifted northward, and, when about two hundred miles from Nova Zembla, discovered land, which was mountainous and lofty. Coming within three miles of it they landed over the ice, but found very little life, either animal or vegetable. They traversed this land to latitude eighty-two degrees five minutes, and sighted a cape in about latitude eighty-three degrees, which they called Capo Vienna. To the land itself they gave the name Prancis Joseph, their Emperor. They saw no limit to the land in an easterly or westerly direction. Their ship, being still icebound after two winters, was abandoned, and the party, escaping over the ice first, then in boats which they had draged until open water was reached, at length reached Nova Zembla, and, while coasting southward, were picked up by a fishing vessel, from which they were landed at Vardoe, in Norway. Long sinco given up for lost, they were everywhere received with joy not unlike that with which Dr. Kane’s party, whose fortunes were very similar, were received in 1855, after their long ice and boat travel of a thousand miles of over eighty days, after abandoning their vessel in Smith Sound. This discovery of land gives a new phase to Arctic exploration. The American Arctic explorer, Dr. Hayes, predicted land here some years ago, and has never been in favor of the route between Spitsbergen and Nova Zembla. In this he has been supported by Chief Justice Daly, President of the American Geographical Society. These gentlemen have constantly advocated Smith Sound as the most available route, and indeed this route has come to be known as the American route. First explored by Dr. Kane in 1853-54, it was still further developed by Dr. Hayes in 18GO-61, and from that time to this the latter explorer has continually asserted that a stout steamer could, in August of any year, push through to the open . sea, which ho believes in, and then to the Polo. These views were in some measure strengthened by the success of Captain Hall, who, without any difficulty more than would bo experienced in sailing through the East River, steamed to latitude 82dcg. IGmin. —nearer the Polo than any other vessel has ever gone. Dr. Hayes thinks Captain Hall was in the open sea, which

he only reached with dog sledges in the early spring after travelling sixty days over the ice, after the fashion, of the Esquimaux. Hayes called his highest point of land, in latitude 82deg. 45miu., Cape Union. Captain Hall sighted land some distance beyond this, and beyond 83deg., so that Americana have still reached nearer and American eyes have still seen land nearer the North Pole than this last of'the Arctic expeditions of the Austrians. The question is practically now narrowed down to a choice between Smith Sound and Behring Strait, above which a large body- of laud has also been discovered. The English, convinced of the advantages of the former by the American successes, are now making strenuous efforts to induce the Government to fit out an expedition by way of Smith Sound. This is very likely to be done next spring ; but, meanwhile, will not America stir in the interest of geography and national renown '! Let us have an American expedition to Smith Sound, and let either Dr. Hayes or some competent naval officer have charge of it. The former has been there twice, and is the discoverer of Grinnell Land, and it is well known that a lack of funds only has prevented him for years past from making a third trial. Some nation will ere long plant its flag at the North Pole, and why not the Stars and Stripes ? To bo sure, it would not be an achievement of much utility, except in a purely scientific point of view ; but the nation would be justly proud of the achievement, an emotion which is sometimes better than too much glorifying of national wealth and prosperity. It is well to have gallant deeds sometimes done to remind us that manly heroism and personal sacrifice for a principle or cause has not died out since there was a knight without fear and and without reproach, and Sidney passed the cup of water to the other wounded soldier.