NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN ARCTIC GEOGRAPHY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 4026, 13 January 1875, Page 6 (Supplement)

NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN ARCTIC GEOGRAPHY.

{From the Ar <?w York Herald, Sept. 24.) The Austro-Hungarian expedition of P|iyot and Weyprecht, concerning which information was recoived some days ago by cable, seems, after fuller reports, to haveaccompiished an important discovery. Beiug locked in the ice they drifted northward, and, when about two hundred miles from Nova Zembla, discovered land, which was mountainous and lofty. Coining 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 live minutes, and sighted a cape in about latitude eighty three degrees which they called Cape Vienna, To the knd itself they gave the n-Jine Francis 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 t^ey had draggod un---til open water was reached, aWeiigth reached Is ova Zembla, and, while coasting southward, were picked up by a fishing vessel, from which they, were lauded at Vardoo, in Norway. Long since given up for lost, they were everywhere received with joy not unlike that with which Dr Katie'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 vessef in Smith. Sound.

This discovery of land gives a, new phase to Arctic exploration." The American Arctic explorer, Dr Hayes, predicted land hero some years ago, and has' never been in faveurof fho route between PpitaIwrgon and C*ova Zembla. in this h-j has ; been .snppqrted by Cliiof Justice Da.!y, President of the American Geographical Society. These gentlemen have constantly advocated Smith Bound 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 1800- 01, 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 Pole. These views were in some measure strengthened by the success of Canfcain Hall, who, without any difficulty more than would be experienced in sailing through the East Kivcr, steamed to lati" tude 82deif. IGmin.— nearer the Pole than any oilier vessel has over gone. Dr Hayes thinks Capt. 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 hia highest point of land, in latitude S2de<r, 45n;i:)., Cape Union. Captain Hall sighted land some distance beyond this, and beyond 83deg., so that Americans have still reached nearer, and American eyes have still seen land nearer the North Pole than this last of the Arctic expeditions of the Aus-' trians. The question is practically now narrowed down to a choice between Smith Sound and Ijehring Strait, above which a large body of land has also been discovered. Tiie 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 1 Let ua 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 lias prevented him for years past from making, a third trial. Borne nation will ere long plant its flag at the North Pole, and why not the Stars and Stripes 1 To be 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 put since there was a knight without fear and without reproach, and Sidney passed the cup of water to the other woiiuded soldier,