Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 November 1899 — CORRECTING THE ARCTIC MAPS [ARTICLE]

CORRECTING THE ARCTIC MAPS

Duke of Abrwzzl Has Found Another Blunder in Franz Josef Land. When Mr. Jackson went to Franz Josef Land, a few years ago, he tore the map that Payer had made of the archipelago quite to pieces, for be found It extremely Inaccurate. The map Jackson made would hardly be recognized as a chart of the same region that Payer had tried to delineate. The old story of explorer after explorer correcting one another’s blunders is again illustrated, if It is true that the Duke of the Abruzzl has now found an important mistake In the map Jackson made. This Italian prince, who is in quest of the north pole by way of Franz Josef Land, reached the islands last summer, and, according to a letter received from his party, he has established the fact that Cape Flora is really ten geographical miles east of the position assigned to it on Jackson’s map. Cape Flora was Jackson’s headquarters for three years, and there is an element of hnmor in the circumstance If, while he was exposing the many shortcomings of Exploser Payer, he was blundering himself and even assigning the wrong position to his own camp. ...

The scientific observations of the Italian explorer should have a high degree of merit, for he has very competent assistants, and bis equipment of instruments, as well as other supplies, Is undoubtedly the best that was ever taken into the Arctic regions. The total expenses of the expedition are expected to reach $500,000, of which the King of Italy has contributed a fourth. Some details of the Duke’s equipment are quite unique. He distributed his baggage among 1,500 boxes, each weighing about fifty-five pounds, and easily portable, if necessary, upon a man’s back. He divided the boxes into four classes: Provisions, clothing and equipment; tools and scientific instruments, and, lastly, articles that are useful, but not indispensable. Each class has its special color, and each box is numbered according to the class and nature of its contents. The provisions, consisting of rice, sea biscuit, preserved meats, etc., have been so divided that each box contains five different kinds of food, in order that the fare may in no case be reduced to one article of food. The Inside of each chest is lined with tin, and soldered to keep out water and dampness. The boxes containing the clothing are of bright green, those holding' the scientific instruments are red, and yellow boxes hold the useful, but not indispensable articles, which include games and musical instruments.