Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 June 1876 — Another Arctic Expedition. [ARTICLE]

Another Arctic Expedition.

An expedition la now being fitted out in which several famous investigators oi the polar seas participate, which is likely to open up a new branch of commerce between that section of the world and the more civilized quarter*. It appears that during the search ot the Tigress tor the ill-fated Polaris, over a year ago, rich veins of graphite were discovered In Cumberland Inlet. On the return to St. Johns, Lieut. W. 21. Mintzer, United States Naval Engineer, chartered a small steamer and went back and continued his mineral survey. He found large beds of graphite ana mica, bat owing to the lateness of the season was unable to bring any away. The topsail schooner Era has been recently fitting at New London, and will sail next Monday under Minlzer’s command, and under Government auspices, to get a cargo of these minerals and make further collections of Arctic flora and fauna for the Smithsonian Institute. Capt. James Buddington, of Groton, Conn., who brought the English ship Resolute into New London in the winter of 1855, and was the ice pilot of the Tigress when she sought the Polaris, is the Era’s sailing master. Esquimaux Joe, who was with Capt.JHall on several expeditions, and with Tyson’B party on an ice-floe for 190 days, and whom the English papers incorrectly represent ns having sailed last week on the Pandora from England to the north pole, accompanies this expedition, as do other Arctic voyagers of long experience. The Era is a vessel of 160 tons burden, built for the coasting trade, but has made whaling voyages to the polar regions under Capt. George Tyson, of Polaris fame. She is well provided with mining tools and laborers for quarrying, and as deposits are situated some distance up the mountain side they will take 3,000 feet of tramway in order to more easily load the vessel, and a quantity of lumber to erect tool-houses and buildings for the purpose of observation. Mineral is found in almost inaccessible places, and the deposits, though almost pure, are under rock as hard as flint. Provision, therefore, is made for blasting on an extensive scale.— Norwich, Conn., (May 30), Dispatch to N. Y. Times.