lished. One thing is to be clearly understood, the government is not financing the work. The funds must come from private sources.

It may be said without egotism that a practical experience equaled by that of no other worker in Arctic regions; an interest in the work at least equal to that of any other man; the utmost assistance of the Eskimos, never before available; the time and the opportunity, thanks to Assistant Secretary Darling and the President-all these are assured; the only thing lacking is the money.

I assume that if it were demonstrated that the erection of a monument costing $150,000 would redound to the great credit of its builder or builders and of the city wherein it stood, not only now, but for generations to come, it would not be a very difficult proposition to secure that amount from some publicspirited citizen or citizens in many a prosperous city in this country.

The Pole is a grander monument than any structure of stone or bronze, and a name inscribed upon it would be read and known by future generations when granite and bronze had crumbled to dust and rust.

There is no way by which a man of large means may win for himself in these days a more enviable and lasting name than by assuming the rôle of patron of some large effort to increase our knowledge of the earth.

The principal thing we remember of Ferdinand of Spain is that he sent Columbus to his life work.

All that most of us remember of Grinnell, of New York, is that he sent Kane to his work.

To the millionaire, whether he be young and just starting in life, or elderly and retired from business, it offers a broad and elevated field.

In the words of old Martin Frobisher, it is the one thing left of this world by which a notable mind may become famous and fortunate."

CONQUEST OF THE POLE SIMPLY A BUSINESS PROPOSITION

The conquest of the Pole is today a business proposition, pure and simple; and, like any business proposition, it can be presented in three sentences of four words each. Can it be done? What will it cost? Is it worth while? Can it be done? There is not a geographer, a scientist, or an intelligent person conversant with Arctic matters who doubts that the Pole can be reached, and that it will be reached in a few years.

The requirements are simply those for any large project; sufficient money; proper equipment; adequate time; energy, experience, and determination.

What will it cost? The cost of various Arctic expeditions has ranged from a few thousand to a million dollars each.

On my plan, and with my methods, an expedition which would in all probability secure the Pole, can be fitted out for two years at a cost of $150,000. The only expensive item in that outfit will be a powerful ship which shall push me to the northern shore of Grant Land.

There are hundreds of men in this country today who could defray the expenses of an expedition and never feel it; thousands who could defray a tenth, hundreds of thousands who could defray a hundredth.

We have spent and are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars for an idea or a principle.

Take a single example, the international yacht races. A reliable New York paper stated recently that the cost of the last yacht race to the American side alone was in the neighborhood of $900,000, and that it has cost us to defend the cup in the last five years some $2,200,000.

For less than one-fourth of the former sum, less than one-tenth of the latter, we can secure the Pole.

And how do the races compare?

The races for the America's cup have been in progress for tens of years, be

As a matter of prestige it is worth while.

Abruzzi's expedition, costing two hundred thousand dollars, was worth many times its cost to Italy in increased prestige.

Abruzzi drove home to the civilized world the fiber of which Italians are made.

Nansen's expedition, fitted out by his King, his Parliament, and wealthy private citizens, impressed the world with. the material which makes up the descendants of the Vikings.

And should you some morning read in your paper that an American had placed the Stars and Stripes upon the Pole, each one of you would feel a thrill of pride and enthusiasm, and be glad that you are an American; and every true American at home and abroad would feel the same pride, and that increment of justifiable pride and enthusiasm to each of millions of citizens

would be worth ten times the cost in dollars and cents.

As a matter of patriotism based upon the obligations of our manifest destiny, it is worth while.

The North American world segment is our home, our birthright, our destiny. The boundaries of that segment are the Atlantic and the Pacific, the Isthmus and the Pole. We are fully able, I think, to take care of the Atlantic and the Pacific. We are negotiating for the Isthmus. It would be a shame for others to find and mark the Pole for us.

Believe me, the winning of the North Pole will be one of the great mile-stones of history, like the discovery of the New World by Columbus and the conquest of the Old by Alexander; and the man, or the association, or the community, or the nation that makes its discovery possible will write its name to be read and known when, perhaps, the very civilization of today is forgotten.

Let us attain it, then. It is our privilege and our duty. Let us capture the prize and win the race which the nations of the civilized world have been struggling for for nearly four centuries, the prize which is the last great geographical prize the earth has to offer; the race which is far greater than the international yacht races. Then let us take a hand with England, Germany, Sweden, Scotland, and the others for the conquest of the South Pole. As Assistant Secretary Darling well says, the attainment of the Poles is all that remains to complete man's domination of the earth.

Six years ago we were sleeping content within our borders, drowsy of our strength and possibilities. Since then we have embraced the earth, and now right hand clasps left in the far East in a grasp never to be loosened. What a splendid feat for this great and wealthy country if, having girdled the earth, we might reach north and south and plant "Old Glory" on each Pole. How the imagination stirs at the thought!

triangulation signal with its wide, outspreading legs still on it; they were industriously cutting a wide path path through the thicket so as to be able to produce this suspicious object intact, evidently believing it a beacon of the insurrectos. They were persuaded to carry it up the hill again.

The development of the field work has necessarily been controlled by various conditions, and it has been extended along the lines which appeared most feasible with the means available and most likely to yield results of immediate usefulness.

The wide extension by the Signal Corps of the telegraph system for military purposes suggested the determination of base positions, including telegraphic longitudes and zenith telescope latitudes. It was fortunate that this work was carried out promptly, as with the passing of military necessity many lines have been abandoned. Thirty-six latitudes and thirty-six differences of longitude have been determined, the points being fairly well distributed over the archipelago from the

Harbor surveys at Cebu, Ormoc, and Romblon have been made, and during the past year this vessel has completed important surveys of San Bernardino Strait and Albay Gulf, and of San Pedro Bay and the south coast of Samar, as well as a thorough examination of the much-used passage southwest of Leyte, where a danger had been reported. The Pathfinder is a wellequipped, modern survey ship, and carries two steam launches.

A small wooden steamer was pur

At

north coast of Luzon to Zamboanga. These stations have all been marked and described for future reference. most stations a meridian has been laid out or an azimuth measured, and magnetic observations have generally been made.

The surveying steamer Pathfinder, under command of J. J. Gilbert, assistant, U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, arrived at Manila from Alaska in November, 1901, and has since been continuously at work in the islands, except during intervals when docking or repair work on the vessel has been required.

chased in Manila and adapted to survey work. This vessel, the Research, has made a number of harbor surveys on the west and southeast coasts of Luzon and on Mindoro and Culion islands, and is at present working on the coast of Negros.

Chartered launches have been employed in some cases for hydrographic work, and the survey of Lingayen Gulf by this means has recently been completed. Harbor surveys have been made at a number of other places, using various means.

The abrupt coral reefs along many of