The Open Polar Sea: A narrative of a voyage of discovery towards the North pole, in the schooner "United States"Hayes, I. I. (Isaac Israel)
History
The Open Polar Sea: A narrative of a voyage of discovery towards the North pole, in the schooner "United States"
Hayes, I. I. (Isaac Israel)
Arctic regions; United States (Schooner)
The learned Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, Professor Joseph
Henry, further strengthened the cause by the proffer of scientific
instruments, and this was followed by the earnest support of Mr. Henry
Grinnell, whose zealous efforts and sacrifices in behalf of Arctic
exploration are too well known to gain any thing from my commendation.
At a subsequent period I addressed the Chamber of Commerce in New
York, and the Board of Trade in Philadelphia. The latter promptly
appointed a committee with the same objects as those previously
appointed by the scientific societies. Still later I spoke to a large
audience in the lecture-room of the Lowell Institute, Boston, assembled
under the auspices of the committee of the Academy of Arts and
Sciences, on which occasion, after eloquent addresses by the chairman,
the late Hon. Edward Everett, and Professors Agassiz and W. B. Rogers,
a committee of citizens was appointed to coöperate with the committees
already named.
[Sidenote: PUBLIC LECTURES.]
The system of public lecturing which had been improved with such
satisfactory advantage in the beginning, was continued, and, in
addition to the increased public interest which the lectures created,
they proved a source of more substantial benefit. Two of them were
delivered under the auspices of the American Geographical Society.
The value of these last was derived from the circumstance that public
support was given to the project by Dr. Francis Lieber, the late
Rev. Dr. Bethune, Rev. J. P. Thompson, the late Professor (afterward
Major-General) O. M. Mitchel, and Mr. (now Brigadier-General) Egbert L.
Viele, who spoke on the occasion. The principal address was made by Dr.
Lieber, and it was characteristic of that able and learned writer.
[Sidenote: FOREIGN SUPPORT.]
The interest manifested among geographers abroad was scarcely less
than that shown by scientific men at home. The eminent President of
the Geographical Society of London, Sir Roderick Impey Murchison,
in announcing the proposed renewal of Arctic discovery to that
distinguished body, expressed the earnest desire of the society for the
success of the undertaking; and the enlightened Vice-President of the
Geographical Society of Paris, M. de la Roquette, promptly offered, as
an earnest of his good will, a liberal contribution to the fund.
The Masonic Fraternity in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia also gave
their assistance, and it was not the less appreciated that it was
spontaneous and unexpected.
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