Book Description

On the 24th of October, 1868, a number of gentlemen were assembled at Bremen, to celebrate the happy return of the members of the First German Arctic Expedition, including their commander Captain Carl Koldewey, and its scientific originator, Dr. A. Petermann. The rough sketch of a plan for the German Arctic Expedition of 1869,” with maps, from Dr. Petermann, was not long wanting. According to his suggestion, the expedition was to consist of two parts, so as to endeavour to solve two problems at the same time. A steamer was to land on East Greenland, and taking it as the basis of the winter operations, should try to penetrate into the heart of the Polar region; a second steamer should, at any point between Greenland and Nova Zembla, strive to reach the highest latitude possible. For the carrying out of this plan two steamers were considered necessary. But the preparations soon reached a critical point....