nd
Navigator."

[2] Ignorance and misconception of all polar matters seem so widespread
and comprehensive that it appears advisable to introduce here a few a b
c paragraphs. Anyone interested can supplement these by reading the
introductory parts of any good elementary school geography or astronomy.

The North Pole (that is, the geographical pole as distinguished from the
magnetic pole, and this appears to be the first and most general
stumbling block of the ignorant) is simply the point where that
imaginary line known as the earth's axis--that is, the line on which the
earth revolves in its daily motion--intersects the earth's surface.

Some of the recent sober discussions as to the size of the North Pole,
whether it was as big as a quarter, or a hat, or a township, have been
intensely ludicrous.

Precisely speaking, the North Pole is simply a mathematical point, and
therefore, in accordance with the mathematical definition of a point, it
has neither length, breadth, nor thickness.

If the question is asked, how closely can the Pole be determined (this
is the point which has muddled some of the ignorant wiseacres), the
answer will be: That depends upon the character of the instruments used,
the ability of the observer using them, and the number of observations
taken.

If there were land at the Pole, and powerful instruments of great
precision, such as are used in the world's great observatories, were
mounted there on suitable foundations and used by practised observers
for repeated observations extending over years, then it would be
possible to determine the position of the Pole with great precision.

With ordinary field instruments, transit, theodolite, or sextant, an
extended series of observations by an expert observer should permit the
determination of the Pole within entirely satisfactory limits, but not
with the same precision as by the first method.

A single observation at sea with sextant and the natural horizon, as
usually taken by the master of a ship, is assumed under ordinary
satisfactory conditions to give the observer's position within about a
mile.

In regard to the difficulties of taking observations in the arctic
regions, I have found a tendency on the part of experts who, however,
have not had practical experience in the arctic regions themselves, to
overestimate and exaggerate the difficulties and drawbacks of making
these observations due to the cold.

My personal experience has been t