ire rigging, and patent reefing topsails. It sails
and manoeuvres uncommonly well, and under sail alone attains a speed
of nine to ten knots. During the trial trip the steamer made seven
and a half knots, but six to seven knots per hour may be considered
the speed under steam. Further, there are on the vessel a powerful
steam-winch, a reserve rudder, and a reserve propeller. The vessel
is besides provided in the whole of the under hold with iron tanks,
so built that they lie close to the vessel's bottom and sides, the
tanks thus being capable of offering a powerful resistance in case
of ice pressure. They are also serviceable for holding provisions,
water, and coal."[3]

We had no reason to take exception to this description,[4] but, in
any case, it was necessary for an Arctic campaign, such as that now
in question, to make a further inspection of the vessel, to assure
ourselves that all its parts were in complete order, to make the
alterations in rig, &c., which the altered requirements would render
necessary, and finally to arrange the vessel, so that it might house
a scientific staff, which, together with the officers, numbered nine
persons. This work was done at the Karlskrona naval dockyard, under
the direction of Captain Palander. At the same time attention was
given to the scientific equipment, principally in Stockholm, where a
large number of instruments for physical, astronomical, and
geological researches was obtained from the Royal Academy of
Sciences.

The dietary during the expedition was fixed upon, partly on the
ground of our experience from the wintering of 1872-73, partly under
the guidance of a special opinion given with reference to the
subject by the distinguished physician who took part in that
expedition, Dr. A. Envall. Preserved provisions,[5] butter, flour,
&c., were purchased, part at Karlskrona, part in Stockholm and
Copenhagen; a portion of pemmican was prepared in Stockholm by Z.
Wikstroem; another portion was purchased in England; fresh ripe
potatoes[6] were procured from the Mediterranean, a large quantity
of cranberry juice from Finland; preserved cloudberries and clothes
of reindeer skins, &c., from Norway, through our agent Ebeltoft, and
so on--in a word, nothing was neglected to make the vessel as well
equipped as possible for the attainment of the great object in view.

What this was may be seen from the following

PLAN OF THE EXPEDITION,

PRESENTED TO HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF