Copy of a letter from Vilhjalmur Stefansson to Loring Cheney Christie, 25 September 1920
Date25 September, 1920
abstractCorrespondence, newspaper articles, and other material related to the ill-fated 1921 expedition to Wrangel Island.
RepositoryRauner Special Collections Library, Dartmouth College.
Call NumberStefansson Mss-91: Harold Noice Papers, Box 1, Folder 2
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September 25, 1920
Sir:
Sir:
With further reference to letter of September 16th to the
Prime Minister, of which I have given a copy of my other letter to you en
closed, I want to take up separately the case of Wrangel Island.
Prime Minister, of which I have given a copy of my other letter to you en
closed, I want to take up separately the case of Wrangel Island.
In 1849 or 1850 (I have no reference books here to verify the
date) Captain Kellett of the British Navy discovered Wrangel Island when
on a voyage partly exploratory and partly in search of Sir John Franklin's
lost expedition. It was later given the name of Kellett Land, which it
bore on the chart for some time.
date) Captain Kellett of the British Navy discovered Wrangel Island when
on a voyage partly exploratory and partly in search of Sir John Franklin's
lost expedition. It was later given the name of Kellett Land, which it
bore on the chart for some time.
In 1867
Kellett Land was sighted by Captain Thomas Long, an
American whaler. He was ignorant of the discovery by Kellett and the exist
ence of this land, so he reported that he had discovered a new land. In
this connection he advanced the suggestion which was considered by many
reasonable that the island should be named after Baron Wrangel, who had made
two exploratory expeditions by sledge over the ice westward of Wrangel in
search of land, the existance of which had been reported by Siberian natives.
Or at least that is what some consider it. Others think that the land told
of in Siberian folklore is a pure figment of the imagination and that the
existance of this land is a mere coincidence.
American whaler. He was ignorant of the discovery by Kellett and the exist
ence of this land, so he reported that he had discovered a new land. In
this connection he advanced the suggestion which was considered by many
reasonable that the island should be named after Baron Wrangel, who had made
two exploratory expeditions by sledge over the ice westward of Wrangel in
search of land, the existance of which had been reported by Siberian natives.
Or at least that is what some consider it. Others think that the land told
of in Siberian folklore is a pure figment of the imagination and that the
existance of this land is a mere coincidence.
However, the name Wrangel Island came into general use in the
large American whaling fleet which annually frequented those waters and it
eventually displaced Kellett's name on the map.
large American whaling fleet which annually frequented those waters and it
eventually displaced Kellett's name on the map.
after him. At least this is generally conceded, for the landing made by
Lieutenant R. M. Berry (now Admiral Berry), whose ship "Rodgers" lay for
several days where now we have Rodgers Harbor. They made a rough and very inaccurate survey of the island -- it does not pretend to be anything but
the barest approximation.
About the only account we have of Wrangel Island so far is in
the notes of John Muir, who accompanied the Corwin as naturalist. The book
was published in 1917 under the title "The Cruise of the Corwin" by John Muir,
Boston. This account is based on half a dozen hours spent on the island.
the notes of John Muir, who accompanied the Corwin as naturalist. The book
was published in 1917 under the title "The Cruise of the Corwin" by John Muir,
Boston. This account is based on half a dozen hours spent on the island.
--2--
The captain and crew of the Rodgers, although they were several days on the
island, do not appear to thave published any narratives. At least that is the
statement made in the preface to the "Cruise of the Corwin."
island, do not appear to thave published any narratives. At least that is the
statement made in the preface to the "Cruise of the Corwin."
The next visitors to Wrangel Island were the officers, scientific
staff and crew of the C. G. S. "Karluk" after she was broken in the ice in
January, 1914. They remained on the island for several months (February to
September). When their narratives are published, which will be within the
next year or two in the report of the expedition, we shall have for the first
time a real, although still inadequate, description of the island.
staff and crew of the C. G. S. "Karluk" after she was broken in the ice in
January, 1914. They remained on the island for several months (February to
September). When their narratives are published, which will be within the
next year or two in the report of the expedition, we shall have for the first
time a real, although still inadequate, description of the island.
It has been assumed and it is frequently stated that there is a
treaty between the United States and Russia by which the United States re
linguishes all claims it may have to Wrangel Island in favor of Russia.
Professor William Frederick Bade has gone into all the documents in the case
and has published the statement that there is no such provision in any treaty
between the United States and Russia, nor any provision from which an abandon
ment of the claims to Wrangel Island can be logically deduced.
treaty between the United States and Russia by which the United States re
linguishes all claims it may have to Wrangel Island in favor of Russia.
Professor William Frederick Bade has gone into all the documents in the case
and has published the statement that there is no such provision in any treaty
between the United States and Russia, nor any provision from which an abandon
ment of the claims to Wrangel Island can be logically deduced.
The case, then, stands as follows:
No country has recently made any formal claim to Wrangel Island.
The right of discovery is with Great Britain, dating from 1849-1850. Eighteen
years later a party of Americans landed on the island and made a rough map.
I think they may have raised a flag and taken possession, although of this
I am not sure. The only people who have lived on the island and give us a
coherant account of it are the members of the Canadian Arctic Expedition, who
spent six months there in 1914.
The right of discovery is with Great Britain, dating from 1849-1850. Eighteen
years later a party of Americans landed on the island and made a rough map.
I think they may have raised a flag and taken possession, although of this
I am not sure. The only people who have lived on the island and give us a
coherant account of it are the members of the Canadian Arctic Expedition, who
spent six months there in 1914.
I should suppose then that if we have the wisdom to realize the
value of Wrangel Island a little earlier than other countries, and if we
follow up our original discovery by exploration and preferably commercial
Development, such as the placing of a Hudson's Bay Company
's post, for instance,
or other trading enterprise, we would be conceded to have the best claim to
the island.
value of Wrangel Island a little earlier than other countries, and if we
follow up our original discovery by exploration and preferably commercial
or other trading enterprise, we would be conceded to have the best claim to
the island.
Wrangel Island is very valuable for at least two purposes that
we already know. It is an excellent location for trapping furs, and it is
an excellent base for walrus hunting. At present walrus are utilized only
for ivory, hides, and to a lesser extent for oil. Later their flesh is cer
tain to become commercial meat, for even should we not care to adopt it
in our food we can sell it to other nations who like it. With the world
gradually approaching a meat shortage, as every food authority concedes,
islands that form a good base for cultivating the resources of the sea will
get an increasing value.
we already know. It is an excellent location for trapping furs, and it is
an excellent base for walrus hunting. At present walrus are utilized only
for ivory, hides, and to a lesser extent for oil. Later their flesh is cer
tain to become commercial meat, for even should we not care to adopt it
in our food we can sell it to other nations who like it. With the world
gradually approaching a meat shortage, as every food authority concedes,
islands that form a good base for cultivating the resources of the sea will
get an increasing value.
It is to be remembered, too, that with the development of air
navigation and other improved transport, the inaccessibility of every part of
the earth is being rapidly lessened. Those countries will have in the next
century invaluable resources who know enough now to take possession of them
while they are still undervalued.
navigation and other improved transport, the inaccessibility of every part of
the earth is being rapidly lessened. Those countries will have in the next
century invaluable resources who know enough now to take possession of them
while they are still undervalued.
A further consideration is that there may very well be other
undiscovered lands north of Wrangel Island. We are the country most logic-
undiscovered lands north of Wrangel Island. We are the country most logic-
--3--
ally situated for the development both of lands now known to exist and of others
that may be discovered to the north of us. It is no more inevitable that every
land north of Alaska shall belong to Alaska than it is that the strip of coast
from the vicinity of Skagway to the vicinity of Prince Rupert shall belong to
us, which it does not.
that may be discovered to the north of us. It is no more inevitable that every
land north of Alaska shall belong to Alaska than it is that the strip of coast
from the vicinity of Skagway to the vicinity of Prince Rupert shall belong to
us, which it does not.
The countries to the north will belong to whoever appreciates their
value and cultivates them.
value and cultivates them.
Mr. L. C. Christie,
Legal Advisor
Department of External Affairs,
Ottawa, Ontario.
[gap: ] VS:MHN
Legal Advisor
Department of External Affairs,
Ottawa, Ontario.
[gap: ] VS:MHN
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