A very important meeting of the American Scientific Society had been held in their Hall in the city of New York.
All the learned savants and geographers of the day were present, for the subject to be discussed was one of great interest.
For centuries countless efforts had been made to reach either the North or South Poles. The country contiguous to these points had ever remained an unexplored tract.
For many scientific reasons it had been deemed necessary to reach these points. Moreover, man’s curiosity seemed to demand it.
But all attempts by land or sea had proved futile.
This was accepted as a fact. But the learned savants were disposed to believe the feat not impossible.
And this was why the meeting had been called.
The most feasible way to reach the Poles and the organization of a party to attempt it was the topic of discussion.
One man proposed the route through Greenland. Another favored the Behring Sea route. A third, was in favor of approaching it from Siberia.
But none of these projectors could substantiate their plans with any logical method of procedure.