stefansson-wrangel-09-16-008-002

service of Spain when he discovered the West Indies and South
America; Cabot was an Italian in British Service, a citizen of Venice in British service, at the
time he discovered North American and gave England her first
rights in the Western World; Hudson was an Englishman in the
service of Holland when he sailed into the Hudson River and
gave the Dutch their claims to the New Netherlands.

Milton Galle joined the expedition from a
spirit of adventure and because of his personal friendship
for the other three. He was a gifted, generous and loveable
boy; his purpose may not at fist have been as seriously the
advancement of exploration and of Canadian interests as was
the case with the other three, but his services were as effi-
cient and loyal.

These four young men should therefore, it
seems to me, share equally in whatever recognition the nation
gives them. I am confident that the hi estimation of their
intentions and their deeds will grow constantly higher as
Canadians begin to understand the whole situation better.

I regret to note by the press reports that
the impression at Ottawa seems to be that Allan Crawford
(and, therefore, presumably the other three) did not under-
stand what historical, geographic and other claims Russian
had to Wrangel Island. They understood this thoroughly, for
they had seen all my correspondence with the Government on
the subject and were all of the opinion that the British
claims were strongest, the American second and the Russian
much the weakest. If that opinion was