stefansson-wrangel-09-38-001-004

4

I should have no trouble in getting a British commercial
company to take over the island on a business basis, including
the sending of a supply ship this year, but these negotiations
are impracticable in view of the remote possibility that the
island may fall to the Soviet Government.

The situation then is that a small party of patriotic
Britishers are isolated on an island 100 miles north of
Siberia and 500 miles NW from Nome, Alaska. I know from
cable advices that there is a schooner in Nome that I could
charter to take supplies and new men to the island but I have
not the money for doing so. I have spent already about £7000
of my own money and need, but do not have, £1000 for a ship to
go to the island and about another £1000 to maintain the
enterprise for another year. The first £1000 is important on
grounds of far-sighted public policy. In a personal interview
I can readily explain the importantce of the island from an
a eronautical point of view but I am refrainding from doing so
in a letter as it would be too long.

I am taking the libary of sending along with this
letter a copy of one of my books, ^{My "Northward Course of Empire"} a by-product of my general
northern work, which deal specifically with the gradual colon-
isation and the commercial opening-up of the Arctic. This
opening up needs no help from me for it is going to inevitably
British
Empire shall get its proportiante share of thenew countries and
_{and naturally. I am merely trying to see to it that the}
their now hazily realised wealth.