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M. Fries in Upsala have published accounts of the
history of the Northeast passage, in which not a word about
these expeditions is found. Between the days of
Vlaming and Cook, from 1688 until 1778, they find nothing
to be said of explorations in this part of the world, and
the charting of these waters does not, in their opinion,
seem to have any connection with the history of the
Northeast passage. Prof. Fries attempts to justify
this strange method of treatment by the assertion that
these expeditions did not seek the navigation of the
Northeast passage, and did not undertake to sail a ship
from the Atlantic to the Pacific. But what authority,
what historical foundation, have such assertions? Simply
because the Russians parceled out this work and went at
it in a sensible manner; because they did not loudly
proclaim their intention to sail directly from the Dwina
to Japan; because they had been instructed by the
visionary and fatal attempts of West Europe,—yes, one
is almost tempted to say, just because these Russian
expeditions alone are of any importance in the early
history of the passage, the Swedish historians pass them
by; Prof. Fries has even ventured the assertion that the
discovery of the Northeast passage by these Russian
expeditions, one hundred and thirty-seven years before
Nordenskjöld, is a discovery hitherto unsurmised by
anyone but the author of this work. I am not
disposed to wrangle about words, and still less to interfere
with anyone’s well-earned privileges. By the discovery
of the Northeast passage, I understand that work of
geographical exploration, that determination of the
distribution of land and water along the northern boundary
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