A New York telegram of Thursday gives an extraordinarily vivid
picture of the destruction of the Ragnvald Jarl,' the vessel which conveyed the Wellman Arctic Expedition. Cap- tain Bottolfsen, whose statement has been cabled to America from Spitzbergen, says that the expedition reached Walden Island, on May 17th. "On the 24th, Mr. Wellman and 'his party started northwards, and, four days later, the screwing' of the ice commenced in real earnest, the ice- bergs towering on every side of the vessel yard-arm high. On that same day, while the crew were drinking their afternoon 'coffee, the ice suddenly closed in, and the Reginald Jan'l was crushed like a matchbox. The water rushed in with terrific force, and all fled ashore. The entire catastrophe -occupied but four or five minutes." Ultimately, Captain Bottolfsen and two other men went south to report the fate of the ship. They took with them a small aluminium boat. 'This, owing to its strength and lightness, proved of the -greatest use. The party of six left on Walden Island will, it is hoped, be rescued by one of the sealers, as the weather 'conditions have improved.
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