ENVS 15: The Earth's Cold Regions (Winter 2024)

One of the earliest documents in which Steffanson shows his interest and ambition for the further exploration of Wrangel Island is a letter he wrote to a Mr. William Wallace Corey, the Canadian commissioner of the Northwest Territories. In this letter, Steffanson expresses the possible strategic benefits of creating an exhibition on the Island. He introduces the venture to the commissioner as already having plenty of interest from other powerful officials, like the Canadian Prime Minister and a wealthy investor. He spends some time elaborating on the history of the Wrangel Island. Initially being discovered in 1849 by. British Captain Kellet, the island was later visited by American whaler, Captain Long and "supposing it a discovery of his own, he announced it as such and suggested that the island should be called Wrangel Island in honor of Baron Wrangel." In 1881, multiple landings on Wrangel Island were done by American explorers. Stefansson then gives context into why he and the Canadian government should take an interest in Wrangel Island. Given that only a few expeditions to the island had taken place, leaving much of the island unexplored, and that the Americans and Russians had yet to take claim to the island due to political issues, Stefansson proposes that Canada take the opportunity to occupy the Island. He states that their right to claim the land would likely be internationally unquestioned and that the return from investing in enterprises like furtrade and walrus hunting, along with scientific endeavors on the island, could be extremely profitable and politically strategic for the future of Canada.