stefansson-wrangel-09-31-096v

152 THE ADVENTURE OF WRANGEL ISLAND

background for the delightful day I spent with its owner
and editor, C. P. Scott, whose personality intensified the
impression which the Guardian had made. Since this
paper is mainly concerned with social and political move-
ments and with the cause of truth and progress along
those lines, it is probable that my visit to Manchester was
really important in turning the attention of Mr. Scott
and his editors to the study of a geographic field they had
not previously cultivated and where their ideas had been
only those of the average educated person.

Equally pleasant and profitable were my dealings with
the managing director of the Times, Sir Campbell
Stuart, and its editor, Mr. Geoffrey Dawson. When
things became difficult later in the summer the support
of the Times was invaluable. They would have come out
openly sooner except that it seemed to Mr. Dawson that a
press campaign would probably do more harm than good
at a stage when the Government appeared to be favorably
inclined.

It was perhaps only logical that the British Empire
League should be interested in Wrangel Island, but the
enthusiastic support of its secretary, Mr. Evelyn Wrench,
went far beyond official routine. One of the most
valuable things he did was to bring me in touch with Mr.
St. Loe Strachey, and Mr. J. B. Atkins of the Spectator.
It was through the Spectator that I was able to publish
for the first time in England a comprehensive if brief
history of Wrangel Island. Since the Spectator is read
by practically all the influential people in Great Britain,
this really amounted to submitting to the men who con-
trolled the Empire the facts on the basis of which they
could make up their minds independently as to whether