THE DASH FOR THE POLE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 59, 8 March 1912, Page 6

THE DASH FOR THE POLE.

AMUNDSEN'S LANDING

AT THS BAY Or WHALES. THE NORWEGIAN'S PLANS. AN INTERESTING EXTRACT. (Continued from page 5.) In view ui the comment provoked by tn- o>eoverv 01 tne Fram going into winter quarters at the "Bay of Whales by Captain Soil wnen the Terra Nova w'as surveying the iireat Ice Barrier, the' following Vvt.act from a letter sent by Captain Amundsen to Dr. Nausen last je.ir will he interesting:—"The great! bav running south-west into the Barrier, »r',v, I have chosen us the base of aD ' expedition towards the South Pole, has be' I. oi-x'rveJ not only by Ro-ss and i horchgreviuk. hut also by Scott and i-.i.-ii'kl.-ton. .ind thui appears to he a; constant formation, sometiling that can [ i.' counted upon. Shackleton also, thought he saw a ridge of hills at the j head of this hay. which would indicate land. .After reading these various ac- j counts an.l thinking the matter over. I, came to the conclusion that this bay, which has been proved to have had the I same situation for a period of 60 years. I could not be a chance formation in the Barrier caused by the breaking off of icebergs, but must have been produced | l>y underlying land or rising ground. If not, the Barrier would have continued i's course unchecked, and no bay nouid have been formed. The dav after we sighted the Barripr we reached this bav. still in the same situation —about longitude lfi4deg. W. It] was so full, however, of recently broken- i up bav jce that there was no question of! getting in. We therefore took a little' run eastwards along the edge of the j T-irrier to await events. The next morn- j ing (January 13) we returned, and th»n j found rb»r so much of the ice had floated , out that there was an opportunity for us i to get. in. Mv belief as to the origin of the" bay was strengthened as wn got further south: the formations stood out more clearly and sharp!v. and at the southern end wc could distinctly nwke out hills and valleys. It was certain that underlying land or shoals here arrested r be coarse of the mighty glacier and forced i*. out to either side. There, would be no perilous wintering on a' floating barrier. The gTonnd was safe enough. On the following day (.Ta.nu*rv ' 14 1 w-e found a landing place well suit-, ed for our enterprise. The long IR.noo miles' Tovage was safely accomplished'. and we weTe onl-v one day out in our calculation. We had arrivej a day too parrv."

THE QUESTION OF ETIQUETTE

ALLEGED BREACHES. Aini2fESDeS~S CONCEAIiMEJT CRITICISED. A good deal of criticism was indulged in at the time the rival explorers were making their preliminary dash to secure advantageous bases ?' to their observance of Polar etiquette in their eagerness to be first at the pole. Sir E H. Shackleton Questioned if Amundsen were following the dictates of Polar etiquette in entering in Ciptain Scott's sphere of influence, and he also asked if Scott were following the same dictates in landing at Dr. Douglas Mawson's base. Dr. Mawson. interviewed, severely criticised Amundsen's action in conceal ins his plans to become a rival to Captain Scott. Amundsen's action would affect him in the estimation of scientists. Dr. .Miwson's own pifcs included land ine a small party where Scott landed I but his main parties would be distri bated over tbe coast to the westward. Dr- Mawson continued that Captain fscott having decided that he could not land his (Mawson's) party, Mawson decided to arrange his Australian expedition. "My plans were submitted to Captain Scott, there was no secrecy in the matter at all. Australia supported Captain Scott, but in view of the present information some dissatisfaction in the Commonwealth is inevitable. Captain Scott wrote to me the last thing and asked me to furnish him with full details of my plans. This I willingly did. giving particulars and adding that 1 intended to land at Cape Adare. "I am naturally sorry that circumstances have driven Captain Scott to take the course described in the cablegrams from Stewart Island."' The discovery by Scott of Amundsen at the Bay of Whales, when the English explorer arrived there, caused a great sensation in London when the news was <-.abled Home. IX THE GB&AT RACE. Professor David, in the course of an interview on the respective prospects of The two rarers for tbe Pole, said that Ciptain Scott, by laying depots, his placed Bis partv a* a great advantage with Sir E. W. Shvkleton's expedition, which was unable to lav anv before the winter set in. Captain Scott had stated in Sydney that in ewe h* failed to secure a landing on Edward VTI. Land he would t<-r to land in the Bay of Whales. He urns' have been surprised to find Amundsen's party already there. I From a scientific point of view the value of Capt Scott's expedition would He much enhanced by co-operation with the Xorwejri.ins in taking- observations. Then will follow an intensely exciting contest, who :-h:iU be firs: r 0 " reach the Pole. Amu«d«n i< cert.tinlv v«rr strong in transport ficilit-.es. on' the whole' stronger than (."apt. Sfptt. i After-dealing with -the probable route' of the two expeditions, he savs that Aißundsen will hnve the advantage of a starting point seventy miles nearer the. Po>. For Sm>« the last stage will be | 3,-u: 3.-.0 mile?, for Amundsen perhaps, :■" '?" ? ' on mi!f>s Th<? grater strength I :n the number of Greenland dogs will gtv» the .Vorwerrun sn advantage of: travelling, and there is every possibility: ot a splrcdid r.ice between two spiendii,

THE PARTY IN THE SOUTH.

PREPARATORY WORK. „ V "'^ n J ii ', Tern * - Vova 6"* •>*<* from the South last March she brought full details of the progress of the expedition up to the time of her departure. The vessel wae among the pack ice for three we«k» — from December 9 to December 30 —and then reached the Barrier. A had-

ing w made fcy Cap*, fioott at Ctpe Evans, in McMurdo Sound- A hut was here erected, and depot journeys were undertaken. It wa» said that they were really in the nature of trial journeys, 4o enable the men to get soma training, and to try the ponies. The sledging on these journeys would not be nearly so severe as in the spring journeys. It was also desirable to ascertain the paces and qualities of the different ponies, in order that some uniformity might he obtained. The depots would be usefuP, of course, but they were not essential. A party consisting of Messrs. Griffith-Taylor and Debenbam. geologists, and Mr. Wright, who was investigating ice-structures, and Seaman Evans had been landed at Butter Pnint. on Victoria Land. They intended to explore the Ferrnr Glacier, and other glaciers connected with it. They would probably have a harder time than any other depot party, as they would not get back until April'. They were landed close to where Sir K. Shackleton had established a depot, and Mr. Priestley, who was on the vessel, went ashore, and f<->iind the flag, a little black rag. he had Hoisted when be was a membT of the Shackleton expedition two years before. Later the Terra Nova met the Fram and reported her presence to Captain Scott, who was at the time on a depot joumev. The ponies worked satisfactorily, while the dogs were also a fine lot.