CAPTAIN SCOTT IN WELLINGTON.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13875, 28 October 1910, Page 7

CAPTAIN SCOTT IN WELLINGTON.

THE WORK AHEAD. I

A RACE TO THE POLE. (STECIAT, TO "TIIE TRESS.") WELLINGTON, October 27. "For the honour and glory of tho Empire"—that is tho main reason why Captain .Scott, R.X.. is now bent oil reaching the South Pole. The matter of being the first to get there is largely one of sentimental interest. Ho would like the British to bo lirst, but at the same tirno ho says it would be wrong to organise an expedition with the solo object of simply getting to a geographical point. "In these days of science and enlightenment every concession must bo made to the interests of science, and every opportunity taken of studying natural phenomena in tho regions visited.'' With, these preliminary observations, Captain Scott proceeded to give a representative of "The Press" some details as to tho splendid manner in which hi.s present expedition is equipped for scientific purposes. Tho chief of the scientific staff, Dr. Wilson, was ivfth him in the Discovery on the occasion of hu> former expedition. "He is," said Captain Scott, "the greatest authority on the birds of tho Far South, and in addition is an artist of high attainments." GEOLOGICAL WORK. "The geological interest attaching to the present expedition is as important as ever. Tho utilitarian aspect, of course, comes in, but from this point of view it is," says Captain Scott, "inadvisable to make emphatic statements, seeing that tho objects of the expedition aro not utilitarian. At the same time, ifc seems fairly certain, from previous investigations, that the country has mineral wealth, and Professor David has arranged a staff of geologists who aro eapablo of prospecting in search of as well as of studying the country from a scientific point of view. In rocks recently obtained from tho Antarctic a very important discovery has just been made—the similarity of fossils allied to the corals and sponges found in Australian roefcs. These fossils belong to the Cambrian Age, a very old one, and what will now bo attempted is a connection between Australia and Antarctica in mofe recent times. It is just possible that some marsupial fossil may bo found that will not only show a more recent connection with Australia, but may also show tho bridge by which the marsupial crossed to South America. Tho supposition is that the bridge is across tho Antarctic." SKI AND THE SKI RUNNER. Tho wonderful development of skirunning in and the feats of Alpine skiers in Switzerland must lead anyone who has studied that form of locomotion to tho conclusion that ski must be a very valuable accessory in the outfit of an Antarctic explorer. Captain Scott had skis with him on his former expedition but the members of the expedition were not expert in the us of these long, narrow snow-shoes. Moreover, neither tho ski nor tho fastenings wero suitable to tho conditions in tho far South. Since the-i he has gone most closely into this subject in Norway, and he has procured ski that an? thought by experts to bo tho most suitable for travel in the Antarctic. Not only that, but he has engaged as a member of his party an export Norwegian ski-runner (Mr Gran), who, by the way, is the only foreigner in the expedition. He hopes that, under Mr Gran's tuition, tho members of his southern party may become fairly expert ski-runner 3. in which caso they will be saved a great deal ot exertion in crossing the soft snow of the lower plateau. It is an open question whether the ski could be taken up the crevasssd icefall and on to the 10,000 feet plateau; that is in the lap of the gods. But what with ponies, dogs, motor sledges, and ski, no available form of locomotion will he left untried, j THE ROUTE. "Do you propose any variation in the known route P' - ' was a question put to Captain Scott. Ho replied. in an interesting manner: —"We could go (1) along tho known route and up tho Beardinoro Glacier; (2> we could go further to the east and skirt tho mouth of the Bcardinore Glacier, with the hope of finding a glacier further south; or (3) wo could go directly up the Ferrar Glacier, as wo did in 1903, and continue to the Pole en the upper plateau. The two latter routes would have the advantage of novelty, hut in each there would always be a strong possibility ot failure, in the one caoo because it is very probable th.'it another suitable glacier for travelling over doo.s not exist, and in the other the travelling would cause a very long journey over the upper plateau and would be extremely severe and and possibly more than the men could endure. Therefore, in view of these facts, and also the fact that tho expeditions of other nations are making for the same goal, it will be wiser to push on along the old route. The finding of that route, by which Sir Ernest, Shackloton was enabled to leave tho Groat Barrier and get on to the Beardmoro Glacier, was an extraordinary stroke of good luck. It would seem absolutely impossible that the glacier could be reached by tho disturbances — the mountainous disturbances I might say —that occur at its mouth. Sir Ernest Shackleton found the one small pass that led clear of the.se disturbances, and landed him on the glacier af. a high altitude." OTHER EXPEDITIONS. "What about Amundsen?" the interviewer asked. •'I know very little about him," replied Captain Scott. "I was sorry I missed him in Norway, though some

appointments "K'cro made, for us to moot. Ho b> certainly a line fellow. At that time there was evidently no other idea than that he should put into ehvet the plan he had discussed for a very Ion" time, that'll should cross the* north basin. The Irani ivas to have- gone round Cape Horn, and then north to Bohnng Sea, from wtnen point she was to have- entered _the north polar pack, and to have dnlted as noarlv as possible- across tho -North Pole .Vly first intimation of a change of plan was a very brief telegram from Amundsen himselt, informing mc that the Fram v> a> going south. I got tins on my arrival in Melbourne. 1 know nothing further about his plans or intentions. As soon as 1 find out when? •to is, so that 1 can communicate with him. I shall send him a telegram wiihin ,r him success.'' -Do you consider he is poaching upon your preserves!*" ••Not at- all," replied Captain Bcott. "It seciiis quite clear he intends attacking the problem from tho opposite side ot .ho world, and anybody is tree to do so. The only possible- breach ot etiquette on such occasions is another expedition going to tho spot- that had already been publicly announced as tho base of another expedition." •There are." continued Captain freott. ■'.several expeditions already planned to operate from the Weddell Sea area, opposite Cape Horn. Theso are:— (.1) Inn American expedition, winch has temporarily fallen through; t'2) .the German expedition which is organise! and will -tart next year; Dr. LSrucc's exoodition, aliout which 1 have little information; and (4) Amundsen's e>pedition from Norway. Any or all of t!u\s3 expeditious havo a chance ot finding a wintering si»t in the \\ eddel but a safo lanchu<j; is only a possibility, not a probability. Jhe chances are also that such a spot would be considerably more remote from the Pole than our'own base, therefore, the distance to be traversed by tho sledge parties would be lunger. On the otlur hand, the journey over that r.ide might bf over a gradually inclined plane free from obstacles, such as crevasses and pressurj ridges. If r,o_ the journey, though longer, would be' easier, but as we know so iiulo of that sido of the Antarctic, nil discussion of the problem nuist rost more or less on surmise."