THE ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13876, 29 October 1910, Page 8

THE ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION.

It is within a month of nine years since Captain Scott first sailed up Lyttelton harbour, bound on tho Antarctic .expedition which waa to bring him famo as an explorer, to mako his name familiar in our months as a household word, and to give New Zealand an interest and a pride in tho work whioh he began tliat has remained fresh and strong to this day. This morning we ehall welcome him again, as the tried commander of another expedition which we all believe is to accomplifih the task lying before it, "The third tim. pays for all," and no one allows himself to dotibt that this third Antarctic expedition, profiting by the experience and knowledge ro painfully gained by Captain Scott and Sir Ernest Shackleton in former yeare, will attain the goal and place tho Union Jack at tha South Pole. No doubts as to tho possibility of this final and crowning success of dertaking could live in face of the splendid confidence displayed by the members of tho expedition, confidence that is largely based on trust in Captain -Scott and belief in his powers, such as the leader of any expedition might be proud to enjoy. Those of the public _vho do not know Captain Scott personally can judge of his qualities of leadership by his record of achievement as commander of tho Discovery expedition, and by the implicit faith that his subordinates repose in him. But leadership alono would not do much towards winning for England tho honour of first reaching the South Pole; it is indispensable, but so _tr_ several other things—the most careful selection of tho members of tho expedition, the completest and most scientific preparations for the work that aro possible, and the best equipment that money can buy or friendship offer. All these will go to the ultimate success of tho Terra Nova expedition, for all havo been attended to with tho greatest care. To the fullest extent possible Captain Scott has sought to profit by the mistakes and the experience of his own and the Nimrod expeditions, when so much had to be learned in a branch of exploration never before attempted. Not all tho lessons of work in the Arctic regions, where so many of the British race had won renown, could bo applied to the wastes of the Antarctic continent. Methods had to bo found to meet conditions that no Arctic explorer had encountered, and in some cases they were only discovered after experience had shown the error of the methods that wctg first adopted. Among those *>vho will shortly sail from Lyttelton for the solitudes of tho south will be, apart from Captain Soott, a number to whom Antarctica is no new land. Tlie Discovery men had not to be called by their leader when he dcci ded to make another effort to accomplish tho last great feat of geographical exploration that remains to be performed. Like the "Pelican men" of Drake's day, thoy pleaded to be chosen to accompany him on an enterprise more difficult and

offering greater hardships than even Drake's men knew. The fascination that men find in the most desolate and forbidding land on the face of the globe is one of the most amazing manifestations of tho love of adventure that the history of mankind affords. But it is also a proof of enthusiasm and courage that evokes one's sincere admiration, mingled with thankfulness that the spirit wliich did so much to make England great still survives _o strongly to redeem this rather commercial age from the reproach of overwhelming sordidness. To soino people the conquest o r the South Pole is nothing, "less than "nothing and vanity," btcaune there is "no money in it"; to others it i.. sir. inspiration to heroic effort that regards monetaiy gain as a very- little thing, a summons to adventure with dangers known and unknown, and as reward the sheer satisfaction of having conquered them.,