HISTORY OF THE ENTERPRISE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13876, 29 October 1910, Page 11

HISTORY OF THE ENTERPRISE.

A BRIEF REVIEW.

In September, 1909, Captain Scott announced through tho Press his intention to lead an expedition wliich would have as its main object the planting of the Union Jack at the South Pole. Ho appealed for £40,000 to finance this venture. A meeting was called on October 12th at the Mansion Houso in support of the adventure, tho Lord Mayor presiding, Lord Strathcona, Sir Clements Markbam, Sir Conan Doylo, the Agents-General for the colonies, and other distinguished persons, being present; A resolution was passed- promising support to tho expedition, one speaker adding that lie would be glad to givo £1000. It was announced in January, 1910, that Captain Scott had been granted £20,000 by the British Government in aid of his expedition, and this grant, together with the subscriptions, left' only £8000 or £9000 to be raised. In February the news came that Commander Peary, the discoverer of tho North Pole, intended to lead a rival expedition;.-- th* South Pole, but Captain Scott stated that the Commander did not resolve on tho expedition until he received an assurance that the British welcomed his friendly rivalry. Jfc was also stated that Captain Scott was arranging for co-opera-tiori in meteorological and magnetic •work. He considered the Americans would be taking the longer route, but ftossibly the easier one. The English _a"p]orer now began to make preparation for the despatch from England of the Terra Nova, which event it waa hoped would take place in July or August. In March, Captain Scott lionght. at Cliristiania, sixty sledge* for use in nig expedition, and fifty pairs of unowshoes. His • tests of the motorjledges in Norway, Avhich are to be a feature of the expedition, gave successful nmilts. Each pulled, a load of 19 cwt on tho snow. The number of application- for posts in the expedition had up to now reached over 7000, and were .till pouring in. On tho 22nd March it ■TO announced that Mr Allan Thomson, i Sew Zealander residing at Kalgoorlis, -tad been appointed geologist to the expedition. Captain Soott at the samo" ii__c expressed his gratitude to New Zealand for the donation of £1000, and stated that ho proposed to obtain a considerable portion of his stores in the Dominion. On the 6th of this month «omt> surprise was caused by tho anlicrancement that Lieut. Filch ncr ini.ncjed to lead a-German Antarctic expedition, leaving the Fatherland in tha summer of 1911. The opinion was expressed that it was hardly a. sportsxoanlike venture in view of the prior arrangements made by the British and American expeditions, but any unpleasantness was dispelled by the statement of Lieut. Filchncr • that he intended to leave the discovery of the South Pole to the Anglo-Saxon exprorrr., his object being merely to jmf- the theory that at the Antarcw tho land consists of two islands amded by an arm of the sen. Later *_ amicable intervieAv took place b'e- «__ n Ca - ta > tt Scott and the German officer; avlio discussed his plans Avith ->~, and assured him there would be *o rivalry. It is understood tliat if the two parties meet in the centre of the Antarctic, some of Lieut. Filchner's P ar4 y will accoinpanv Captain "Scott to vie W_dd.u Sea, and some of Captain wotts party will accompany Lieut. *i'-_wr to the Ross Sea. The an--fmewmont that tho Japanese had also P^? netJ n expedition to the Pole, together with tho proposed Shackle ton expedition next year, the problematical Amundsen and the Bruce expeditions, aiould result in the Antarctic no 'onger being classed as a terra inoog""a- On May 3lst the Royal Geo-Cf-phical Society gave a Inncheon to «»_taiu _cbtt and his officers. The cap»«n Tefurred with pride to the Aus"r ia . n f> >•"-«■ Zealander.., and other *™n»l3 associated with the expedition, «*- chimed that he had tried to make expedition. In June the p«r_ Nora, sailing under the White cSS*" lef fc CardifF for .Madeira and Vaprtwrn.. Lieut. Evans, R.N., being COianand. Many ships in the river ™« dressed with flags, and steamers' T_T* wondod a farewell salute to the _Wl-A 0Ta * Q ,lw n Alexandra, at £_M_s- M 1 Palace * Presented Capf.rtVS U ? lth a fla £ to plant on the etnHK? sout!l reached by the S_S ,0n - °T- JoIv " <Jth X ' n S Gw * r - e tain . B i n """*-__«! to tho gallnnt capfrom o n V eleve H days later he sai'Jsd Sir C _H m * 3ton to New Zealand. Jdmi.al Beau_t "fl?.*. i '"chner, and others. Avere *a_n_^!% t^_ bid him i-'owell. On at C-LL lh th ,° Terra No ™ arrived au-fcK™' > lTin K '>«'" dolaved awtaa_^.??.. . ob *«rvation... It was 4th) , t! l at the Union g *- t-4-S. £500 to Cap3rvd SSrf f "P 9^'oll - On September tJwTwJ-*"* Wt I<?ft Capetown oa 0» iE? »IZ* c ? routG for Melbourne. 8.-1-ft .n°i h ., ieut - W - M - Bruce, I-ttdton arrived at -n_fil*«* "rM-areginunediatelv made £ S'KK. f r D™** «n_ do^rs SiftJ l b « Terra Nova and i»Ji.Antarctic vessel ar--J-th nilJZl ™H»on_. on October *«*-„ an, h

telton on October lfi+i, n . • <_ .. proceeding first to *£?„* Ca P ta . ,n . *>' ott .),« vessoP i.r?;„ Sydney, and joining ..no vessel again at Lyttelton It ins announced that tlio -\rZ i /"i ■ . had decided to givo £_5«, ♦" wi expedition. *" C tij(X) *<> asslst * he

Besides the main . _ i • the Pole, there £J of ro:Kl l ■iim. u-l-iieli i". ie\A n «merous scientific .inn.. utiieli it is hoped to attain. They have been stated to bo, briefly, a. iol.'d 'T 1 \J" «plc,rc King Ednaid s Land, to throw further on tho nature and extent of to Great lamer ice formation, and to contiime .no survey of the high mountainous regum ot \ ictona Land. Geological: To examine the entirely unknown region ot King Edward's Land, and to ". ...- tumo the survey of the rocks of Vie f-ria Land. Metooro o _ical: To obtain .synchronous observations at two fixed stations, as well as the weather records ol sledge journeys Magnetic: To duplicate the records of the elements made by the Discovery expedition with matrnctographs: the comparison should throw the most important lh-ht on secular change-." It is proposed to have two bases Ihe base hitherto used has ty-en at McMurdo Sound, and, says the official report, it might at first appear natural to confine a fresh effort to tliis region. "Hut the cause of science and the tradition of British exploration make it desirable that every fresh effort should be directed to breaking new ground." From Kin_ F.dward'<TLand it i.s proposed to make the great sledge dash for the Pole. A novel feature of the expedition will bo the motor sledge. Its advantage., are stated to be:— ([[) it is capable of accomplishing more work for the fuel expended than either the pony or the dog ; (2) it expends no fuel when not actually in use ; (3) it is sufficiently long to bridge dangerous crevasses. The official programme states: —"The plan which has. been outlined to secure the main object of tlie expedition, together with subsidiary plans for tho complete exploration of King Edward VII. Land, Avill necessitate the establishment of a strong party of men at tlie winter stations, and a more ample equipment than has hitherto been taken. It follows that the ship in which the expedition embarks must be suitable in size as well a_ strong enough to enter the heavy pack ice likely to be met ivith in tho region of King Edward VII. Land." This last requirement is amply met in the stout and serviceable vessel which is with us to-day.