CAPTAIN SCOTT.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14588, 12 February 1913, Page 11

CAPTAIN SCOTT.

WHAT HIS OFFICERS THOUGHT

OF HIM

Some ins'ght into the feelings inspired by Captain Scott in the men who served under him is seen in one or two of the speeches given at the Royal Geographical Society's luncheon the day before tho Terra Xova left London.

Liout. (now Commander) Evans, said"l can assure you that Captain Scott is the hardest worked man in London, and that in everything we have come to him about he lias studied our comfort and not his own. While we go on a yachting cruise, visiting various parts of tho Empire, Captain Scott has the unpleasant duty of going round with the hat in hi.s hand, beseeching people for money to pay his staff. liut Captain Scott need not fear if the money does not come—his staff will go without, and willingly. The very first example of that was when the first mate signed the articles of the ship yesterday. I said, 'What pay? A shilling "a month!'' And every member of the crew signed on without a murmur and would' have signed on for nothing at all, AVell. with a leader like that. I cannot find words on behalf of the officer.s and scientific .staff that will .sufficiently tell you what an honour we feel it to serve under him. and I can assure you that we will do our duty, and more. . . . You will feel tliat Captain Scott has picked the right men when you see them on board this afternoon. They aro going to servo hi— ?yid do their job as British seamen alwa~- tlo."

Dr. G. C. Simpson, the* physiologist of the expedition, said:—"As" a scientist, I feel that wo have got a great deal of work to do. I am constantly being asked why we want to do scientific work particularly at the Poles; well, the simple answer is that at the Poles there are conditions to be found nowhere else on the face of tho earth, and it is our duty to find out all we possibly can about the earth on which wo live. There is plenty of work to do, but what we feel more than anything else is that Captain Scott should have been prepared to burden his expedition, at tremendous expense, with scientific work. The way he has taken up the scientific side of the subject is remarkable, and I am quite sure every scientific member of our staff is really trateful to him for the opportunities o has given ua to work out our science in regions which are difficult to get at. A few evenings ago Captain Scott made tho remark that all the members or the expedition had shown a keenness which is the first step towards success. Everybody can understand how, when wo wero first appointed to the expedition, we were exceedingly keen. It is a little more remarkable that after working two or three months, we arc still very keen, but it is only because wo have been made keen by working with Captain Scott. A few days ago everything had been going wrong with my gear, and I felt rather sick ; I went into the office to speak to Captain Scott about something, anel he was so bright, and his manner was so very jolly, that I came out of the office feeling that I was absolutely bricked-up and ready to go ahead again. Therefore," as a member of the staff, I am auro that whatever success we have it will bo mainly because we have got such a.leader to help us along"