WHO OWNS THE POLE?

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 642, 20 October 1909, Page 7

WHO OWNS THE POLE?

-——».— — ' : ANOTHER EXPEDITION. -; CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES, <Py ; Telegran))—Press AssQciation-rCopjright.) ; Ottawa, October 18. . A-banquet was given .at Ottawa in honour of Captain Bernier and ..his. cqmra.des of the Government exploring steamer. Arctic,, which has made two annexation-: expeditions to the Far North, the last one being notable for the 'conquering of. the Nprtli-Wost Passage, ns well as the hoisting of thp ..'Canadian flag over many., new lands. Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Canadian Prime Minister, speaking-at the % banquet, stated, that nest, spring tljo Arctic yroultl be fitted for a ,Pp)ar expedition. -..-'.. Captain Bernier, added Sir Wilfrid, would 'be given an unrestricted commission. He could go to thf-Pole, or beyond.—wherever there was land to be claimed. ■ '-,■'•■ ■ CANADA'S HINTERLAND THEORY. ■'v W & 8 1v fT'JPandw Pewy ' "presented". 'the North:Po!o (o rresideni-Toft, Canada promptly repudiated the-claim of the United States with ■regard to . the owptrshjp of tip. Pole. ' The Ottawa Journal" says:— '■•. ' ■ , "They (the Canadian authorities) declare, as they have always declared, that the Polar lapds lymj to the north/of Canada and to the ease, of Greenland are Canadian or, perhaps Wp should say,, British territory to this ex-tept-that tpe eastern and western boundaries of Canada, produced northerly (p on angle at ll» e He ,33ritl>h territory. 'Within :*.» tnanelp iraiildjjp much pf tho land charted within, the polar Circle and much of the land _spocmcaHy visjtod and ojaimed for Canada'bv .Captain Bernier iq the Canadian.vossel, the Arctip. This- theory, of :tho Hinterland has b?sp recently approved 'upon eminent jEur'o- . pean. authority." <,:. .'/,,,■ ... ; '/: ■, ■ f ll '','!!* ot .Conimcns Mr. Asquith' was asked, by. Sir G.J>arker the Canadian novelist; . mf> rnprtßents Qravosend," whether 'the United States hart any. .right ,of., possession on 'land ; pt, ■or adjacent to, the. North Pole, Tp this question.Mr, Asquith declined to givo any definite answer.- > -■■ •..':■. ! * :•■ •-. , A correspondent wrjtes tq «The Times"•: '-'It may t interest your readers to, kpow that q'n October 1,-1001, in the cqurso of a long'inter1 had with the late Sir John'Map.dppald pt his residepcp ip Ottawa, I asked that; distinguished statesman as to what he . considered-to be tho boundary of the Domini'in Territory tp,;.the. porth,.. The. answer pff'sir J°hn was .-immediate and decisive, as recprned in my diary. 1 'He claimed for >hij Dominion ,'alUhe land np'in'the 'North' Pole,, sppcially including the North Pqie,'" ■ ' : \ -.