TO THE SOUTH POLE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 760, 8 March 1910, Page 5

TO THE SOUTH POLE.

——♦ —— ■ VIA ATLANTIC. GERMANS WILL JOIN IN THE HUNT. A "HIGH PERSONAGE" AIDS. By Telegraph—Press Association— Cooyrlrtt Borlin, March 6. ! First Lieutenant Elchner, of the German General Staff, and an explorer ur Tibet, the Pamirs, and Turkestan, will lead a German Antarctic expedition, which it is hoped mil start in Ootober, 1910. The purposes establishing a base on the Weddell Sea (on the Atlantic side of the Antarctic Continent), and then crossing the Continent to RO6S Sea (the PaciSo side). On reaching the Pole, he will follow Sir E. Shackleton's route bo the Boss Sea, mooting midway a provision depot established by a subsidiary expedition ' from Boss Sea.. If two ships participate in the expedition, it will cost =0100,000; if only one, tho cost will be .£OO,OOO. A high personage , has anonymously contributed and others £3000. Lieutenant Filchner explained his plana : to a meeting of . the Geographical Society; in Berlin. Professor Nordenskjold, who was present, expressed his approTal of the plans. " ' ' l THE KAISER'S INTEREST. The "high personage" is. possibly ■ tha Kaiser. He took a keen personal interest in Sir Ernest Shackleton's lectures in Ger-. many, and gave the English explorer an interview;: Sir Ernest 6tatas that ha, found the Kaiser excellently versed in the technical points of Antarctic exploration, and full of enthusiasm. It is also notable that Germans in general took the liveliest interest in Sir E. Shackleton's lectures, acoepted cheerfully his hastily studied German, and showed keen'' appre-. ciation of his work. , ; : The German plan, of attack." from'; the Atlantic side is only a variant—if a variant—of the scheme outlined in the first place by Dr. Bruce, subsequently approved by Sir E. Shaokleton, and adopted in the main by the United States in connection with the projected American expedition. With the Americans and Germans operating'frofn the Atlantic,' and Captain Scott from the , Pacific . along Shackleton's route', the chances of : reaching the South Pole should be good. When Dr. Charcot returns ho may be able to tell the Americans and Germans comathing about the Weddell Sea. !