THE DASH FOR THE POLE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 951, 19 October 1910, Page 7

THE DASH FOR THE POLE.

CAPTAIN SCOTT'S PLANS. SIXTEEN TO START AND FOUR TO FINISH. A PROCESS OF ELIMINATION. By Telegraph—Press Association-Oopyrifflit. (Rec. October 18, 9.5 p.m.) ■ Sydney, October 18.';, Captain Scott, loader of the Britisli Antarctic expedition, states in an interview, that his expedition has easily enough food to last it three years; The main portion consists of pommican and specially-made.-'. biscuits with a largo, amount of proteid in them. The party is taking a little alcohol for use in case of. sickness. They are not rabid teetotallers, but will not take away alcohol ou the dash for, the Pole. !. Thp Main Obleot. The main object of the expedition is to reach: the Pole, but no, opportunity of doing good scientific work will be neglected. : ■ .■-., ; .Captain. Scott, stated, that ;he had' got together a 'staff of soientists . of great experience which was also more numerous than that of any previous expedition, y ' ■ :"■.' : 1 '• '■ '. ■ The .motor-sledges he was -taking were the result of yea,rs of experiment and had - been brought as near per-, fection as possible./; The stores included 1600 gallons of petrol. ■.',;■''•'.. Marconi had offered .to put in a wireless plant "on the Terra Nova, and with its aid and everybody's shoulders to the wheel he hoped to cover the last 111 miles to the Pole, which Sir Ernest Shackleton had 'failed to traverse. - The Polar Party. Describing tho plans for the Polar party, Captain Scott said ho hoped, after laying depots, to make a start in ■ October of next year. The party would coqsifat of sixteen specially chosen from among the hardiest men. They would .have to travel at g;iveu intervals and four would go back on each occasion. Tho fittest would bo picked to go on until only four remained. Those Would make the final dash. By this process of elimination ho hoped to accomplish his object. There wqs no such thing in Polar work as certainty, but he was sure of overyono going to work in the right spirit, with a firm idea of getting to tho Polo. Regarding finance, Captain Scott said he thought ■ tho Commonwealth would double! its subscription. i A Reception at Sydney; The Lord Mayor and a representative gathering welcomed Captain Scott at the Town Hall. Profosspr David, who was geologist in the Shackleton expedition, declared that he was fully confident that Captain Scott, would fulfil his mission. Captain Scott, (in replying, asked why they should not keep the whole land lying to the south of for the British race arid say we do not want other nationalities to write thoir names on the lands south of this country. The meeting decided to approaoh Mr. Hughes, Prime Minister, .with a view to getting the Federal Government to double its grant towards the expedition.; -■, :> V " : :\ .-}■■■;■ ■ i!l \:,:']; •■:•—•■ V J , .