AIMS AND ITINERARY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1087, 28 March 1911, Page 6

AIMS AND ITINERARY.

EXPLAINED BY CAPTAIN SCOTT. A JOURNEY IN THREE PHASES. In the course of a lecture describing the plaii of his expedition, Captain Scott stated that the explorer, to fulfil his mission properly, must lie able to give more than n mere- account of his movements; he must'take every advantage of his unique-'-position to study natural phenomena. This,task called for special knowledge and special training in many branches. "I have,"'- ho said, "arranged for a scientific staff larger than that which has been carried by any previous expedition, with an expensive outfit of scientific implements." Cantain Scott dwelt on the essential importance, in his view, of this work of scientific research, replying to those who in view of the published aim of the expedition, namely, to reach the South Pole, might criticise it as unnecessary. He then gave an itinerary of the expedition. At M'Jlurdo's Sound one of the two bases to the expedition would bo placed. Tlio other party will make its winter, quarters on King Edward Land, about five hundred miles away. It will bo one of the main objects of the expedition to find out the interior of King Edward Land, that mysterious ice-edged country which the earlier expeditions have no more than photographed from a distance. The present knowledge of the land is of the roughest description. The party landed hero will bo very .fully supplied with supplies and equipment for research. "They will," .Captain Scott Mid, "have to face unknown dangers and. terrors in the journey they undertake. but I can imagine no direction in which dangers and difficulties will bo more amply rewarded." Having landed tho two parties, the Terra Nova will sail from M'Murdo's Sound about the third week in February with a staff of scientists on board, who will carry out biological and other observations.

The Dash for the Pole. From the two bases the task of the expedition will bo to reach tho South Pole in the short season that is available. From either of the bases the distance to tho Pole is about 750 miles. The parties left at these stations will spend the winter in collecting scientific data, and the final dash over tho inland sheet of ico will bo made by men picked out of the rest as beiny in tho fittest condition and best able to stand the privations of tho journey. The journey is divided into iflmt Captain Scott called three great phases—first across a plateau, then over a

liugo barrier of ice, finally over mountainous country which shuts olf tho neighbourhood of llio Polo. Moans of transport cannot ho taken beyond the first phase, and tile final effort will be made by men alone. The only way to get beyond tho point reached by Sir Ernest Shnckleton would, lie explained, be to take a larger number of men, pending them back at intervals. The achievement of the Pole, in view of the distance to be traversed and the difficulties, Coptain Scott told us, is by 110 moans a certainty. "The last pha=e of the journey must be done under climatic conditions which are inoro severe than ill any part of the Arctic or Antarctic regions." He does not propose to start 011 the final dasli before October, 1311, and he " hopes to reach the Pole in December —that is, in the Antarctic midsummer. December 22 would bo an ideal day for reaching the Pole, for 011 that day the sun will be at its highest, and it will maintain tho same altitude for nearly 21 hours. The position of the Pole could be determined within the accuracy of one mile. Such is, roughly, tho outline of the plan.

Captain Scott's Companions. Captain Scott went on to describe fully the scicntilic staff and equipment. The staff is r.ow practically complete. Lieutenant E. R. G. Evans, who has had a good deal of Polar experience, is the chief officer, and Dr. Wilson the chief of the scientific staff. A great deal of attention I will bo given to geological research, and three geologists will accompany the party. Meteorology, Captain Scott said, "becomes a moro and more important study in Polar research, for Polar conditions have a predominant effect upon the weather of the whole world. The main scientific work will be done by the land parties, but those who remain 011 the shi.p will have muck to do in such directions as resurveying any lands that are sighted. The whole party numbers fifty, half of them officers from the Navy, and all have been carefully selected for the work, "and all of them," t'leir leader added, "have already evinced that enthusiasm which is tho stepping-stone to success." After this Captain Scott showed on the screen some of his excellent photographs of life in the land of the South Pole, with a pleasantly humorous stream of _ comment. Ho did not mention in this lecture one of the most interesting features of the eouipment., This is the use of motor-sledges, which are to lie practically tested for the first time in Polar I work. Three motor-sledges will be taken I which havo been tested on tho snow of Norway, where they answered well. It is | expected that 011 the erlacier ise they will cover about ten or fifteen miles a day, and considerablv relieve the strain on the dogs. At least fifty sledges have been presented to the expedition. Captain Scott states that, with the exception of -£2000 or r raonf) all the monev needed for tho exr.edition —namely, ,£40,000, has been raised, and he does not expect that thero will bo 0, serious deficit.