THE NORTH POLE

Evening Star, Issue 14163, 13 September 1909, Page 6

THE NORTH POLE

PEARY'S JOURNEY. THE PLANTING OF FLAGS. Press AssDciation—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, September-11. ' The Times' continues Peary's record beyond the 88th parallel. He covered twenty miles in one day, the doge sometimes running on. ioe which was grinding in every direction. The keen air was like frozen steel. A few miles from the Pole tliere was scarcely any snow. He covered forty miles in twelve hours. He made a stop of thirty hours with four Eskimos at the Pole, and planted flags there. There was no special incident during the return to Columbia, where he arrived almost lifeless with fatigue. PEARY AND COOK. / NEW YORK, September 11. Lieutenant Peary telegraphs that he will prove that Dr Cook never reached the Pole. The United States Geodetic Survey Department has offered to arbitrate' between the claims of Peary and Cook. COOK LEAVES COPENHAGEN. A GREAT SEND-OFF. COPENHAGEN, September 11. Dr Cook was tendered aji enthusiastic farewell from Copenhagen. The shipping was dressed with flags. He sailed direct for New York. WANT BOTH POLES NOW. AN ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION. NEW YORK, September 12. (Received September 13, at 9.10 a.m.)

Peary's exploit has given a great impetus to the American idea of flying the Stars aiid Stripes at both Poles. There is renewed talk of equipping an Antarctic expedition. THE QUEST OF THE POLE, Last evening the Rev. P. W. Fairelough based his remarks on the quest of the Pole. The text was: "He stretcheth out the north over empty space and hangeth the earth upon nothing." The mysterious north, said the speaker, had excited wonder for thousands of years. Tacitus tells of the region where the sun did not set at night nor the stars appear, and where the horses of the Sun God's car could be plainly seen. "The boundaries of nature, it is generally believed, terminate here." The English quest of the North-west Passage led to the first serious invasion of Arctic Tegions. This was scarcely given up when the unpractical siege of the Pole took its place. All through living memory money, invention, valor, and life have been poured out in this quest. No enterprise of man has ever been supported with more fortitude or has better illustrated the invincibility of the human spirit. In superstitious times the disooverv of America, the Cape of Good Hope, and the passage of Cape Horn were great achievements. But these pale before the conquest of the Pole. We really live in spacious times and witness great'events. This can scarcely be an age of decadence that sees such a supreme triumph and finds millions thrilled with interest in it. Yet. considering its cost, the quest of the Pole was highly unpractical. Only great age* can make such efforts for an ideal, for a sentiment. In this unmarketable achievement the Americans have a permanent wealth and boast that no countable billions of dollars could buy. The preacher re ferred to Halley's .Comet, now returning from its seventy-six years' voyage. Hallev on his death-bed Hoped that when his comet returned it would be remembered that an Englishman first foretold the return of a comet. That triumph of the brain of man brings no grist to the mill, but it is one of the finest treasures of our ra.ee all the same. The preacher then turned to the great spiritual quest of purity that fascinates high souls, using the quest of the Holy Grail bv way of illustration.