THE DASH FOR THE POLE

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LIII, Issue 9480, 6 December 1907, Page 5

THE DASH FOR THE POLE

NIMROD EXPEDITION.

INTERVIEW WITH LIEUTENANT

SHACKLETON.

lieutenant Shackleton, who is in charge of the South Pole expedition in the Nimrod, and who is expected to arrive in New Zealand next week, was interviewed on his arrival at Perth. In the course of his interview, Lieutenant, Shackleton said: — "This expedition, as iar as England is concerned, , is & > private one. It received financial assistance from the Duke of Westminster and Sit Rupert Clarke, and is still in need ot funds, but not immediately. I hope to see Australia helpV' He has arranged to give a lecture in Melbourne on 3rd December, and in Sydney .. later, leaving on the 16th for Lyttelton, where the Nimrod now is. She is to leave New Zealand «a Ist January.

"We should reach the ice about 25th January," said Lieutenant Shackletan;< "and remain there about a month. Professor David, geologist, of Sydney, will come down for the trip. The Nimrod will leave us on Ist March for Lyttelton, and also visit the Australian ports, as the people will be anxious to see her. While the party is in the ice, the Nunrod will engage in a magnetic survey across the Indiatt Ocean to ascertain the variations of the south magnetio pole, swinging every 500 miles. After landing, we will erect huts, and make preparations. We will have motor cars, 16 Manchuria-n ponies, and 12 dogs. Our own party will number 12. We will have a long winter on the ice. The winter begins about 20th Aptil, and, lasts till 22nd August. During that time we will be able to do little but take observations. We will send out parties. W>e are going to King Edward VII. Land, and not to Erebus, as we did in the Discovery. We will endeavor to ascertain the best way to go south, and send Dew's back by the ship if we think we have found a passable route, and settle there for the winter.

"The arrival of the spring will see us active. It is very cold there, but we will give the ponies and dogs some trials to make them hardy, and send out and establish depots, -which will be -of use to us when .we make our dash' far ' the Pole! The King 1 and Queen spent some time on board! the Nimrod. The Queen presented me with a Union Jack, and asked' if fortanate enough to reach' the

Pole to place the flag end leave it there* It will be accomplished. Another point in 'connection with the attempt is that we shell have a party out east of those making the dash, and on the return will pick them up, but all will meet at headquarters by 20th January. The Nimrod will leave for New Zealand about 25th December, 1908, take all equipment on board, go north, and then weet along Bellin's Island, then westward along the supposed coast to prove Wilks's Land. We hope to get back to Australia in April, 1909. It is proposed to go Home by Cape Horn, and continue, the magnetic survey. The expedition's instrnments are the -latest known, and include a platinum thermometer, which registers the temperature at a place &>ur miies away by means of a connecting cable. The instruments weigh about a ton and a half."