ADDITIONAL NEWS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVII, Issue XLVII, 12 March 1912, Page 5

ADDITIONAL NEWS.

NOTHING SEEN OF SCOTT

ALTITUDE THE <: U EAT I-'. ST DIFFICULTY. ABSENCE OE LIFE AT THE POLE. POLE. (Received March 12. 10.10 a.m.) LONDON, March 11. The "Chronicle"" publishes additional news from Amundsen, who says : —"1 saw nothing of Scott, but if he d:d not reach the Pole sooner than myself it is exceedingly likely that ho did later. •'The altitude was the greatest difficulty. Sometimes wo were 16,590 it. (figures queried). The Pole is at- an altitude of 10.500 ft. and while there we had difficulty in breathing. "Twenty-four dogs were killed at latitude 85j,- "degrees. They were fat and made good eating. The dogs always had full meals. Three of the best- dogs were lost by desertion, and the return journey showed that they plundered one depot. "There was a remarkable absence oi life. Two skua gulls were seen at 84 £ degrees. Christmas Day was spent at a high altitude. Extra .biscuits and porridge were allowed." Amundsen attributes his success to the use of skis and the magnificent condition of the dogs, which were quite fatat the end of the journey. They suffered no real hardship. The King Edward Land expedition saw a bird of a. new species. They were unable to erect a cairn at the Pole owing to the absentee of s-tones. Amundsen conisiders that the calm still weather is a prevalent condition round the Pole.

THE MAWS ON EXPEDITION. GIFT FROM CAPTAIN AMUNDSEN. (Received 10.50 a .'in.) HOBART, This Day. Capt. Amundsen, during an interview announced his intention of .presenting the Mawson expedition with 21 Greenland dogs and two sledges used in his expedition. He is giving advice in regard to the Ma%vson relief ship. Previous expeditions had declared, that the normal conditions in these seas were terrible. His experience was entirely contrary. CAPTAIN AMUNDSEN. PREVIOUS EXPLORATIONS. PLANS KEPT DARK. Captain Ronald (Raold) Amundsen is a Norwegian. 39 years of age. He took part in the Belgica Antarctic expedition, and "with Mm was the famous Dr. Cook, .the "Polar tourist."- In 1903 he figured in the Arctic, exploring the ocean between Spitsbergen and Greenland. In 1906 he made a. very distinct- claim to fame, his work in that year making him the only explorer who has ever made the North-West Passage in his ship from sea to wea. During a- visit to London in 1909, he announced, at the Royal Geographical Society, his intention to undertake a seven years' expedition to A lie tic regions, drifting over the North Polar basin. Upon this venture h e was supposed to have started in 1910, when his vessel, the Fram (Dr. Nansen's famous Fram) sailed south .through the Atlantic, ostensibly to round the Horn and attack t'he North Pole via the Pacific and Behring Straits. But in August, 1910 (his letter was dated "The Fram, August 22"J, Captain Amundsen wrote back from Madeira-, stating that-, before attempting the North Polar drift voyage he intended to engage in a South 'Polar expedition. This was the first intimation of his change of plans, and the world in general was still left in ignorance to to what part of the Antarctic continent the Fram landed him ; an ignorance which the captain of .the Fram, on returning to Buenos Aires after landing Amundsen and his South Polar party did nothing to dispel. It was left to Captain Scott's eastern party (under Lieut. Campbell) to locate the Fram and Amundsen at the Bay of Whales, an indention in the part of the Antarctic continent known as King Edward VII. Land, east of Captain Scott's base at Cape Evans, McMurdo Sound, near Mount Erebus. Captain Amundsen was establishing his camp about two miles from the edge the ice-barrier at the Bay of Whales, when Captain Scott's men met him in February, 1911.