TRUE BRITISH SPIRIT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19831, 29 December 1927, Page 9

TRUE BRITISH SPIRIT.

SOUTH POLAR VENTURES. REPLY TO CAPTAIN AMUNDSEN. LONDON, Dec. 23. Referring to the allegation of Captain Roald Amundsen, the Norwegian Polar explorer, that " the British race are bad losers," Mr. H. G. Ponting, the wcttknown explorer, who was with Captain Scott's 1910-13 South Polar expedition, contributes a striking letter to the Times. Mr. Ponting says Amundsen organised a North Pole expedition in 1910, but he changed his plans and went south. Captain Scott, whose plans were known to the world, heard of Amundsen's change when at Capetown. Ho thought the Norwegians would make (heir baso at We d - dell Sea.

Captain Scott's eastern party went to the Bay of Whales to establish a base, according to tho published plans, and found tho /Norwegians there. As the same base was impossible, Scott's party departed. In spite of the nearness of the Norwegians, Captain Scott was too keen a scientist to jeopardise an important undertaking by racing. He was further delayed owing to the failure of his ponies and dogs. Captain Amundsen's expedition was rot concerned with science, except as regards meteorological and gravity observations. Therefore tho twelfth hour change could only be regarded as inspired by a desire to deprive the British from crowning their long and valuable exploration in the South, in which they hiVd been pioneers since Cook first crossed the Antarctic Circle. " May we not point with pride," says Mr. Ponting, "to the fact that when Scott saw Amundsen's tent at the South Pole, and saw his life's ambition blasted, he wrote in his journal paying tribute to Amundsen?" i The true Bcitish spirit, when fairly beaten, to clasp the hand of a successful rival, was never more chivalrously exemplified than in Scott's gallant, lines written amid the Antarctic snow. Moreover, Captain Scott was chiefly sympathetic with his comrades in their disappointment, instead of lamenting tho death of his own hopes.