POLAR EXPLORATION

Otago Witness, Issue 3115, 26 November 1913, Page 29

POLAR EXPLORATION

THE STEFFANSON EXPEDITION. NEW YORK, November 18. It is reported from Vancouver that the Arctic explorer Steffanson has been lost, but the report is not confirmed. WASHINGTON, November 20. It is regarded here as significant, and as a confirmation of the rumoured disaster to the Stcflanson expedition, that Canada is deciding to abandon Herschell Island and the outposts, owing to the extraordinary storms and ice floes. The provision steamer, which departed from Home in July,, has not reached her destination. She has probably returned. It is impossible to , organise a relief expedition. VANCOUVER, November 18. Captain Backland, an American Arctic navigator, thinks that Captain Steffanson it not lost, but merely pent in the ice while the expedition is camping on the floes. Captain Steffanson had stated that he expected to do this if he were caught in the ice. He did not anticipate any danger. , OTTAWA, November 19. The Marine Fisheries Department attaches little credence to the report of the loss of Steffanson. The expedition possesses every equipment for camping on the ice, ©wen if the ships were lost. Messages received on November 10, from Dr Anderson, on board the supply ship Alaska, did not give any . indication of there being anything wrong. The Government is seeking to communicate with the expedition and secure information. A mail will be sent overland from Edmonton, in Alberta, by a dog team from Herschell Island. THE SHACKLETON EXPEDITION. SYDNEY, November 19. Professor David, of Sydney University, will leave for England on Saturday .with Ih© object of arranging for the publication a geological memoir - of the Shackleton .Untarctic expedition. LONDON, November 24. Kr Ernest ShacVietou was entertained fey members of the Eccentric Club, JJ© stated, in the af a speech, that ■wherti ie« started La t'/forß 16 months’ time h® would make the first. crossing of the

Antarctic Continent. Some of his former comrades would accompany him. He added that if the Royal Geographical Society permitted, hs wished to name the highest point in the South Pole regions Mount Eccentric. RETURN OF THE MAWSON PARTY. SYDNEY, November 19. The Aurora will sail from Hobart for Antarctica to-day. She takes a meteorologist and two wireless operators to man the permanent wireless weather stations which the Federal Government has undertaken to maintain in view of the great value of the daily weather data sent by wireless to the Melbourne Observatory. It is considered probable that Adelaide will be the Aurora’s first port of call on returning from the Antarctic. CAPTAIN AMUNDSEN’S PREPARATIONS. LONDON, November 18. Captain Amundsen has completed his ( crew of 14 men besides his scientific staff! He is equipping with seven years’ provisions, and proposes sailing from San Francisco in June, entering the ice drift in September. Ihe cost of equipping the Fram is £33,000, one-half of which he has already received. He hopes to provide the balance out of his earnings from lectures, the sale of postcards, photographs, and stamps. A financial failure is not anticipated.