AMUNDSEN'S, PLANS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12707, 9 March 1912, Page 3

AMUNDSEN'S , PLANS.

LETTER TO KING HAAKON;. When Amundsen left Christiania with his expedition, aboard the 'Fram, in August, 1910, his avowed object was the scientific examination of the North Polar basin, and with this end in view he proposed to spend five years in the arctic, drifting over the basin as the. Fram, with Dr Nansen in command, did in 1893-6. He intended to proceed from Christiania via Cape Horn and San Francisco to the Behring Straits, thence to drift in the Fram over the North . Pole and come out on the other side of the world near Spitzßergen/ and in that way to realise Fritjof NanSen's theory that constant current is running over the North Pole in the direction" mentioned. ' , ' A few weeks later, however, the world was surprised to hear that the explorer liad changed his programme, and decided to undertake the conquest of the South Pole before the Arctic expeditidn. On reaching Madeira in September, 1910, Amundsen addressed an explanatory letter to King Haakon of Norway and to the Norwegian Geographical Society. Amundsen said : — „: , „ "From Madiera the Fram goes to the Antarctic to compete in the race for the South Pole. This will, as a matter of course, seem to many people, at the first view .to deviate all through my first plans, but this is not so. •■..lt ,is only an enlargement of the plan and scope of the expedition, and not at all an alteration. It is a necessary- enlargement of tlie plans in order to get the wanted money for the drift across the North Pole. This intention is not taken in a moment, but has beeh. well considered for a lone time. When Dr Coojjj, and Commander Peary returned, b^nTcing the news that they had been at the North Pole, I fully understood that it would be quite impossible for me to get the means or' money 'for" niy. undertaking.^ Without, doubt the third Fram expedition was planned as an expedition of science, and I said myself at the Norwegian Geographical Society's meeting in 1908 that the aim of the expedition was not a hunting for records, but for the exploration of the North .Polar basin; and it was my hope and to realise this plan. But when I published my plan the North Pole had, not been reached and the possibility that the third Fram expedition, in spite «c>f its scientific aims, could reach this geographical spot— which for centuries nas been the object for competition amongst tlie nations — would be an incentive to many people to give financial as well as material asistance. ' But by the news that the North Pole had been reached I at once understood that the necessary money could not be got in the ordinary way. Something had to be done which would attract the public interest. I had , not very much to choose when the North Pole had been reached. Only one problem was left which could awake the public interest, and that was the South P6le. Thus I resolved to, enlarge the plan and take part in 'the .siege of the "South Pole. I have not mentioned this, my plan, before to anybody, because I wished to aeo how matters stood as time went on, and if it would be possible to realise my intention alone. I have made this decision, and I alone can be responsible. From Madeira the Fram will go South, but to' which place in the Antarctic I cannot say. Some of the members of the expedition will be landed with dogs, sledges, stores, and equipment, ,and then the Fram will go out from the ice again in order to survey the ocean in these latitudes. The Fram will first call at Punta Arenas, in the Strait of Magellan, from which place the first- news about the work and further I plans of the expedition will be announced. After that the Fram will proceed to Buenos Ayres where she will probably arrive in June, 1911, but if the ship should not arrive at Punta Arenas there will be no reason for anxiety, because I then will have found' it necessary to keep the ship to winter in the Antarctic. In February or March, 1912, the world may reckon to hear from us again. We will then continue on to San Francisco, where preparations for the North (Pole expedition will be carried out as previously arranged."