AMUNDSEN’S EXPEDITION

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 96, 13 June 1911, Page 2

AMUNDSEN’S EXPEDITION

POLAR ETIQUETTE. I>! Nansen, the famous Arctic explorer, in a letter to “Tire Times” on the question of Captain Amundson’s appearance in what is generally regarded as the British quartei of Antarctica, said:—‘‘As. regards the question whether Amuiid ;-i i. id the right to enter i i< id of lo n'di which had already been the territory of the exploration of others, [ am certain that the President of the Royal Geographical Society expressed the feeling of the British nation when he said that no explorer .obtains any vested light merely by exploration, and that all foreign competition on the Antarctic continent should he welcomed wherever it appeared. This is in full accordance witli the canon of the scientific world universally recognised in all scientific research. For example, if a prominent chemist—-let ns say, the discoverer of radium—was working to solve the great problem of this wonderful ‘metal,’ that could not, of course, prevent other chemists from plunging into investigations in the same subject, and fortunately did not. What would be i ie progress of humanity if it were otherwise? “It would likewise lie deplorable if Amundson’s intended drift voyage across the North Polar Basin from the Belli ing Strait should prevent others from trying that, same route, should they wish to. Such a'simultaneous expedition would, of course, ho welcomed by all as being of the -greatest value; two expeditions give more results than one, and they mutually increase the value of their reci ivo observetions. “Our aim is to increase our knowledge, and the object of geographical expeditions such as these is the exploration of the still unknown pai ts of our globe. If one expedition pencil ates into an unknown region, it is well ; if two penetrate into it, it is still bet.ter. To us the individuals, or whoever may come hist, are only of passing i uteres I ; the main thing is to obtain as full and reliable information an possible about the i:nI sown rj'-irns.”