THE COLONIST. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1913. A NATIONAL CALAMITY.

Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13647, 12 February 1913, Page 4

THE COLONIST. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1913. A NATIONAL CALAMITY.

Never ha^'thei^ been-told a story more" ca|k>ulat^d to Vprbfqundiy Jmov© tlie admiration and compassion' of the world 'than the narrative, that has been "found; in tho diary of. Gaptain Scott. It is a! storey of heroism, fortitude and devotion of the loftiest nature, and auroly.equalto any thai haß; thrilled the :wfflii^Tforl3^^^ ' the a^f ul "ordeal; tha-i o^»minenced' with: j tjbe to Petty-Offioer Ev&ns; ! which added tHe burdon of a ielplesfi' member to an already: over-fatigued p*rtj?V- 4After ""this ; .reverse .on© misr fortunoj followed f ■ another, ,--\^'d; within ■'/[ /little' more ."."■ than ' l_kv\i

an ; ordinary dtiy's march ', of succour and the certainty of.a safe return to civilisation and the plaudits of the world the survivors fought a struggle against starvation and exhaustion during a 'terrible period to which the grim annals of Polar exploration scarcely furnish a parallel. The story of Captain Scott's diary is a noble record of dauntless courage.and magnificent selfsaorifice such as must surely rank among the greatest glories of exploration. ..We were .prepared to congratulate the gallant band, on the achievement of %h& goal it was' their aim to accomplish, while at the same time we were prepared to learn on the Terra Noya's return that they had not. Attained that object. -We all of us realised, ever, that whether Captain Sootb suc•jceefled^rifailed -in. feat of iboistiiig tite Tlnion Jack at ik* South. ' Pole foe would -Xhaye amassed raordsof ■'. thri gr^ttsi*i&E»rtaiioe ani value' to scieoce.. !,Ho: ;flid rbpth,, But unhappily; at the ; costi ; of,' ; the lives devo%%to the exj^nsipia' -,'o^ ledgeKoflihe je.as£^^ name^ are. .a^dm jto >th^ ;; already long list?-of ■-■ explorers who havo sacrificed their lives iiri the siariie cause, but whose* - Actual adiieyeineiltg ;,".'are dwarfed ';hy, oomparison with tliose of tlie : expjeditioh whose'; fate ;t,he world mourns today,"! ;^aw^aitiiig!;de^tb::andi 'we, may; be sure^ dbiiig "all that a great heaijtedr man could; alleviate the suf-^ ferings- of;; his HcompanJqns, 'Captain Scott;.hever'lost.'sight;of t.he work• he set put to aocomplish, an^i liq left a complete record of scientific results for the relief party to give'to thovyorld. It, was, no doubt a disappointment to the party to find on reaching the J'ole that they had been forestalled by Captain Amundsen, but their "disappointment we may be certain was not tinged by the jealousy ' and. chagrin metv of lesser calibre might well have felt.- In an extract from a letter quoted in another column, written almost at the moment of departure on .the dash to the Pole, when h© had learned tbat Amundsen's plans had undergono a change; and that the Norwegian •■explorer- was a rival in Antarctica, Captain Scott fully recognised the probability of Amundsen being the first to make the Pole. ' 'As. any attempt at a race might have been fatal to; our, chalice of getting to the Pole at all," he wrote, ','1 decided to do exactly nsi should have done had Amundsen; s.ot been here. If he gets to the Polo hp: will be abound ta ; 'do it .rapidly witk dogs, and one foresees that success -viU justify:hiin:'; Anyway he is taking a big risk y and if he gets through he wiJ! have 'deseirv^d his luck." As Sir Clements Markham Avroto ; iiv March last: "Captain- Scott >corDmands a thorougliiy; equipped: expedition:, the

■groat object of which is to complete hi& former work, including a journey to the South Pole. 1 believe that he intended to reach that position at the host timv for observations with thoodolitcs--mid-suramor; and I have no doubt that xir has done so. It was a part of an admirably conceived scheme of scientific research. There was no question oi •racing or conquering. The grand object was very far from that: it was valuable research in every branch of science." Amundsen's plan different. Ho conceived the idea of making a dash for the South Pole, and his presence was o*nly found out by the Toiri Nova arriving where he landed. Cap tain Scott knew nothing about it until his return from, his great depot journey late in the autumn. His plans wen? then all matured, and Amundsen's scheme, if he had known what it was, would not have affected them in J>i\e slightest degree. As for tho series of unexpected reverses which led to tragedy when an oven greater success was in sight than any of us had hoped for as tho result of tho expedition, wo do not need Captain Scott's passionate and pathetic asseveration that the scheme of. operations was.' not^at fault. Wo know thai every precaution against disaster foresight and experience could devise had been taken, nui the tragic fate of'the"Pole-party was, as he says, duo to misfortune in all tha risks that had to be undertaken. Fha concluding words of the leader's Message to the Public will touch a responsive chord in ail hearts :-^'Tor my own sake I do not regret a journey which has shown that Englishmen can endure hardships, help one" another, and meet death. Avith'ae great fortitude as ever.. We took a. Hsk<, and things came out againsi us; (therefore we1 have no cause foricomplaiiit, but must bexw to the will of Providence. ;. . . BL&<£ we lived I shotild■;haye.-.h*fl/ v a' tale tQ -Cell'of the hardihood, endurance, and courage of my?;\.com'pah'ioh§'':'' which wotild have stirredthe Weart Jsof Englishmen." Nor ,will his appeal .to the nation to take i^o welfare of their dependents—Qiis last thought^into its hands, be given effect in any but the spirit so obvious a ■national obligation .requires, - |