THE SOUTH POLE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 143520, 8 June 1911, Page 3

THE SOUTH POLE.

JAPANESE EXPLORERS’ OATH. By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. SYDNEY, June 7. It is stated authoritatively that the Japanese explorers, before leaving home, took an oath not to return until they reached the South Pole. The captain of the ship, who had not taken the oath, returned to Japan to place the true position before the public'in the hope of raising additional funds. CAPTAIN AMUNDSEN'S PLANS. ESTABLISHING DEPOTS. (Received June 8, 8.5 a'.m.) LONDON, June 7. Captain Amundsen, in a letter to The Times dated February 9, gives his reasons for having originally believed that the Bay of Whales was produced by underlying land or rising ground. These were confirmed when he saw the formations more clearly and sharply defined, 'and at the southern end distinctly discerned hills and valleys indicating underlying land or shoals. Here it arrested the course of a mighty glacier and forced it out to either side. Captain Amundsen christened the station established in Latitude 78deg. 40min. 'South “Framheim.” He intended to establish his main depot at 80deg. South and a smaller one as far south as possible. Ho hoped to reach 83dog. for the smaller depot in the autumn before the dark season. A GENEROUS OFFER. (Received June 8, 9.35 a.m.) MELBOURNE, June 8. The director of the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism at the carnegie Institute, Washington, has offered the loan of a complete set of magnetic instruments- to the Mawson expedition. The offer is conditional on securing the services of Mr. Norman Webb, of Christchurch, or some other competent person.

The sudden change of Captain Amundsen’s plans has caused some comment but is explained in a letter he wrote to Dr. Nausen, his former leader. From this letter we learn that when in the autumn of 1909 news arrived of the journeys of Cook and Peary in the 1 Arctic regions, it became clear to Captain Amundsen that the 'wind was taken out of his sails. He’ came to the conclusion, which was afterwards justified by events, that there was no longer any chance of obtaining the rest of the money, some nine thousand pounds needed fo rthe long Arctic' voyage he was then contemplating. He never thought of abandoning his object, but he that he would have to change his plans. To reach ‘the South Pole wpsf m his view, the Only bit of Polar 'exploration left of a kind sufficiently spectacular, and sensational to reawaken public interest and bring him the money he needed. Though not inpossession/ of funds for a voyage of five years or so, such as he contemplated in the Arctic regions, ho thought himself sufficiently equipped to make a dash for the South Pole, in the. hope that he would by success in that direction obtain funds to carry out his ■origirial intentions. But he seems to have had no hope of obtaining the consent of his friends and supporters, so ha kept his plans sceret, started ostensibly for the North Pole via Cape Horn and Behring’s Straits, and told no one of bis real intentions until he reached Madeira last August. When he communicated his plans to Dr. Nansen he expressed his regret that he could not have informed Captain Scott, and declared his intention not to land near the English expedition, saying “they, of course, have the first right, and we shall have to be content with what they leave us.” They have left’ plenty of room, for the South Polo is a long way from the open sea in every clirec. tion. So far as can bo understood from rather vague messages, the bases of the English and Norwegian expeditious are in fact a long way apart, and their routes to the Pole must be totally distinct, although they have met and exchanged courtesies.