The Timaru Herald. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1909 THE NORTH POLE—AMERICAN.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 11997, 4 September 1909, Page 4

The Timaru Herald. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1909 THE NORTH POLE—AMERICAN.

Dr Frederick Albert Cook, a citizen of the United States,- companion of Commander Peary m his Arctic expeditions of 1892 and 1895, leader* of V leaser adventure on .the Greenland' coast in 1894, possessed with the idea' that ho could eclipse nil previous efforts and reach the North Polo alone (so fair as white Companions are coni eerned) has carried out his idea, successfully. Leaving New York in a 10-ton vessel, and ostensibly on a mere ! hunting expedition, he broke away from civilisation without advertise--ment, and in fourteen months, returns, . victorious. Dr, Cook had the advan- ] ~t:»go,of the experience gained bv Pear.v, in a dash for the Polo iiv' 1906, when the hero of many notable Arctic-ex-cursions gained a "farthest north'''in lat. 87.06, boating Xansen's 86.14 in 189.J, and Calm's 8G.34 in 1900. Peary failed to reach the Pole hy about 200 miles; hut ho learned one important . fact regarding the conditions or the.) enterprise. This was that between Greenland and the Pole the winds blowsteadily from the west, causing the ifce ' to drift eastward, so that trying to reach the Pole is like rowing across a river, and the secret' of filial success,-' said Peary, is "to start f nrther , w est.'j Apparently Dr Cook made use of this' knowledge, for instead of starting/ as J Pear.v did for his ,aash', from the north ] end of Grant Land about Int. 83, he staited from a more westerly point, I Cape Hubbard, on Axel Heiberg Land, ' in lat. 81.40 or 81.-30; and possibly, i when in his last letter home ho said ihe was going to ''take a straight course for the Pole," lie meant to I make it straight by making full' allow'j 'into for the easterly > drift of the ice ' upon which he travelled. At all events he succcded in reaching the coveted I goal. One message yesterday suggested that Dr Cook had only reached the magnetic pole. That is I as the magnetic pole is on the coast of Canada in lat. 7Qf.71) and far to the south-west of Dr Cook's starting point. And now .that he has, reached the Poje, what is the "good of it? Commander Peary Ims answered the question better than we fan do, in ,an address he nave, some time ago to the-American National Geographical Society, on the results of his expedition of 1905-6, when as above-mentioned.he,, gained a "farthest north." , .."Tothe popular mind (he said) has been given the satisfaction of feeling that- the Stars and Stripes stand first, ,uul ; that avc possess a,,new \wnld|s record in in field in which the most enlightened nations of the world have been striving to emulate each other for three centuries. '.,. To the, popular mind the fact that the Kt.irs and Stripes sire in the load is the one that appeals with instant strength; and T ''o »°t wonder at it, lor any, record ,lliat~reprr,sents, a manlytest of brains and body is a, distinct asset to niiy, nation: . mid when the wires tell the world that the Stars find Stripes crown the Nmth Pole, every one i»l us millions, from child to centenarian, from farm labourer and delver, in the mines up to the ' first grntleman' in the land, will pause for a

moment from consideration of Jiis .own individual horizon and life interests, to feel proude.r and better .that he is . iin American.and by projfy pwns the top of the earth." This satisfaction has ,hern given to "ns millions" of the United States. , Hut Mr Peary would not he content with American ownership of "the top of the earth." He went on prophesying. "The dis> covery not only of the North hut, of the South .Polo as well, is not only our

I privilege, mil 0111 «ui> •«"" ut «■ "*> ■" much as the building ct the P.in.una Canal and the control of the Pacific. . The attainment of the North and South Poles by Ameucan expeditions would he worth to this country ni.mv times the few thousands needed, just ior the closer bond, the deeper patnotism resulting, when everyone of the luindied millions oi us could say, 'The St .us and Stripes float at both ends at the eaith's axis and the whole woild turns" about them.' Merc "sentiment perhaps; hut sentiment'has won b.ittles and overthrown empir.es, and makes the difference between Satan .iiul Saint " This is stimulating talk, •ind it is a very pretty challenge, which it behoves our Seotts and, Shackletons and other Britishers of tjieir tastes, (experience and endurance to take note of. It is a popular thing among Un-

tisJiers to construct tableaux entwining the I'moii Jack and tho Stars and Stupes, not so popular— not a popular thins -»t all—mi the United States. We have national sentiment enough to hope that if the Americans ever do arrange tableau* compiismg V both ends i>t tho earth's axis,", they will lia\e to combine both flags. * John Hull must jiot 'let t'rule Sam ann.es both Poles, or Commander Pearls forecast rcgaiding the control of tlio Panne may also be realised. The United States deserved to \yin the North Pole, as the rpwaid-of repeated endeavour jJmt w,ith South Africa., and Australasia geographically dominating the Antarctic continent,* the tJnion Jack, and not the Stars and Stripes, ought to be the national emblem , to' flutter in the gales of the Styuth l?ole. [The- foregoing \\ as w i itten ai|d in type before the 'receipt of last night*a cable message with its details of Dr Cook's journey, and its suggestion' of doubts as to the truth of his story. It is unfortunate that Dr Cook' will be unable to,meet doubts by proofs, and that the doubters cannot produce, i any proofs either. One hit of circumstantial evidence does tell against Dr Cook's storv. K Pcar>V experience is to be relied on that the ice in that region drifts to the east, it «nuld 'seem to be almost impossible for" Dr (Cook to have made so much westing on ,hw return, as to bring up hi Prince "Qustav Sea.]