THE RACE FOR THE SOUTH POLE

West Coast Times, 26 April 1910, Page 1

THE RACE FOR THE SOUTH POLE

WHO WILL HE THE FIRST?

“SPORT HE PLOWED.” GERMANS MAY ENTER FOR THE ANTARCTIC RACE. LONDON, March 11. “Fretting and straining like a grey-, hound on the leash,” Captain Bartlett, who will lead the American Antarctic expedition, has returned from Newfoundland to New York, presumably to supervise the preparations for his South Polar cruise.

Captain Hartie.tt is described as “the (Shackleton of America.” He.it was who helped to got within 119 miles of the North Pole, and then turned hack to allow Peary to push on to the goal. Ho thinks the Antarctic travelling will ho rather easier than the Arctic . As ho explained to the New York correspondent of the London Daily Telegraph; “In the Arctic around the North Pole there is always that terrible nightmare of shifting ice and open water. 'The high wind.-t and crevassses of the A ntarctic have difficulties of their own, hut they seem preferable to me than the haunting knowledge of a dangerously in seen re surface of ice. Even the Eskimos hate to leave the sight of land, and Arctic explorers are like fools who have rushed in where angels fear to tread.”

Rear-Admiral Peary says that this race to the South Pole will be tbe most nerve-racking contest the, world has ever scon, so Captain Bartlett was asked whether the sporting side of the affair appealed to him. “Not the least bit,” said the Newfoundlander drily. “Sport bo biowed! Tins race, if ever it comes off, will be practically decided before it has begun. It is chiefly a question of equipment, organisation and training. I believe Captain Scott will reach the South Pole, but it will bo a bard, uphill, continuous fight every yard of the way. America will also roach the South Pole, but who reaches the goal first, England or America, depends upon what I have said about preliminaries. The idea some people have of a pack of dogs galloping south in quick stages,, with hot coffee at convenient stopipng places for explorers on their way, is childish.” ,“Wcre you present when Peary in Greenland got the first news that Cook had found the North Pole?”

“Yes,” replied the captain with a laugh, “but we'had expected it.”

“ What were Peary’s precise words? ” “Well,” was the reply, “they’re not for reproduction in a. high-class papei like tbe Daily Telegraph.” All Cook tactics, ho added ironically, would be avoided in the American bunt for the Pole. “We shall take no Eskimos with curious names ; we shall hand m data to passing whalers, or “cache” it; and there will be no demand for gnnulrops,” “When will tho American expedition start? ”

“The date, is still unsettled; but I’ll hazard a guess—possibly earlier than most people on,your side of the Atlantic expert.”

GERMAN ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION Germany has decided to compete with Great Britain and the United states in the race for the South Polo. At a meeting of the Geographical Society a few nights ago the. president, Dr Penck, introduced First Lieutenant Fik-hmei', of ih.e General Staff, as leader of the forthcoming German expedition.

Lieutenant Filehner, in a brief address, outlined Ids plan of campaign, lie proposes that tie main expedition shall start from a base on Weddell Sea and advance straight across the Antarctic continent to lie Pole. On reaching the Pole the expedition, instead of turning hack, will proceed, probably following Sir IC. Sh.aekleton’s route, to the coast of Ross Sea. meanwhile, a- subsidiary expedition will have landed on the shores of Ross Sea and have advanced inland along Sir Ernest Bhaekleton’s route about half-way to the Fob', where, after leaving a depot of provisions it will turn I)nek to the coast. The main expedition, if all tides well, will pick up the depot of provisions and join the subsidiary party at the coast. RRITIBH FAITH IX PEARY. The sub-committee of the Naval Committee of the American House oi Representatives has cast doubts of Rear-Admiral Peary’s claim to have reached the North Pole, and decided this week not to honour him until h(' submits proofs. In England, however, this decision has in no way shaken geographers1 ’ faith in Peary, and a magnificent welcome is being prepared for the American explorer, who is to leerture at the Albert Hall in May.,

Sir Ernest Hhackleton exprcssea >csteniay the following views on the subject —“ Knowing Peary’s record an( the. preparations he made, one cannoi have the sligl test doubt about !ii: iichievenient. Feeing that he has «! ready shown his observations to H> National Geographical Society o America, and that they have aeeeptci

his claim, it world seem m at to agar. ■:sk for prool imphe- distrust. But nossibly the 'manner in which these proofs were asked lor has something to do with the difficulty. With reference to the doubt oast on the mileage accomplished by Peary and tho statement ath-ibuted to roe that ten to twelve miles a day or slightly none . V ore considered tlm limit of human onh:ranee m.er Polar seas, ! am- no re e why P -ary. who Pad l.is (leg y.vP 1,1 ; ;,i iur,e i! m > what lie „|. hh. .1 ,gs must 1 i.ve done the wlii.w|,>r limn could not. Gn my journey from (he P Pa with the wind • behind me. on live occasions 1 did meaty, eighteen, twenh-two Pveidy-•weiity-idr.e mihw. M I 'w r ll d of tb- march, when Worn m‘ l ' follow iao derm traversed a MM thirlv-nine mil w, and th.M without any i sleep.” __ ___ “m (Tih'ren’s flacking Cough ;.t night. 1 Woods Great Peppermint Cure, Is Gd « 2s Cd,