TO THE SOUTH POLE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 78, 26 December 1907, Page 6

TO THE SOUTH POLE.

PROFESSOR DAVID INTERVIEWED . SOME SCIENTIFIC FACTS. •'.- UEST HOPES OF SUCCESS. .Ono readily recognises the dovoted scholar in Professor David, Professor of. Geology and Minoralogy at the Sydnoy..University, who ( . accompanies ' Lieutenant Shackleton's expedition to the South Polar'regions. He is hardly yet past uiiddlb ago, but bears tho undoubted impress of the years of close and determined study! Professor David's , , name stands in high reputo amongst scientists and scholars in Australasia. • : On Tuesday ho. arrived by the Wimmera from Sydnoy, and, after a brief stay in Wellington, proceeded on in the ovoning to Christchurch. Professor David received an invitation last Juno to join the expedition. The offer was'mado as the result of a suggestion', to Lieutenant Shackleton by Mr. Forde, of Christchurch (v/lio was with Captain Scott ■in the previous Antarctic expedition), and Mr. H. S. W. Cummor, Treasurer of tho Koyal • Geographical Socioty of Australasia, Sydnoy. The suggestion was made without Professor David's knowledge, but on receiving the invitation ho decided to accept because of tho possibilities of accomplishing some work in tho Antarctic regions of uso to Science, oven though the time allotted for tho stay-of tho Nimrod at tho great Ico liarrior would bo short. OtKer Scientists. "Lieutenant .Shackleton also agreed to take from Victoria Mr. Armitago," said Professor David on. Tuesday, "from the Adelaide . University Mr. Douglass Mawson,' 8.A., B.Sc.; and from tho Sydney University Mr. Leo A. Cotton, 8.A., B.Sc. Mr. Mawson has been given leave of absence by tho Adelaide University for somo .eighteen months, which will onablo him to accompany Lioutenant Shackleton duriug tlic wholo of the expedition, including his journoy towards tho South Polo. Mr. Mawson has already distinguished himself, not only as a brilliant scienco student in physics, chemistry, and mineralogy, but as a hardy and intrepid explorer. About five yoars ago, with the help of the British Resident at tho Now Hebrides, ho carried out a series of vory 'successful geological explorations in the largo islands of Mallicolo and Santo. The results of, that expedition form now a standard work on the geology of those islands. Educated at the Sydney, University, ho has for somo time past held the position of lecturer in minoralogy at, tho Adelaide University. He has also done useful work on tho radio-activity of Australian minerals. Ho accompanies Lieutenant ■ Shabkloton in tho capacity of physicist, and. will have charge of tho electric thermometers and several other instruments, and it' , is hoped his knowledge of engineering will-bo found useful in the proposed u's'o.ef the motor : car for travelling 'and. dragging-'tho iheavy sledges southwards across the Great Ice Barrier. At his suggestion; this... (Tuesday) 'afternoon enquiries wero made as to whether it was possible to obtain in Wellington any "thermite,", .-in up-to : date compound of'metallic aluminium and iron, oxide, which admits of broken steel or iron being 'welded, no'.,.matter* how cold; tho climate,-in a few. minutes. Thanks to tho Kind enquiries'' of. Mr.* Hogben ■(Insncetor-Gohpral of Schools), and Messrs. Jones and Tiirnbull;, it wils ascertained that' the ,-Harbour '.Board possessed some of tho materiitl, and the Secretary, Mr. Ferguson, on being .communicated, with, at ouno made arrangements for supplying a sufficient quantity ■*to enable repairs to be made to any possible breaks in the metal of the car.

'Mir. Leo A. Cotton," continued .Professor David, "accompanios tho Expediticin chiclly in tho capacity of .skilled mathematician.. He will act as computer-in manj':cascs where a knowledge of higher, mathematics is required in solving difficult physical, chemical, and meteorological problems.. Ho.is of particularly strong physique, and has had considerable experience Mn .exploring . work, cluelly in mountainous regions of.Australia, including the Australian Alps. Ho is, besides, an excellent . mineralogist and geologist."

Professor David's Hopes. . i Having thus paid a tribute to' the men he has brought with him; Profossbr David went on to speak of ..the work he hoped to accomplish in the four or five weeks it is expected the Nimrod will be remaining at the great lc Harrier. First, there was geological expjoration. The Antarctic rqgicins were known to have a vast extent, probably not loss an area than that of the whole of the Australian Continent—about three million squaro miles. ,-A certain amount, of. exploratory work in this vast area, from the scientific point of viow, had been done in Western Antarctica" in what is known ' as King Oscar 11. Land arid Louis Phillipo Land, nearest to . Terr'iudol Fucgo. A good deal of work was accomplished , also by tho expedition in which Lieutenant 'Shackleton so much distinguished himself. This work was done in Victoria Land, which chiefly consists of a mighty chain of con-tiuua-tionNof tlio. Andes of South America — and prolonged northwards through the Balleny Islands into tho volcanic zones of New Zealand. This zono is.nearly due south of New Zealand, and includes volcanic peaks up to 15,000 ft. above sea level. From tho furthest point reached by Captain • Scott, Lieutenant Shackloton, and Dr. Wilson,'.on the- last expedition a magnificent mountain was so plainly visible that its altitude could be measured near the latitudo of. about 83 dogrees south. The present expedition proposes, after reaching. Franklvn'lsland to the north , of Mounts and Terror —the latter tho winter quarters: of tho Discovery expedition—to ■ turn " south-eastwards until tho great Ice Barrier is reached. "This Barrier is one of the most wonderful pieces of ico.in tlio whole world," said Professor David. "It extends eastward in an almost jinbroken cliff from 100 ft. to a maximum, height of 280 ft. In placps.it must bo frorri 12 to 18 hundred .feet, in thickness. It .has been traced eastwards, continually from a width of 500 'miles. At tho extreme oast end, during tlio Discovery's . Expedition, traces of land in the form of pieces of rock, standing out in relief against a background of white snow, wcro dimly seen through rifts in.a snowstorm by Captain Scott. It.is on this oasterii land, known as King Edward's Seventh, Land that Lieutenant Shackloton proposes to establish his winter quarters. ■Hero,' while, tho 'gear' of the expedition .is being landed, and tlio sailors are assisting in putting up huts, sheds for the ponies; and a garago for tho motor car, otc.j opportunity may be afforded f.or geological.. exploration. Attempts will bo mado b.v means, of sledges to travel some short distance inland to study the character of tho rocks,, aiid search the hillocks for .any.- possible traces of remains of fossil animals or plants. In that part of Antarctica, nearest the American Continent remains, of fossil plants and animals have already been discovered. ' It is singular to relato that, in an area which is now, continuously' shrouded" in snow and icd, there aro abundant traces of treos allied to tho Norfolk pine, and the Sequoia of California as well as.of Zdniias of Australia. It is clear, from this fairly abundant flora, that at ouo time the Islands of Antarctica wore clothed with donso forests, and, in place of glaciors, there were no doubt noblo. rivers rolling down towards the Ocast. Indeed, it is'doubtful if at that time any siiow at all existed oven at the South Polo itself. Amongst the animal fossils found may bo montioned the bones of a gigantic pbnguin, which wore diftovered by Dr. Nordenskjold and his companions. It is interesting to noto, as recorded by Mr.' Hamilton, curator of tlie Wellington Musoum, that in tho Oainaru stouo fossilised bones have also boon found of a penguin twice the size of tho largest living species—the Emperor penguin of Antarctica. This bird weighs from 60 to 801b." -■•--■.

Soarch for Fossils. "It is just possible," continued Professor David, "tiint in the limited outorops of rock on King Edward Seventh land traces of fossils may bo found." The. scientist had greater hopes of finding interesting -specimens by dredging in the sea in front of the ice Barrier. Tois ice mass—a huge glacier

—has swept down with it specimens of all sorts of rocks from various parts of the Antarctic Continent. The ico, travelling at the constant rate .of about one-third of a milo per year, has doposited' thesq rocks on the bed of tho ocoan, and formal a rich harvest for the geologist. "It is also hoped," said Professor David, "that observations may be made regarding tho structure of this wonderful ico mass'by stiidying the crevasses, or by means,of a light'hand-boring apparatus with which tho expedition ia provided." . . Kite Flying. Attempts are also to he made -to ascertain the direction and height of temperature, as well as the.pressure of the upper air currents. For this 'purpose kitoa are to be used. Attached to theni will bo pianoforte wires. If tho weather permits, which Professor David considers doubtful, self-registering barometers and thermometers' will also bo sent up by means of cellular, or box kites, of a pattern invented by Mr. Lawrencb Hargfeaves, of Sydney. The frequency of blizzards will probably render these kite experiments impossible, thinks the Professor, but 'ovon a little on the subject of these upper air currents'should bo of scientific value in supplying a knowledge of tho factors that go to control tho weather generally on the southern atmosphere. "It is quite possible," commented the Professor, "that in the near future it will pay the Governments of Australia and Now Zealand to establish a permanent meteorological station here, communication to bo established with New Zealand and Australia by means of wireless telegraphy." Problems of the Future. ... Questioned as to what success he thought Lieutenant Shackleton wduld have in nis journey to the Pole, Professor David said ho had little doiibt as to the entire soundness of his theory that the use of the motor car on tho great ico barrier was quite practicablo for drawing the heavy sledges several hundred miles. One danger to be anticipated was from the sharp ridges of snow known as. Sastrugi. Theso high ridges are very steep on tho leeward side, and sloße gontly to windward, and'sometimes it would bo difficult to get a car across them. Another moro serious danger was to be apprehended from hidden crevasses. These great cracks in the ice descend to immense depths— several hundreds of feet —and often cannot bo detected on the surface because of drift snow filling them a few feet down. In somo cases, said Professor David, men and oven the Manchurian ponies may be able to pass over such pjaces ( whereas tho ■ snow might givo way under tlio heavy motor car. Every precaution, no doubt, would bo taken to oxamine the ground ahead of tho car as much as possible. It was hoped that the car would make at least 25 miles a day.

The Final Das?i. It was thought probable that the icebarrier formed almost an equatorial triangle .with its baso on tho Roth Sea, and the opposito anglo ' not far from the South Pole. This southern angle, however, Professor! David considers, will mean difficulties for the travellers. In all probability,-in view of the , trend of the mountain chain, the South Polo lies' in an area of mountainous lands or. a more or less high plateau. This would.mean that for tho last 100 or 200 miles of. the journey much cfevas'scd ice would have to be travelled over. For- this work the motor car would be' useless, and rccourso would have to, bo-had to the ponies and dogs. It was also probable .that a gqod deal of'.soft' sno\v would ,bo found close to the Pole/ in yiqw.'of the fact, .that tjiere are great-warm currents, of. air.going frojn the" Equator, , alid descending, mord.oi; less:lacleii-with moisture, and this it was likely would bo deposited in snow fairly abundantly-near tho.Pole. "From this," said the: scientist, "it will be seen that it is not .so much the first ns the last stage that will, cause tho great effort. If, however, there., is a man likely to succeed in siipli an arduous enterprise, it is Lieutenant Shackleton." .

Felicitations. . Just before he left Sydiley Professor David received , a communication from Lieutenant Shackletpn \to say how grateful ho was to the. Dominion and the Commonwealth for their generous and prompt response to his appeal for. funds. In expressing; his gratitude he said , that nest to the distinguished honour.paid to the Expedition by the King and Queen, .the sympathy, and enthusiasm with which he had been everywhere greeted in the great Southern lands had been to him his greatest encouragement. ; .

Past Work. Previous to, this Professor. David's greatest achievement perhaps has been his work in the tropics, testing Professor' Dairvrin's theory as to', coral atolls. . The results of this research have bo'en. published in the records of the Royal Geographical Society, He lias also, beeii 'extehsively engaged in geological work in Australia,. and for the past fifteen years has been to the Society for Promoting. Science. in v Australia. It.was. chiefly on account; of the .great , interest ])o! lias taken inth x c scientific aspect of ice that ho was invited to join this expedition. Both he'and Mr. Cotton .expect to return, with the Nimrod next April. " . o " Al ;d dp you' believe Lieutenant Shackleton • has a chance of reaching the Polo?" . . . . ' . °

\es, Iydo. The chances of getting to the South/ Pole aro- naturally greater than )s the case, in the North Polar, regions. I think there are the. host- hopes for success' "■ Professor, David .added that blizzards were likely to be.-the greatest hindrance to the scientific work.. - • • ■ '• .■ ■■ .