TO THE SOUTH POLE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 713, 12 January 1910, Page 5

TO THE SOUTH POLE.

PROPOSED NEW ROUTE. , ( AMERICANS SUGGEST WILKES ■ ! ' .. . LAND. By Telegraph—Press Association—Oourrieht.' London, January 10. •It is' .suggested by' Mr. Hermon Bumpus, director of the Museum of Nataral History of New York, that tho proposed United; States expedition .to the Antarctic should approach the Soutli Pole, not. by Sir' E. Shackleton's route, but by Coode 'Island or'.Wilkes -Land. -. The "Daily Telegraph" correspondent believes that, the average . American ■ is bored by" tho subject' of polar research, and that if an; expedition starts; it will take tho easiest route. -. THE SEVERAL SOUTH : ROUTES. VIA ATLANTIC: THE ADVANTAGES CLAIMED. In view of the several South Polar schemes 'of Dr. Bruce (the- Scottish explorer), '"Captain Scott (England), ;tne proposed American expedition, and the morci distant plan, .ofSir Ernest Shaokleton, the ■ question of Antarctio - routes is becoming interesting;: .. - - Bruce and Shackleton. ' Approaching .by' way of New, Zealand and Viotoria Land (on the Pacific ; side) Sir-Ernest Shackleton reached a point about 97- miles from'\tiie South Polej\but he states that when he goes south, again he will probably attack Pole- from the .Weddell; Sea (or Atlantic) jade, as .to .'break new groimd. . In ; this,. Dr.. Bruce and' Sir - Ernest Shackleton•> sesm to have.hit,the .same idea. ; - . ODr. Bruce's plan iB to penetrate .tho • South . Atlantic and. the •weddell. _ Sea. establish'a'base'in Coats Xand, andthen'ce travel: aoross the Antarctici •' Con- • tinent and' the South Pole from;' Atlantic ;to Pacific, , finally . meeting - a relief, expedition in • Victoria '/Land.' - So- far as Sir' Ernest vShackleton: has. disclosed his plans, the * above. is, also substantially his plan lof attack/': ' -:v • Trom Victoria-'Landi the. Pacific base of' Shackleton's last expedition, Edward' VII Land /.(where:-; Captain- Scott . .hopes ito establishl.his .attacking baseV lies;con» siderably ■to the.east, / and.: Land (the i suggested;line •. of /approach 'of - the projected: United ; States expedition) :, lies considerably "to 'the -west. • ; .

Brace's Interesting Theory. v t . ■ Has ■an Atlantic : base , any advantage 'over'-.these;;Paciiic 'bases?v' It Js. believed that all the lands named, fronting whatever ocean, .are .but' the known fringes: of a; great! Antarctic continent, Contain: . ihg tho South . Pole; and Dr. Bruce believes .that ithe : Pole can. .be more easily reached from tho -Atlantic, and particularly fromi.Coats Land. Here are the articled of his .faith, , sum. up... con-, cisely the whole case: : r - First,that there' ;.is;.undoubtedly -■■■-; an Antarctic continent 1 Wice .the'area, of • Australia, scattered portions'' of: the: coast: line of- which wp'know, . notably, Edward;' Victoria, Wilkes, Wilhelm, Enderby, Coats, and Graham Lands. :' : ■ Second, ; that the. greatest, mass of the Antarctio continent lies on the Atlantic: Ocean side. « . ' ; Third, that the backbone or. Antarctica' .runs' from Victoria toGraham Land, with , possibly '. a- Subsidiary ■ • range,: r the, boginhing of-;.which' is, tho Alexandra Ranges discovered by Shaokleton, 'and -the end 'of 'which - terminates! at .'Enderby Land, or a little east or . west, of it. ; I" Po'urth,:.tbat therei 'are.- three great ice- : fields,; one facing the Pacifio ; Oceani' one .facing the Indian Ocean,' and'one facing the Atlantic >' Ocean. « ; ■ft . i i:. i. . '• fifth, that .the' Pacific is the.narrbwest and steepest , icefield, and- that; tho Atlantic. lcofield ijis- jthebroadest, : most 'gently, sloping one..,(o=' ■V- ';••• ■' Sixth, that, the. South Pole is'.situated on.-.the,;Atlantio ioe-'sheet; ,ori'. the Pacifio aido of .which Shackleton travelled.j-:;; Longer Bui Loss Difficult: v ' -.-.>... ■;' From C the ; above;-i therefore, it will . be seen that although tho 'distance from' the Aatarotio-oo'ast-line to .ithe-Pole .is. great-' est\on : the "Atlantic; side ,'by ''300- miles,, yet the; road v. will be: less'.-, ; difficult,; this route resembling one across, the American continentfrom east to'west.. !,;''..,; '. Also that, 1 having preached the! .'great mountain range) ascended.'on its \ steepest side by:Shacfieton,. : by,.a 'gentle;'slbpe 'it ivill be ; easier .', to descend , that way- to M'Murdo Boy (in Victoria' Land,. Shackleton's ;baso) or;' more.-interestingly if it caii be arranged to Edward .Land (Scott's ■ intended..base)-''.-''<■:; -, .. My t plan, ■ therefore, is. to'-.land 'in .'the vicinity of . Coats Land and to cross the Antarctic .contiiiont .from'the Atlantic ;'to the: Pacific.;.-, V/e,-,reverse; .previous Ant-! arctic methods; we travel from - the unknown to the known, and not fromi-.the known t0... the unknown. ' ..S . • „