SOUTH POLE QUEST.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 741, 14 February 1910, Page 5

SOUTH POLE QUEST.

1 CHARCOT'S SILENCE. ''■'•''/ HIS SHIP SPOKEN IN PATAGONIA.. By Telegraph-FrM* ABsoolatioa-OopTrictil. London, February 11. The steamer. Sud, belonging to the Sud Steamship Company, of Trieste, Austria, spoko : Dr. Charcot's' Antarctio 6beamer "Pou'rquoi Pas?" in the Strait of Magellan, and supplied her- with fresh, provisions.' . ,:' ••'" .• '( '•■'.',. ... • Dr. Charcot refused information regarding his expedition. s '-' LATER DETAILS. J NEW LAND DISCOVERED! ■■■', (R«c. February 14, 1,10 a.m.) .London, February 13. Dr. Charcot - lias arrived at, Punta Arenas. He reached 70 deg. south longitude, 12 deg. west. He discovered; new land west and south of Alexander I Land (where the expedition wintered). . V the pole if possible. .explorer's statement op his ' ;■:■"•;'■;'., : -. : '■'•"-plans.-'- ■-. .Dr. Charcot, the French explorer, left Punta Arenas, in ' South Patagonia, in December, 1908. He had prearranged that a relief expedition-should start from France if no news was received of him by April of this year.- Prior to his departure, m an interview with a representative of the "Daily Telegraph," Dr.- Char- : col said t— ".--..■'.:•.'■'. Scientific Object's,. \\ :. "We hope-to. be able-to-start on our journey in July,'l9oß,.and'ouf intention is to be absent for a period of,two years: In,;view of contingencies, however, 'we shall haye;\vith us sufficient- provisions to last three years.-Our expedition is bent on. scientific- work.,;. Of course, we shall tryto-get as near to the Pole as possible, but. if we. fail.we 1 shall do everything possible ; to cover as much'as we can of the Antarctic : Continent, and to bring baok with us as much information as we ran acquire.. There can be no doubt that •the best-route to the Pole is, by way of the. Ross'Barrier, but this to Tegard as belonging, to-British explorers, and I do not propose, to trespass on-other people's grounds. .Much, better and more important .work can,be done.in'a matter of this kind by friendly co-operation, and I am happy .to be.':': say. that h have received valuable advice and co-operation from Captain Scott and Dr. Bruce, in making my preparations.'On reaohing the Antarctio it is my plan to return to; our ;old grounds in Graham Land arid.: 1 en-deavour-to reach;, Alexandra Land, where 'we .hope to find:a barrier similar to that of Ross's.: .We should then ondeavour -to go as for south as possible or: to follow as near as practicable to'KingEdward's t .oikl. An important part of ,our equipment will', bo motor-sledges, which are being : generously built by the Marquis -de Dion. / ,With ; these we' shall 'make experi- . ments. in the Alps during this-winter. Of ooursq,,: the'geographical' success of our expedition-will depend upon the ice con- , dition and upon; what; we shall - find,'- but ~ Graham and; Alexandra'Lands:.are very rich .lands-for. 6WentinVresearcn..--'.i ;•'. ' : '.- Tho: Ship; an&.'He'rCompany; ; , : : "The ship'for the-expedition'was built .at St. JfaloJ and-in her. designs' we have ;. been greatly helped: by: the.advice of Dr. Bruce, the date commander of- the: Scottish expedition.. : The ship -is-specially ■ strong in view; ;of' ! the;ice' pressure, and is barquentihe, rigged, - ! with compound : engines of '500 '■ h.p.> ; She is 135' feet. in : length, 'with-:a beam of 30-feet, and will carry, 230. tons- of : coal.and'. 110 tons' of • provisions, .sufficient to ; last for ; -three ' i years;- The crew: will Consist of 22 men, ten of; whom- were',members 'of my last i. expedition.., "The-scientific .'staff, in ad. ; dition to,myself,,will number three.naval officers,' two. zoologists,. one'-' geologist,' and ; one scientist: for magnetio and photbgra-phio-work.;', With-regard to the,funds of:.the expedition,,:the French' Chambei .. have; already, voted 300,000; francs; : whil< ~_■ another ■ sum ..of .equal 'amount .-wilt', alsc '. be .voted. ,bv,; ; Parliament. ', Private subt scriptions,. have, already.,; yielded;': 65,00( • francs; and 'I .yam ■': endeavouring, to ■'. gel ■ another ,85,000 francs...- The'Acade'my ■ol •. 'Sciences- has, prepared .our -scientific pro- >" gramme, aiid the commission of missions j' of: the Ministry of Public Instruction has 1 drawn up'.'.a'.very'.favourable.' report on ■' the subject'of .'our'proposed jonrney.The 1 Marine Department; is:'.giving, the neoes- >- sary coal'and-a-very .valuabld collection . 0f.:.; scientific.;;. instruments, ■~ whilo : the , Oceanographio Institute of Paris, found- ■:■ ed by.the'Prince'.of'Monaco, is. also:helping- me.'''-'. ~';■ '■'■':;r-.-1 .' i :i:;'.;;:v : ;:;:-.':'-:- ,";• ■■'This';is .Dr. Charcot's' second ■ Antarctic ' expedition...,,, The V! French Parliameni granted- him a 'subsidy: of' .£32,000. \ ''.. THE ANiD ENGLISH^ ,;. ;;;;;':•;■ ;/EXPEDITIONS.'■,;- ■■' BARTLETrSV'•' EQTJIPMENT-SCOTT'E "- ■■:-■ T^WS.' 1 ;;; ■;;,;, VV'/ }", '-. a ' :;[■■. -;',•-.; (Rec. ; February 13,:5' p.m.) is.';■•■ -:,•,-, London, '-February. ,12.': o ;',; Captain Scott:.leader of the prbjectec t English expedition ;.'to'": 'tie; Antarctic i,'-' states-that .Commander Peary;did, nol start.: the,'.'movement'- in .the ~ Unitet f States.. for,' an American Antarctic,, expedition ;until. liehad.-received ;anassur-ance'-that,the-British., would wekbmi ■:. friendly .rivalry..;.' Captain ' Scott is. ar : ranging;.f6iv.'co-operatipn;..'with-.the Arneri |.' can. expedition ; as'regards, meteorologica ■■, and magnetic''.matters. . ;i' : ~,-,,,,;■ : r 'Atlantic Routo Longer, but Perhaps j".'•';.-'•.■'■ •':.-V-''."i'-''"','Easier.'.''- ;...',:;'v --;-.;-'' v : - ; Dealing with .the respective .'merits',: !oi :o the vPacifio' route,'. via.M'Murdo .'Souni j. (which, Captain : Scott will follow), am ! tho and: AVeddell;; Sea.;:routi ■•' (which. the': Americans -'propose . to., fol ■■; low, .'establishing' their -base.;.on .: 'Coat . Land, or.' Wilkes'i.Land, - fringes of;'..;thi .'■. great., Antarctic. >~ Cbntiiient), .' Captaii . Scott considers that'the Americans wil '•■'■ have : the ' longer route' .to/ travel. to ,th( , : : South' Pole,' but possibly it.will bc'thi easier. V Present knowledge suggests jr.£ gradual, slope', from the Polo to the Wed ;: dell Sea. ;Thb,:mnin .'difficulty:-, of.'-.Oil Americans.will be.to find a.suitable win JS tering spot in. Coats Land. ...."; ":■: jj. ' Captain Bartlett, : leader,,of the' Amori , can expedition,'will start aboard: thi (4: Roosevelt .in,''-September.'....He" will, coa .' finally at Punta Arenas, Patagonia, ii !■•"' Deceniber. 1 ' The. Antarctic night, will b a - spent near' the eightieth: parallel. l . Thi ; expedition'- relies, on dogs,'.including sij j-.' which were sent'to the North Pole.','.: "• .Finances of English Undertaking. J ... Captain: Scott has:'■ collected ■ i- which is enough for the shin and.'out "• fit.. He is seeking, to, raise ; a. furthei -■' JEBOOO in Britajn for salaries,,and a'fur ther sum in Australia- and : Now : Zea J, land. .'•■-. ;;.-. : :'-, ,''::,;!.".: Already there, are over 7000 , applications '■tions for posts, in .Captain Scott's expe dition. Applications ore 'still'pouring in c t 'The Quaker School, at York has..pre y, sented Captain Scott .with' enough monej m to,purchase.-a dog-sledge,for his,Antarc ™ tic exjicdition. ■t. [An;...interesting, featiro. of the abov< is. Captain Scott's concessior that, as far as present information goes ' the Atlantio route, though longer,, maj J|- be easier. .This is Dr. Brnce's conten l( j tion. : While ho considers that the'dis 8j tance by' the- Atlantio route is 300 milei ■t longer, ho; theorises that the ascent t( -;. the high polar plateaC met with by Sii at E. Shackletpn will: bo more gentle thai n ' by Shackle-ton's route.] M .-'.-.-. ■■■■"-■ - :■-:.-' re ■.:■ .:. =========== ■•' ' '