DR. SVEN HEDIN'S TRAVELS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 832, 30 July 1910, Page 5

DR. SVEN HEDIN'S TRAVELS.

FABRICATION ALLEGED. By.Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright. ; Stockholm, July 28. There is an acuto controversy in Sweden regarding the travels of Dr. Sven Hedin in Central Asia. Dr. Hedin is accused of fabricating exploration stories, based on Renart's 1720 ' discoveries. Tho .chief accuser is Augusto Strindeborg, the Swedish novelist and dramatist. !*■'.'

Dr. Sven Hedin has made two important journove in-Central Asia, r l'hh first, from 189!) to 1902, produced many valuable, results, and tho Swedish liiksdag voted MI7D to defray tho cost of publishing tho scientific results of the journey. After a visit to Teheran and Seistau, in Persia, in 1906, Dr. Hedin proceeded into the fastnesses of Tibet, and, finally returned to India' in. September, 190 S.

Summing up tho results of the MOS expedition, the London "Times" said;— "Geographically tho two explorations anof the highest value; , The blank space north and south of the inland lake region of Central Asia has been' traversed, ami the mystery of. Bongba has been solved. Bongba, though one of the greatest provinces of Tibet, has never before been visited by Europeans. "The new map of Tibet will be of 300 .sheets, which proves tho extent of the exploration. All tho heights of the .passes, the river crossings, and the encampments are recorded; a hundred astronomical points have boon fixed, several thousand panoramas have been taken, with compass bearings and names. Dr. Sven Hedin has brought back photographs, pencil drawings, and water <,olo«rs. Meteorological observations were made three times daily, and the explorer has geological specimens, with the dip and fall of the rocks, from 1200 different points. The total length of bis journeys was -1000 miles. Thero are practically now no fresh discoveries left in the heart of Tibet."