POLAR MOTORISTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 929, 23 September 1910, Page 8

POLAR MOTORISTS.

CAPTAIN ,;SCOTT',S"CATEEPILLAKS.' : ': "_Will Captain 'Scott roach, the goal I'ofhis.;endeavours—the lundiscovered ■~Pole? He ishould,: if'his ■dd , 'their:' part.' •■ There :are-': three of'them,' each'. 14-horse-power, 4-cylinder, air.-cooled, and at. present .theyrare. in'.; the' hold ' of'the Tongariro.y which arrived"- in yesterday,/from. London, via .the : ..Cape. 13y. the samp steamer also came:Mr.-B.- C.Day, a"_. member/of Captain Sc'ott's/Antarctic expedition. Mr.-Day is the keeper of. the . '.'caterpillars,", so Ito : speak,..--,! arid: though he was unable ,to' : vouchsafe ■ anything /concerning his.chief's.plans for;the polar quest; when,:interviewed; on:his ai-. rival by a representative he was:quite-ready .to, talk--about .his "caterpillars." : : '/'■-,- I'-- ';|, : -\; Here, let it be explained that alfeaterpillar"' is a- freak motor-car, capable ot leaving .the'.'traffic highways■'■'and'■: parforming 'wonderful; ; | feats '■■ in travellingover rough country.:; The.British War Office, some' time ago tested 'the/eapabili'tiesof one of. these "caterpillars'- across, country during' the Army- manoeuvres, and it's performances were so :successful that its. possible, value as a;vehicle in the polar regions became at once, apparent. ..' Accordingly, three motor-sledges were made upon: the caterpillar .principal by;.the; Wolseley Tool and ilotor-Car.- Company, Ltd., for the:, present. South' Polar.expe-; dition, and embodying -in their 1 , construe-; Hon .'certain- ideas .thought, out' :by, Captain Scott. These were :■ given '.-. a,severe test:• over '•' soft snow', arid; rough: ice. .in' Norway, andwere fouhd.to answer .admirably. Hauling,two "tons,,-a-"caterpillar" motor-sledge ; was shbwnlto be. capable, of: travelling at., the; .rate of -31: miles an hour on,its "top speed/'-and'li:miles oh the; "bottom :speed.".,' They-are: the first of their kind.- Shortly,'ithe principle- of the .caterpillar,-is."an endless, belt,'.broad, and studded,: for, polar work,; with.: spi'nlu for: gripping the'ice. /The belt is really the' track, ■ and. .the.' wheels'lwithin .-.the belt, 'as they' revolve,' carry the..;track with;'them.', ;..;'•;.;■,'-:-- ; ..-.. -.'"•'■,' '■•■■: ;:"::•/., ; -. I Mr.' Day. .hopes-that his.rthree,'."caterpillars" will. be able : to. : penetrate 4.00 miles south of the;maih;b|ase. to'thefoot of'; tho/ Beardmore Glacier, establishing: supply depots en route.';.!After'that,:-the' final dash with the, dog sledges tctho igoal.'. Each of,-the ' caterpillars: weights from 16, tV 17c'wt., arid measures. 16.feet over all, with lengthening.poles-to extend • to: 21. feet .for ■' negotiating .crevasses:: ■ Mr.: Day was with. Shackleton. on, his";farther south dash, so'he. knows what' his. caterpillars . are'."up against," as the'saying is. Dogs are:quicker, of course,'and they: have this saving.:advantage,, they,:can ,be. 'eaten-.at. a; pinch. -'.-But. the caterpillar .'is more enduring,'., so- long .as .'its daily ;ration of.petrol is served .-.out, and. this should not be la difficult problem, for.of the two ions it will be.required to:ha.ul,one will. be petrol. ; The other ton will consist, of supplies—food, etc.,:;;:.• ■ -■■■