THE RACE FOR THE POLE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1049, 11 February 1911, Page 6

THE RACE FOR THE POLE.

« [ . ' • WILL SHIRASE BE TOO LATE? Considerable uncertainty exists ro- , specting tho exact locality in the Ani tarctic, at which tholnnding- party,from ■ the Japinesb'"exploring' '■ snip Kainan ; "Maru will winter in tho South. From 1 a conversation with Mr. T. Takeda, one of tho scientists, it was gathered that ; it is intended to endeavour to force u ' way. with tho ship through tho pack-ice and icebergs to King Edward VII , Land, probably westward of Capo Col- ,. beck or Biscoo Bay. Thero a party , would bo landed, a hut orccted, and preparations made ,to spend tho winter. Tho journey to tho Polo would bo attempted as early in tho spring as tho rigorous climatio conditions of, tho South allowed. I Partof tho plan of Captain Scott, of tho British.Antarctic expedition, which sailed South from Lyttelton at tho end of last year,' was, after establishing his main basb at M'Murdo Sound, to proceed further west to King Edward VII Land, and thero land a party of six men, who would carry on exploration in what is as yet unknown territoTyV The Discovery expedition met with' singularly favourable conditions of navigation in tho- seas in that region, but Sir Ernest Shaekleton with the Nimrod, in 1908, was unablo to approach even as far ns 160 degrees west longitude, not within sight of tho Discovery's farthest steaming point to the west. ' ...';'.,' • This year's expedition has, in the Terra Nova, a much nioro powerful ship than either of tho two named, and -unless weather conditions -are exceptionally sovero in tlio South this summer, thero is little doubt that Captain Scott should bo'able to_ attain his goal by establishing a baso in tho region of 155 or 160 degrees west longitude. On tho other hand, tho Kainan Maru, a much wcakpr .vessel, enters tho southern seas rather late in tho season to find open water west' of 170 degrees west longitudp. Having only auxiliary engines, sho js unable to face tho icepack aud progress through it, as the moro powerful Terra Nova can. It will thus bo seen that in a raco for the Pole, without taking into account tho question of equipment. Captain Scott has already a very long start, On reaching tho.Antarctic and finding it impossible to.approach King Edwaru VII Land, it is difficult to conjecturo in what direction Lieutenant Slnraso will steer his vessel or find a landing place whero thero would bo a reasonably largo field of totally now land for tho activities of his party. Though Into in tho season thero is ' a chanco of forcing a passago cast nlong tho north of Victoria Land, which is practically unknown, except for a discovery of high land niado by Wilkes,in 1840, about 150 degrees or 140 degrees cast longitude, arid which is at present an open field. This would, of courso, entail a great deal of ico navigation, and for this work it would appear that Lieutenant SJhiraso's vessel, tho Kainan Maru, has neither tho power required nor is sho likely to withstand' tho pressure of being "nipped" in the floes.