RACE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1089, 30 March 1911, Page 6

RACE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

THE RIVAL EXPLORERS.

PROFESSOR DAVID PREDICTS A :■.}//■ ;■ CLOSE FINISH- , ' POINTS OF ETIQUETTE. ' fly TcleErapi— Press AssociaUon-OopyriEnt ■-,••> Sydney, March 29. .-. Professor David, of Sydney University, who Accompanied • tho Shackleton cxpedi- •: tion to ; tho Antarctic, on being interviewed ■ with ■reference to the news from Antarctica, said-that Captain Scott, by laying ' depots, had placed his party at a great advaritago compared with Shacklcton's expedition, which,"was unable to lay any before tho winter: Captain Scott stated ''in'Sydnoy that in case he failed to effect a landing at Edward VII Land, he would try and, land at .tho Bay of Whales. He /must have been surprised to find Amund- ' sen's''party.',..there. , ■ From a,scientific point of view, Scott's-• ■'. expedition, tho professor"thinks, should . ■: bo. much' enhanced! by co-operation with ■the Norwegians" in-'the taking of observations. '"'Then will follow an intensely ./exciting'.contest.as to who shall be tho . first to reach .the Pole. Amundsen is certainly very strong in transport facilities—oh" tho whole, stronger than Scott." ' After dealing with the probable routes of the two expeditions, Professor David said:—"Amundsen .will.have .the advan- .. tago ■ of a starting point seventy miles nearer'the'Pole. For Scott the last .stage will bo'about 350 miles; for Amundsen, , perhaps 2SQ to .300.'". The greater strength .' arid number.-of tho Greenland dogs will .give thcvNorwegians an advantage in . travelling; .There is-every possibility of a splendid . race, .between two splendid racer's." ..... , : . :•'•'■•■ •; .OR. MAWSON SORE. ; c >:.HIS CLAIM JUMPED. '■; : " London, March 28. ( Dr. Mawson states that as Captain Scott'had decided that he could not laud his party at Cape Adare, ho (Dr. Mawson) .decided upon his Australasian expedition to the Antarctic. '. Dr. Mawson added: "My plans wero submitted to Captain Scott; there was : no'secrecy'in,the.matter at all. Aus- , tralia supported Captain Scott, but, in view--of the.present information, some dissatisfaction in the Commonwealth is inevitable.'.. Scott wrote me the last thing, iV arid 'asked me to furnish _ him with full details/'.of ,my' plans.. .This'l willingly did, v . giving "particulars, and adding .that I''intended : to. land' at Cape A~dare. Naturally, I; am'sorry that circumstances ■ have- driven- Captain- Scott to take 'the course .described in the; cablegrams from .' Stewart;. Island.". /Dr.;,Mawson' also severely criticised Captain-Amundsen's action in . concealing , his plans in order to become a rival to ;','. Captain',Scott.'.' Amundsen's action, ' he declared,'.would affect ;him in the estimation of'scientists., J ;. •';..- /Dr;):Mawsqn';.said.ihis.own plans in- , eluded,the'landing of a shiall party where , .Captain .Scott had lauded, but the main parties were to be distributed over the . coast to the westward; ;.;, . POUR ETIQUETTE. '•' SIR ERNEST SHACKLETON'S DOUBTS. London, March 28. In his article in tho "Daily Mail," Sir Ernest Shackleton questions if- Captain Amundsen is following the dictates of Polar etiquette in wintering in Captain Scott's; sphere of, influence. He asks: "Is Scott following tho same dictates in Ending in Dr. Mawson's base?" ;,' : THE. POLE WILL BE REACHED. . -. .BUT BY WHOM? ..' "(Rec.March.29, 11.49' p.m.) ' . ■, . London, March 2D. Sir Ernest Shackleton states in an'interview that he considers Captain Scott's chances of reaching" the Pole are excellent. He is .likely to start much earlier than was intended, but whether he would reach the Pole before Captain Amundsen was a '• moot question. ■...''■■, , ;. Captain Scott, Sir Ernest Shackleton thinks, has a. better chance owing to-his superior equipment. .Dr. Mawson, on being interviewed, was qnite_ sure that Captain Scott, can arid will reach the Pole before or after Cap- • tain 'Amundsen. .'"■ , A NEW COMPETITOR. German party to set out in .;;;..," : . /may. .. .';.. • .:'■-., (ReC March 30, 0.50 a.m.) .', ;,' Berlin, March 29. The German Antarctic expedition, under lieutenant Filchnbr, will start on May 2. NO "POLE JUMPING." ROOM FOR THREE EXPEDITIONS.' '.■'■', ...'. (Rec.March .30, 0.50.a.m.) '' , ■■'• Melbourne, March 29. ,_■ Professor.:l)avid.says,he-considers there ■ is no suggestion of "pole jumping" in the present, situation in the Antarctic with ;' three expeditions in the field. There' is, ■ he says, plenty of room for all. 'AMUNDSEN'S CHANCES. BACKED BY CAPTAIN DAVIS. ' , t ~ .(Rec'.' March' 30, 0.10 a.m.) London,' March 29. "Captajn, J. K.'.'Davis, formerly commander of the Nimrod, states in an inter- . Tiew, that he believes Captain Amundsen .will succeed in reaching the Pole. . He is a Norwegian, and is born to tho work. as no Englishman could be. His .wonderful team will take him almost any.where. ; . Amundsen, says Captain Davis, has been called tho hardest.nut in all, Norway, and >iis daring was shown in landing whero huge tracts of ice. frequently break away.' He is a leader of men that no difficulties .will'turn back. SCOTT AND AMUNDSEN. .'A JOURNEY IN THREE STAGES. (By Correspondent.) ' Christchurch, March 29., . Speaking to an interviewer about the presence of Amundsen on what has come to be regarded as tho British side of tho 'Antarctic, Mr; J., J- Kinsey, the New Zealand representative of tho Terra Nova expedition, said that if Captain Amundsen and Captain Scott went steadily towards tho Pole, th-3ir paths would tend to converge, and the nearer they got to their destination the closer they would ret to each-other. It was probable that Captain Scott would keep to the old track which had been traversed by Sir E. Shackleton up tho Beardmore Glacier. Amundsen, on his part, might meet another glacier radiating from the Pole on . the other sido of tho Commonwealth and Dominion Ranges. Tho Pole was about 800 miles, from M'Murdo Sound. The journey from that place was divided into three stages. The first stage was from the headquarters, across the Great Ice Bar.ti»r for about 380 miles on the flat.

On that stage, ponies, clogs, and perhaps sledges could bo used. The next stago was up the Rcardmoro Glack-r. : It might be possible to get ponies up there also. The glacier was 220 miles long. The third stage was across.the plateau, 11,000 feet high, for about 250 miles. There was nothing to prevent Amundsen going up the. Boardmove tilncier. and in that case there was no reason why the representatives of tho two nations should not meet there. As to Amundsen's headquarters, they were on tho Ico Harrier, and were exposed; .while Scott's headquarters were on land, and, were under the protection of the Cape. In regard to the statement that the Terra Nova, after leaving Cape North, could get no further than 151 degrees 5 minutes east ; Mr. Kinsey thinks ■that a mistake of ten degrees has been made in tho report, and that the position' at the turning point should be 161 degrees. He says that the eastern party, which was landed at Cape Adore, is'to be congratulated on having with it. Mr. Priestly, who is a competent geologist, and who will find a wide sphere of work.