ALMOST A POLAR TRAGEDY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1729, 21 April 1913, Page 7

ALMOST A POLAR TRAGEDY.

DR. MAWSON'S MAGNETIC PARTY. (By Telegraph.—Press Association) ir r, „ Christchurch, April 20. /Ir- E. N. Webb, son of Mr. S. It. Webb, ot Lytteltqn, who was magnotician with Ur. Maivson's Antarctic expedition, in tho course of an interview stated that, "with Mr. J. Hurley, photographer, he formed one of n. party in charge of Lieutenant Bage which _ was detailed to penetrate Adelo Land in tho direction of the South Magnetic Polar area. The party travelled about 300 miles from tho expedition's base, and, at that point, which was some 50 or CO miles from the Magnetic Pole, found that tho magnetic din obtained bv a series of mathematically lijid observations was 80 degrees 43.3 minutes, or 1G.7 minutes, from the vortical. Thoy obtained a chain of observations which aro almost uniquo in respect to tho South Magnetic Polar region. They reached their cxtreino southerly noint latitude 70.36 dog. longitude 118.14 deg. enst. 'l'hey left on tho return journey on December 21, 1912. They met with overcast weather, and spent several days in a frnitlcss endeavour to locate a depot 08 miles from tho base. A dasli for the coast was eventually decided upon, and was un. del-taken on one-third rations. They ultimately reached a depot five miles "from the base and their base. hut. Mr. Webb said that it was tlio nearest thing lo nil out-and-out disaster similar to .'Captain Scotfs, and it was largely by pure luck that the party reached safety. The scientific, results of tlio expedition are exclusively magnetic, and tho observations aro being continued by Lieutenant Bage, who, with ninoiothers, remained at the base to search for Dr. Mawson. who, however, arrived shortly after tho Aurora left the base. Tho magnetic field results obtained by Mr. Webb have been prepared for working up, and will bo sent to tho Carnegie Institute, which .has undertaken to work tlieni up.. Tho observatory results aro waiting to 1» taken over to bo worked up, probably by Lord Chrce, of Kow Observatory. Mr. Webb is not now a member of the. expedition, and intends taking up civil engineering. *...