FOR THE SOUTH POLE

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2063, 14 December 1907, Page 4

FOR THE SOUTH POLE

ARRIVAL OF LIEUTENANT SUACKIiETON. AN- INTERESTING INTERVIEW. WILL NEW ZEALAND HELP? Special to Times. WELLINGTON, Dee. 13. Lieutenant- Shacklebon 11. N. commaiuler of the .British Antarctic expedition, arrived iby the Alaheno 'from Sydney yesterday. Your representative had'tlie pleasure of renewing ac-quaint-.ince with him and spending the afternoon in his company. Durin tlie course of our peregrinations Lieut. Shackleton said a good deal that was interesting and a- good deal chat was new about the expedition, which is really one of the most important- in the history of Polar exploration. When he heard that three other countries were arranging South Polar expeditions he made very strenuous efforts to get. away ahead oi them to win the laurels for the .British nation, and in this he Ims succeeded. He is still, however, in want of some funds, about £-1000, and this amount- ho believes he will have no dilliculltv in raising in Australia and New Zealand. “We have,” lie said, "only some six supporters. At first,” he added,” 1 was going to the old winter quarters near 'Erebus and Terror, but ifor good reasons I decided to change the base to a new land. This change of;base means an increased expenditure and though I had promises of support sufficient to meet- all contingencies some ot '• hose promises did not mature. My cousin, Mr Hell, •however, gave .-£-1000. Lie is a well known man in England with .big interests in America, and it will bo remembered that ho financed the recent British expedition toMount-iUua-■wenzori in Africa. But for the financial crisis in' America no doubt the necessary further funds would have been forthcoming. Tho £-1000 now wanted is really for the magnetic survey -which 'the Nimrod is to undertake after landing the expedition in the Polar regions.” This work is really a very important ono and one that is of considerable economic value, .so Lieut. -Shackleton -would - liko to extend it. The variation noted on the charts in several parts of the world is incorrect. It is altering at a greater rate than tho allowance for variation that Ins boon made all tlie way out from England to. New Zealand. The Nimrod has boon- “swinging for variation” and lias found errors of from one .to two degrees of arc. She came cut one of tho trade routes or the world, England to the Cape and the C ipe -to. Australia. It is the desire- of tlie expedition to add to the good Work already done in this direction and the proposal isthatafter taking the party down- to their winter quarters she should return and make observations on other trade routes, New Zealand to Australia, Australia to Colombo, Colombo 'to Aden and on to the (Mozambique Channel where there is a very considerable error. Finally tlie Nimrod would go -Home via. Cape Horn and up tlie Atlantic, so that on the main trade routes of tlie world tlie variation would he noted and corrected where necessary. Such a magnetic survey would result in a saving of time to every ship coming south of the line, not a very considerable matter perhaps to one ship but- an item of importance considered in the aggregate to hundreds of ships when the matter of wages, provisions, etc., is considered. At ,tlie same time that these observations were being made observations would be taken by the land party near the South magnetic pole, -which would be of peculiar advantage. In regard to tlie other scientific work the study of geology in the terra incognita to be traversed will be particularly important. “We don’t know iwiiat minerals we may come across,” said Lieut. Shackleton. “On our last expedition we found traces of tin. AVe shall go very carefully into the .geological survey this time and we are taking with us a trained mineral geologist.” Lieut. Shackleton took me round to tlie Malieno to see a wonderful self recording electric thermometer, an invention that he Ins brought out with him. The platinum thermometer looks liko a bit of brass rod about three inches long. It is sealed up and you see nothing of the thermometer. Attached to a. wire in a lead cable, the thickness of a man’s little finger, there arc four miles of this cable. For attachment to the other end of' the cablo .is a machine with a most delicate and ingenious mechanism. It is a wooden case with a glass front. There is in this the electric mechanism of a clock and a revolving drum, which is printed with the hours marked as in a recording barometer. By means of this very up-to-date npplianco you can have your thermometer four miles out on tho ice- away from all local influences and some distance from tho hills, while inside your comfortable hut will be the machine faithfully recording everv o seconds the temperature day after day and night after nigh*—no going out in a deadly blizzard with The clanger of frost bite and of getting lost, to read this instrument. To meteorology, of course, will be devoted special attention and the conditions prevailing in the (Polar regions. Lieut. Shackleton thinks they are of special importance to New Zealand. In regard to -biology "tlie expeclilion will be working in a near land and it is anticipated that about thirty per ceivfc of the species will be now. Tlie land party will be established on King Edward Land, some five hundred -miles away 'from where tii© Discovery wintered. iWliere there is such an oven temperature all the vear round, Lieut. Shackleton says, (here is a most- interesting growth of life The expedition holies to tot many emperor penguins anil their ~,r.,rS ' which are very valuable. ‘Tneut. Shackleton, in- answer to a suggestion by your representative, expressed ins willingness to make- col : lections for the principal museums oi the -Dominion of the animals, insects, etc., found—a most valuable and generous offer which would no doubt be rewarded bv tho hearty co-operation ,-,f the Premier and his colleagues on behalf of New Zealand. ■ Then there is the peculiar -geograohical respect of the expedition. -No one,” said Lieut. Shackleton, . knows what lies to the south of King Ld-.,-rft-d Lind because wo only saw a short distance through falling snow •ted mist. We hope by landing.there •uid oping on the westward on to tlie Great Ice Barrier and travelling southward over the banner stir face.to solve the greatest problem that ic.m.iins in polar work Wav. The ."■reat question to bo solved is whether fids vast barrier is the remainder of a. sea frozen in the last glacial .age with snow spread over it, or whether it is a great glacier coming from a frantic mountain range m the tai South. 'lt is from this barrier as you know that tho -great icebergs break off and float up towards the rcg'on of New Zealand. The question is a great puzzle to geologists and .-hysik'Uts It is quite possible looking at it' broadlv that we shall find King Edward Land is tho north end ot another ran go of mountains similar to that which we discovered on tlie farthest south journey -with Captain .Scott. If these mountains go round to Graham Land and link up the two lui'ls it will prove tho entire continental nature of the Antarctic, givi„,r a,,' area probably greater than that of Australia,— roughly speaking -vine four million suuaro miles.

o'j-n !■;i; bxpeditions. jjieut. ShaekMon informed me Ui'at tlm Ercnh Expedition is leaving; m ,Inlv li’lis. l; revolves a grant ol 000 from the Crouch Government. | ( „jii ,e„ it> Graham Land a ml work down to Kill}! Edward haml and •onie of tho members may endeavor toreecli the South Pole. The Belgium expedition will work down where Cook went in 1777, i 0.. half wav between Graham 'Land and King Edward Land. They hone to work down to King Edward Land and make a dash ifor the pole rising motors as far as thev can. hut Lieut. Shack* jeton does not- think they will start before 1909.“( By that time,” he added, “I hope that one at all events of two great prizes of the Polar expedition will have been won, an other words that the South Pole will hive

been discovered by men oL tho British raco.” ... Americans, it -appears, are talking oi going to tho old winter quarters of the Discovery, but little has loon heard for some time of tlioir proposed expedition. There is every probability that ihe Australian Government will give a grant- in aid of the expedition and influential committees nro wording privately in both Victoria and New South Wales ill tlie interests ot the expedition. One is headed by Sir . Maddern and the other Ibv Sir 1' redo rick Barley. The question arises W ill New Zealand help ? A -grant of £IOOO wo i.d. in the opinion of many -people hero, redound to tho credit.of tho Dominion. In return for this-Lieut. Shackleton would be glad to allow a New Zealand biologist to accompany toe Nimrod while she is doing lna-girtuc work. In addition there would oe valuable collections for the museums of the Dominion as already mentioned. Perhaps, even, the Tutanckai could be lent to tow tlie Nimrod down to the -pack of ice and help to carry her co.il, ilor t>ho will 'bo voi\ deeply laden. . , , Your representative suggested that Lieut. Shackleton should lecture in Wellington on tlie Discovery expedition and ho readily consented to do so. 11l company with Mi LconardTripp, who is taking a keen interest in the expedition, wo promptly called upon His Worship the Mayor, tho Hon. T. AY. Hislop,. and he most cordially, foil in with the proposal. As Lieut: Shackleton lias some magnificent lantern slides of tho Discovery expedition and is moreover a most interesting lecturer a great treat is in store for Wellington -people. ‘ln Sydney Lieut. Shackleton lectured to four thousand people. The town hall will probably be taken and admission will lie free so that there should be an attendance of some t-liree thousand people. “I suppose,” said I, as wo parted, “you don’t yet know the men you will take on your final journey towards the polo.” “No,” replied Lieut Shackleton, “I propose to take six men and it.will rest with the doctor to decide at the time who are the most fi- -o go.”