NORTH POLE BEACHED.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 476, 4 September 1909, Page 3

NORTH POLE BEACHED.

BY DR. F. A. COOK, OF NEW YORK. London, Sept. 2. Dr. Frederick Albert Cook, Arctic explorer, of Brooklyn, New York, has telegraphed to his wife from Lerwick, a seaport in the Shetland Islands, as follows : “Successful and well. Address

Copenhagen.” Dr. Cook began his dash for the North Pole towards the close of 1907. There have been no tidings of him since the cabled advice of October 5, 1908, which slated; “Dr Cook traversed Greenland in February last for the purpose of attempting to reach the North Pole. He was expected to return in June, and as no tidings have been heard of the expedition, a disaster is feared.”

The long silence has been broken by the arrival at Lerwick yesterday of the Danish steamer Hans Egede (Sn tons). She anchored at Lerwick for two hours, and then proceeded on to Copenhagen.

An absolute secrecy was maintained by Dr Cook regarding his journey. The Danish Consul at Lerwick was himself bound over to secrecy by the explorer before any information was given him. Secrecy was not maintained, however, by the Inspector of Greenland, who was also a passenger by the Hans Egede. The Inspector telegraphed the Administration of the Greenland Colonies (Danish) at Copenhagen: ‘‘We have on board Dr Cook, who reached the North Pole on April 21, 1908. Dr Cook arrived at Upernavik (a village on an islet off the west coast of Greenland), from Cape York, in May, 1909. Esquimaux at Cape York confirm the truth of Dr Cook’s

journey.” Dr Cook's white companion, Randolph Francke, finding the climate too severe, returned to Newfoundland in 1908, and Dr Cook then proceeded with his dash for the Pole, having no companion but two Esquimaux. The explorer took with him eight dog teams laden with supplies. He was then 500 or 600 miles distant from the pole. ‘ According to a Reuter’s message from Brussels, M. Le Comte, director of the Observatory at Uccle (near Brussels), on Wednesday received a telegram from Dr Cook, sent from Lerwick, in which the explorer announced that he had reached the North Pole, and had discovered land in the extreme North.

The New York correspondent of The Times telegraphs : “The news of the success of the American explorer Dr Cook in gaining the North Pole was received here with elation.

“So little publicity had been given to Dr Cook’s expedition, and so much to Commander Peary’s attempt (still in progress) to reach the Pole, that almost everybody was taken completely by surprise.

“Even the officers of the National Geographical Society of Washington confessed that they knew little about Dr Cook’s expedition.” There is great excitement and enthusiasm at Copenhagen. Dr Cook is expected to arrive there on Saturday, IS IT THE MAGNETIC POLE? King Edward, who is at Marienbad, is highly interested in the message sent by the Inspector of Greenland, as is Lieut. Shackleton, leader of the British expedition that reached within 97 miles of the South Pole. The news has startled everyone.

The Times remarks; “The evidence Is yet very incomplete, but the statement has the appearance of bona-fides, and Dr Cook’s previous record must be taken seriously.” A later message says that after the Hans Egede’s departure yesterday, it was stated at Lerwick that Dr Cook had merely reached the Magnetic Pole. If this is so, the exploit is not remarkable, as Ross attained the Magnetic Pole in 1831. Lieut. Shackleton calculates that if the North Pole itself has been reached, Dr Cook must have cove red 483 miles in thirty-live days .