THE NORTH POLE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 478, 9 September 1909, Page 3

THE NORTH POLE.

DR. COOK CRITICISED

SEVERELY CROSSEXAMINED.

London, September 6

Dr. Cook is strongly criticised for sendidg his diary to America, presumably by a vessel starting before the Hans Egede. The critics emphasise the point that chief among the inducements to accompany the documents himself ought to have been the prospect of rejoining his wife and receiving his countrymen’s welcome. Mr D. C. Bernacchi, physicist, who accompanied the Discovery Antarctic expedition, suggests that the altitude of the sun and the temperature of the air mentioned by Dr Cook show that there must have been a distortion by refraction, and it was therefore impossible that he could have determined the position of the Pole with the certainty he claims. Dr Cook states he had no definite idea of going to the Pole, but finding the Eskimos and dogs ready he started. He states he saw no trace of Commander Peary’s expedition which left Etah last September. Copenhagen, Sept. 6.

The Times special correspondent and Mr W. T. Stead searchingly cross-examined Dr Cook in the presence ot sixty journalists. The Times’ representative and Mr Stead were entirely satisfied, that Dr Cook is an upright, honest man. The Daily Chronicle’s correspondent is sceptical. The Daily Mail states that the majority of the correspondents came away with full belief of the narrative.

Dr Cook stated that the lowest temperature was 83 Fahrenheit below zero, not Centigrade, which was due to a telegraphic error. He took one hundred photos, which are still undeveloped. The sextant and practically all the instruments and records were left at Etah for direct shipment to America.

Dr Cook afterwards dined with the King of Denmark and the Royal Family. Knud Raasmussen, a Danish Polar explorer, interviewed the Cape York Eskimos who accompanied Dr Cook. They corroborate some of Dr Cook’s statements.