THE NORTH POLE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 479, 11 September 1909, Page 3

THE NORTH POLE.

PEARY’S SUMMARY,

New Yore, Sept. 9* Commander R. E. Peary has forwarded to the New York Times, by wireless telegraphy, via Newfoundland, the following summary of his expedition, for publication, In case the paper is unable to get the full story in time for to-day’s issue:

After wintering at Cape Sheridan, in Grant Laud, ' the sle Igc expedition left the steamer Roosevelt on February 15th, 1909, and started north of Cape Columbia. On March Ist the sledge party passed the British Farthest North record.

(The British record is that: of lieutenant (afterwards Admiral) A. H. Markham, who led a sledge party in connection with the 157576 expedition.of Sir Geo. Nares in the Alert and the. Discovery. Markham reached latitude 83 degrees xo minutes'36l seconds. He named Cape Columbia.] On March and they were delayed by open water until March n th, when they succeeded in crossing and passed the 84th parallel. They encountered an open lead (channel of water) on March 15th. On March 18th they crossed the 85th parallel; on March 22nd, they crossed the 86th.

After encountering an open lead, they passed the Norwegian record on March 23rd. [The Norwegian record, Nansen’s, was beaten by Captain Cagni’s (Italian). Nansen in 1895 reached 86 degrees 13 minutes.] The next day, March '24th, they left the Italian Farthest North record behind them.

[The Italian record, which was the Farthest North till Peary’s beat it, was established in 1900 by Captain Cagni, one of the sledgeparty leaders of the Duke of Abruzzi’s expedition. He reached latitude 86 degrees 34 minutes]. They encountered an open lead on March 26th, and. passed the 87th parallel on March 27th. On March 28th they passed the American record, and were held up by open water till March 29th. [The American Farthest North record hitherto, and also the world’s record, was Peary’s own, 87 degrees 6 minutes, established in 1906.] They crossed the 88th parallel on April 2nd, and the 89th on April 4th,

The North Pole was reached on April 6th. They left .again on April 7th, * On April 23rd they regained Cape Columbia, and arrived on board the Roosevelt on April 27th.

The Roosevelt reached Cape Sheridan on July. 18th, passed Cape on August Bth, and Cape York on August 26th.

PROFESSOR MARVIN’S DEATH. All the members of Commander Peary’s expedition, save one, are returning, and are in good health. The exception is Professor Marvin, who was drowned on April 10th, four, days after the advance expedition had reached the Pole. The fatality occurred 45 miles north of Cape Columbia, while Professor Marvin was returning from the 86th parallel. He was then in command of a supporting party.

[Professor Marvin is presumably Mr Ross G. Marvin, a native of Elmira, New York State, Cornell graduate, now about twenty-nine years old, Mr Marvin was for the second time acting as Commander Peary’s assistant and secretary of the expedition. He is described as a stalwart athlete.]

PEARY ON DR. COOK’S TACTICS. New York, Sept. 9. The New York Times publishes a letter which Commander Peary wrote in May, 1908, for the purpose of a record, stating : “Dr Cook has located himself at Etan (in Northern Greenland), which has been my depot for years. “He has appropriated the Eskimos I trained and he has taken the dogs collected ready for my coming.’’ Commander Peary’s letter concludes “Dr Cook’s action in going north subrosa is for the admitted purpose of fore-staffing me, and is one which no man possessing a sense of honour would be guilty of.’’ [lt was from Etah that Dr Cook, in August, 1907, definitely announced his dash tor the Pole. Commander Peary’s letter was written in May, 1908, and he left New York in July, 1908, The allegation against Dr Cook as to the dogs and the Eskimos has already, been:-made by Sir Geo. Nares.] PUBLICATION IN LONDON. London, Sept. 9. The Times is publishing the story, and will issue further editions if the continuation of the narrative Is received.