THE POLAR SIEGE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 84, 6 April 1912, Page 3

THE POLAR SIEGE.

DAVID ON AMUNDSEN. The following is the text of the Sydney "Daily Telegraph's" interview with Professor David, which was secured immediately after receipts of the news of Captain Amundsen's arrival at Hohart and the circulation of the rumour that Captain Scott had reached the South Pole : Prospects of tho Parties. "With regard to the reported discovery of the South Pole by Captain Stott, and in Hobar't this morning, J have not personally received any communication from Captain Scott's manager in Christehurcb, New Zealand (Mr Kinsey), as to the return of his ship, the Terra Nova. The information so far in reference to Captain Scott seems very uncertain, as it has not yet been officially confirmed. Both Possibly Successful. "However, many competent authorities on polar matters have been of the opinion for seme time past that it was probable that both Scott and Amundsen would reach the South Pole. , Amundsen had given out that he would devote just one year to the attempt, while Scott was thoroughly prepared to spend two years on the work if necessary. I hardly anticipated hearing of the return of Scott':• expedition under about another fort- , night. At the same time, it was possible that Scott, knowing that Amundsen was to be a competitor foi the much-coveted goal, arranged to start on his big journey southward much earlier in the year than Shackle ton started his. Shackleton's Expedition. "Shackleton started for the South Pol© near the end of October, 1903 whereas the party which went with me to the south magnetic pole started a month earlier, and found conditions of travelling then, though severe, quite possible for the average sledging parties. The only reason why Shackleton delayed hi* start was on account of the Manchurian ponies, as he feared tin effects on tho -ponies of the greal cold early in the season. Scott wa-t provided with two powerful moto! sledges, as well as with Manchuriai ponies and some good Siberian dogs He could, therefore, much better af ford to take risks with ponies thai could Shackleton, and having compe tition, which Shackleton had not, Ik would no doubt start early in thf, spring—say, at the beginnng of Oc ttober. ~'<-, From Winter Quarters. ': "The "total distance to the Polo an( ! back in a bee line from Scott's win .ter quarters would be about ISO', miles; 1 rather further than tha' when an allowance is made for n'eoeS sary detours-1 : and relay work Shackloten, in 1908, travelling- onl, with fiour Manchurian ponies to d : tho traction- of sledges, did abou fifteen miles per day, when not heh up by "blizzards, over the surface o 1 tho great ice barrier for about 38( miles to the foot of the immens< Beardmore, glacier. ; The Beardmore Glacier. > * "This glacier,- ascending--; f tio.r a height of 8000 ft, in a distance of 100 miles, with its, jagged and creviced ice surface, is a most formidable obstacle to sledging parties. Some days. Shackleton's party was onlj able to travel a single mile, although ' they were using their utmost efforts They had no ponies to help them U] Beardmore Glacier; indeed, for ponie: such a surface would be quite impassable. Neither had they dogs, s< that the hauling had to be all done b; manual power. Farther South. "From tho top. of Beard-more Glacier there is a distance of a little over 400 miles over a high plateau from 8000 ft. to over 10,000 ft. in al titude, to the South Pole. Shackle ton's party encountered* terrific blh zards, almost up to their farthes point south, with the thermometer o< casionally, although it was close t midsummer, registering 70deg. o frost Fahrenheit. Eventually the; reached a spot at their farthest south about 112 miles from the Pole. B, desperate efforts they retraced thoi steps, making false marches fix qucntly over twenty miles per day am l returned U) their starting poin on, March 1. Scctt's Trip. "This date gives some idea as t< when Scott's party may have beer expected to return from the Soutl Pole if successful in reaching it. The;, would have to travel about 234 milei farther than did Shackleton, at fifteen miles per day. This would take them an extra sixteen, days. In round numbers, the whole journey might take them at least a fortnight longer than it did Shackleton. But as against this, Scott may very like ly have started a month earlier, and besides, on reaching the plateau at the top of Beardmore Glacier, would have the important advantage of the help of dogs in travelling 400 mile? from thence to the Pole, and the other 400 miles back to the glacier. Under these circumstances, it if quite possiblo that Scott may have returned to his headquarters about three wljlcs earlier than did Shackleton ; that is about the end of the first week in February. Soott's Observations. "It is, therefore, quite within th bounds of possibility that the Terr. Nova may have performed the two t< three weeks' voyage necessary t> carry her from Scott's Antarcti headquarters to New Zealand by jus i about the present date. At th same time, it was Captain Scott's ii \ tention not merely to make a- das ) for the Pole, but to make carefu

scientific observations as he went. This of course would involve more time. One' must, of course, await fresh details before indulging in speculations as to whether or not Scott has already reached the Pole, and announced the fact from some New Zealand port. "It may be said that whether the present report is true mr not, it is extremely likely that ho will eventually succeed in reaching the South Pole. He was quite prepared, if his attempt failed this year, to devote another year to the work. Olio does not know what his decision may have been if by any chance Amundsen got to the Pole before him, and announced to Scott this fact on his return. Amundsen's Return. With reference to Amundsen, we have the positive, information of, the safe return of tho Fram with her party. Sho has been, daily expected at Hohart for the last fortn'ght. it was- expected that Amundsen \vov.id, on the whole, bo able to travel somewhat faster than Scott. His party of ejght or nine, though few, are extremely fit, and all experienced in dog sledging and every variety of polar work. He had with -him about 130 splendid dogs, picked from the very best teams in Greenland. These are heavy animals—at least half as heavy again as the average Siberian dogs Tho latter weigh 401 bor a trifle over; the former scale 601 b or 70ibi The distance in, a bee line from, Amundsen's headquarters on the ice barrier at the Bay of Whales to the-South Pole would' be about 60 miles or so nearer to it than the position of Captain Scott's headquarters, but if- Amundsen carried' out his original proposal of slanting apross the great ice barrier to the Beardmore Glacier his route would be just about the same length as that of Captain Scott's. Those in command of the Fram fully anticipated that Amundsen and his men .would accomplish, this immense double journey, totalling 1800 to 1900 miles, in a space of time which would- admit of their return 'to the Bay of Whales early in February. The Smile of, the Scandinavian Sphinx. "Again, ft seems idle to speculate,, in lack of information, as to whal Amundsen and his men may have accomplished, but the fact that he returned in the Fram very close to thcappointed time, and, according to thr cablegram, has expressed himsoll very pleased with his voyage, s'ug gests that he m'ay have reached the much-coveted goal. '' / ' Soatt's Valuable Work. •: "In regard to Captain Scott's, expedition, whether he has readied the Pole .J or hot, and whether or not lie has jbeen anticipated by.; Amundsen. it is' certain that, /barring accidents. he- will have accomplished scientific work second' to none that; has evor been undertaken in the Antarctic regions."