DR COOK'S EXPEDITION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 230, 3 November 1909, Page 4

DR COOK'S EXPEDITION.

HOW WAS IT FINANCED. WHY SECRECY WAS PRESERVED. Washington, Sept. 11. Mr. 11. Bradley, the wealthy amateur Arctic hunter, who financed Dr. Cook's \orth Pole dash, gives a breezy and inUresting account of 'how the expedition was organised, and laughs at the people who, ti6 he expresses it, "think DrJ Cook started for the Pole in a straw hac.-' No Polar expedition, Mr. Bradley says, was ever so completely fitted out «i a 'his, hut because he and Dr. Cook did not take all the world into their confidence, and sail away from New York to the accompaniment of a brass hand and 3alutcs of half-a-dozen warships, people have jumped to the conclusion that it >.vas only a sudden inspiration that led Dr. Cook to search for the Polo.

Mr. Bradley declines to say how much the expedition cost him, simply content ing himself with the remark that he spent "thousands and thousands." 110 says, however, that there never was move made that had not been calculated !ong in advance, and as Dr. Cook's plan was entirely new, so, in his stores were things that had never been carried before by any other explorer, Ho says lil knew of one expedition some years ago that carried live or six brass stoves, weighing from 161b to 181b a-piece, to be u?ed with kerosene or alcohol, for making tea. Dr. Cook carried stoves made of aluminium, weighing 31b each, that were just as efficient. To show how carefully the expedition was organised, Mr. Bradley says that among their stores were 5000 gallons of gasoline fuel, enough to have lasted Dr. Cook for three years, great quantities of provisions, hickory to build sledge*, ironmongery of all kinds, steel, cooper, lf)0 feet of stove pipe, 100 gallons of alcohol, ami, of course, the usual canned and preserved foods, 25 guns as presents to the natives, besides biscuits, axes, tobacco, and other things dear k the heart of the Eskimo, and 10,000 boxes of matches, for there is scarcely anything the Eskimau appreciates so much as matches.

Not being a. scientific man, Mr. Bradley does not know what astronomical and other instruments Dr. Cook carried, bat he knows he had everything that was necessary, as lie paid the bills, and as proof that the equipment was of the latest and most approved pattern, Mr. Bradley instances especially a fine sextant made of aluminium, with which Dr. Cook used to take observations while on ! board Mr, Bradley's yacht. Mr, firadlev ascribes Dr. Cook's suc- ' coss to his experience, his courage, and energy, and to the careful preparations made; to his having violated all tradition, and planned out a path of his own, end the <rreal affection which the Eski* inaux have for hini. Dr. Cook speaks t/ieir language, they have absolute confidence in him. and i hey knew that he could be relied upon to do exactly what he promised.

I Mr. John Bradley, in an interview vntli the Times correspondent at Now York, said that three years' suppl'es were landed at Annatok. including forty tons of coal, large quantities of sugar, tea, cofl'ec, biscuits, dried meats, hickory wood for making sledges, hardware, and cooking utensils, 10.000 boxes of matches, 1*20,000 tins of 'food, 150 gallons of alcohol, .barrels of rice and flour and gums, knives and trinkets as gifts for the Esquimaux. Dr. Cook also "had in addition to the valuable sextant made of aluminium, several compasses, an artificial horizon barometer, thermometer, charts, etc. As for the secrecy with which the preparations -were made, that whs. according to Mr. Bradley, in order In forestall Commander Peary, who was *hen gathering money for a similar expedition. Even the captain of Mr Pradlev's sliip was not admitted into the secret until they arrived in August, M)O7, at Annatok. The splendid condition of the little colony of Esquimaux, i!:e abundance of fish' and game, the Hate of the ice. and tile ideal weather made Dr. Cook decide to make the at- ; tempt.