JAPS AND THE POLE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 302, 16 May 1911, Page 5

JAPS AND THE POLE

A CURIOUS EXPLANATION. Jsy Cable—Press Association—Copyright Sydney, May 15. It transpires that the commander of the Japanese Antarctic expedition has returned to Japan to furnish the Government with the causes of the failure of the expedition. A member of the party stated that they realised the vessel wan not fitted for I'olar exploration, and he expected that as the result of the commander's report they v/ould be recalled to Japan in a few weeks. He aducd that the party were not thoroughly seized with the conditions they would have to encounter in the Antarctic, and would be better prepared next time.

ARE THEY SPIES? SUSPICIOUS DOINGS. Received 15, 9.15 p.m. Sydney, May 15. Members of the Japanese expedition were found camped in the vicinity of the South Head fortifications. The newspapers suggest the possibility of their being spies and object to the camp being near the fort. It is stated that extra sentries have been placed near the approaches to the military reserve. A REMARKABLE VOYAGE. PERILS OF THE ICE PACK. Professor David, who discussed with a representative of the Daily Telegraph the performance put up by the Japanese expedition in reaching and getting away from Coulman Island at a time when the winter season was so far advanced, is apparently very interested in the fortunes of Lieutenant Shirase and his party. The Professor expressed, at the termination of the interview, the hope that he might soon have the advantage of interviewing Lieutenant Shirase and the opportunity of discussing with him his future plans for scientific exploration in the Antarctic. START TOO LATE.

Professor David holds the opinion that the party set out too late to put in the preliminary work necessary before the winter was too far advanced to form a base for its operations. But that apparently an initial mistake was made only heightens the merit of the fact that under what must have been remarkably arduous circumstances such a journey was made, as from Wellington (New Zealand) to Coulman Island and back to Sydney. "It appears from the published accounts," said Profesor David, "that the expedition reached as far south as Coulman Island. Seeing that it was already as late as February 11 before the Kainan Maru left Wellington—the usual date of departure for this part of the Antarctic being not later than the beginning of January—this expedition has not done so badly in getting as far south as it did, in view of the advanced state of the winter season. THE NIMROD'S EXPERIENCE. "In 1909 the Nimrod left Ross Island, near Mount Erebus, on March 4. This is about 300 miles south of Coulman Island. At that time the sea was beginning to freeze over rapidly, with touch young pancake ice, making progress northwards very difficult. OIF Coulman Island, on March 0, the Ximi'od encountered much of this young ice, and soon after passing Cape Adarc. KSO miles further north, on March 8, narrowly escaped being frozen in for a whole year. Masses of old ice, with numerous bergs, surrounded her, and these were being fast frozen together by the new ice. She was released only by a stronj wind springing up from the south. With all her sails set and full stearin up, she was able to forge slowly ahead, and eventually to extricate herself. "On the occasion of Sir Ernest Shackleton's departure on his furthest south dash, he left instructions for the Nimrod to return to New Zealand in good time to pick up his party on their return early in February. At the same time, with a view to providing for every possible conceivable delay, he left written orders for the captain to remain, if nc r pessary, in the neighborhood of Mount Erebus as late as March 10, but the captain was on no account to postpone his departure after that date, as Sir Ernest Shackleton was of opinion that even on that date there would be considerable risk of the Nimrod being permanently frozen in. In the circumstances, and on the assumption that the seasons this year are similar to those of 1909, the commander of the Japanese expedition would have no other alternative but to withdraw his ship as soon as possible, in order to escape being frozen in, after his arrival at Coulman Island on March 14."

WAS SCOTT'S PARTY SPOKEN? "Coulmnn Island," Professor David went on, "affords no anchorage. '1 lie sides of the island are high and precipitous, Tt is altogether misuited to form (lie base of any expedition that contemplates a dash for the South Pole. There are, however, three suitable spots for wintering parties in this vicinity. One is at Lady Ncwnes Bay, seventy miles west of Coulmnn Island; another at Wood Bay, 120 miles south-west of the island; and the third at Cape Adare, IGO miles to the north. At, Cape Adare, Lieutenant Campbell's party of the Scott' expedition in the Terra Nova had al-, ready established itself before the ar-, rival of the Japanese expedition at Colli-. man, There is no mention in the inter- 1 ' view published of the .tapanesc having spoken with any of Scott's party at Cape Adare. Obviously the first two of the places I have mentioned would already have been closed by the ice, and therefore Would not have been accessible, during March. It is possible, however, thai, there might have been open water to Cape Adare, COOT) EXPLORATION CENTRE.

"At Cape Adare there are three huts—two built hv the expedition under Boreh- ] ifrevinck, fitted out by Sir fieorgc Newncs; and a third recently erected by Lieutenant Campbell. U would appear that Cape Adare would have been the only possible place where the Japanese expedition could have lauded in the middle of March. But this locality is not favorably situated for a dash to the Pole, inasmuch as it is over 450 miles to the north of Captain Scott's base, and over 500 miles to the north of Amundsen's base. At the same time, i! is a conveniently-situated ba=c for sludyina the geology' of the great coast range, known as the 'Admiralty Range, lying to the north-west of Ross Sea. and also for the further exploration of the magnetic pole region, which is nearlv equidistant from Coulnian Island and Cape Adare, Iving approximately 330 miles west-north-west of the former, and the same distance west-south-west of the latter. THE SEALING PROJECT. "Tt was reported that, the Japanese expedition intended to investigate the possibility of developing the sealing in-

dustry in the vicinity of Ross Sea, but I notice that no mention of this project has been made by the visitors in the interview published. At the present time the details do not permit of much comment. 1 hope to learn more of the experiences of the expedition and of its' plans for the future, when I meet the leader.'' THE EXPLORING SHIP VISITED. The Japanese exploring vessel Hainan Main, in which an attempt to rcaeh the South Pole was made early in the year, is attracting a great deal oi attention as she lies in Double Bay. The little schooner was visited by a good number of people, and the Japanese allowed all-comers to board the vcssell and wander round. Sledges and upturn-' ed boats were the most conspicuous things on deck except for the Esquimaux dog, which is the only one of eleven that survived the rough weather and cold of the Antarctic when tie schooner tried to land a party at Coulman Island. All enquiries as to the method by wi/ich the march to the Pole was to be achieved or attempted met with a shake of the •head. , In fact, the officers and crew speak so little English that any question was answered with difficulty, but they ninde no secret, that their plans were their secret. It is understood that the schooner will be docked and overhauled in Sydney.