THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1910. THE RACE FOR THE SOUTH POLE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9712, 7 February 1910, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1910. THE RACE FOR THE SOUTH POLE.

A cable message from London, published in this issue, leaves little room for doubt that a veritable race for the South Pole will be taking place about the end of next year between Captain Scott's expedition and an ! expedition sent out under the joint auspices of the American Arctic' Club and the National Geographical Society of the United States. The former body have offered to supply the ship—the Roosevelt which brought Peary back from Greenland after his successful Polar journey—on condition that the Society gives £IO,OOO towards the expedition, the balance of the cost being shared by the two institutions. There is no likelihood of this expedition failing for lack of funds, for in such a cause some of America's wealthy men will doubtless supply any money that is needed. The American expedition will have the benefit of Peary's advice, though not of his personal leadership, but the conditions of travel in the North and Sosth Polafjregions are so different

iat in that- respect the advantage Mil be with Captain Scott, whose eraonal experience of Antarctic'exloration in good tead. The American plan of camlaign, as suggested by Peary, conemplates the expedition making its iase almost exactly opposite the pot +'rom which Captain Scott will 1 nake the attack, and apparently in he same portion of the Antarctic iontinent from which Dr. Bruce, he Scottish explorer, hopes to start. He proposes, if he can organise an >xpedition, to land on the Atlantic side wd cross right over the continent, ne#ting his vessel on the Pacific side. The latter, he thinks, has been well explored by Captain Scott and Sir Ernest Shackleton, practically up to the Pole itself, and it is now time someone did some work on the other side. The approach to Coats's Land, where he means, if possible, to land, is guarded by heavy ice, which has repulsed him on three previous occasions, and has turned back'a num- I ber of other explorers, and even if he succeeds in getting through it, and landing, his base will, be 300 miles further from the Pole than Scott's or Shackleton's base. But he regards this of little consequence, as he believes that the journey will be less difficult. His theory is that what he calls the Pacific iceland—from McMurdo Sound to the summit of the •ontinent —is the narrowest and steepest; of the three great Antarctic icefields, whereas the Atlantic icefield, though the broadest, is the most gently sloping. Compensation for the greater.distance to be travelled would, therefore. be found in the easier travelling. All this, apparently, is largely theory; its correctness may be tested by the American expedition, if it j accepts Peary'suggestion. Here, i again, Captain Scott will have the advantage, > for he knows exactly what he has to expect over a large portion of his southern journey. Sir Ernest Shackieton's experiences will show him eood deal more, and if he gets as far sjuth as the latter did, the rest of the journey, providing he has suffi tent food, should offer tew difficult! s worse than he will have alread.. . * ercome. The competition with America will add enormously to the interest in the British expedition, and the enthusiasm with which the American proposals hive been received should stimulate Captain Scott's countrymen to do everything possible to aid him m securing tor England the honour of winning the South Pole.