The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1895-03-14
TO THE 80 III.
Dr.. Cook to Explore the Regions Of
the Antarctic Ocean.
Sailing Vessels to BE Used Instead Of q
steamer-They VIII Be Provisioned for
Three Years-The Scientific Corps
Will Comprise Only Five Persons.


New YORK, March 11.-Dr. Frederick
Cook, the we'll known explorer, has
come forward with a new plan for ac-
complishing the conquest of the Ant
arctic region. With a small band of
scientists he expects to sail from New
York September next, and it may be
three years before the expedition re-
turns.
This project was for the first time
publicly announced Saturday evening
by the doctor himself, in an extended
paper read before the Geographical
Section of the Brooklyn Institute of
Arts and Sciences. DR.. Cook has sue
ceeded in enlisting the active support
OF various scientific bodies, and of pri-
vate individuals as well, in his scheme.
There is no doubt that the sum neces-
sary to fit and send out the expedition
-S25, OOO-will be completely SUBJ
scribed within short time.
Instead of employing a steam whaler.
as last year programme called for, DIR.
Cook expects to secure two sailing ves-
sells, sealers of about 100 tons burden
apiece. Sealers of this capacity are
only 100 feet long, but they are stanch
craft, fairly rapid sailers, and superior
for the ice work. The provisioning
will be for three years, although the
intention is to return in twenty-four
months
The scientific corps will comprise
only five persons, including the leader.
1t will take the vessels three months
to sail the odd six thousand miles from
New York to the Gulf of Erebus and
Terror.
The Antartic summer will be COM
mencing when the rendezvous is
reached. If clear sea presents itself
a further southing will be attempted.
Otherwise the expedition will imme-
diately disembark
After erecting substantial wooden
house for headquarters observations
will commence. Later on sledging
parties will set out over the inland ice
to explore as much of the Antartic con.
tinent as possible. For the first four
months no lamplight will be needed.
No special attempt will, for various
reasons, be made to hoist the stars and
stripes to the top of the south pole.
Incidentally it may be remarked that
the Antarctic continent comprises, an
estimated area Of 8, OOO COO square miles,
a sixth of the entire surface of the
globe. So far as known the only in
habitants are icebergs, glaciers, whales,
seals, penguins and some other animals.
In the course Of his remarks last
evening DR.. Cook referred to the dis
covery by Capt. Larzen, of the Dundee
sealing fleet, who found on Cape Sey-
mour, in latitude Ga south, about fifty
balls, apparently made by human
hands, of sand and clay, and perched
upon pillars constructed of the same
material.
'"This is the first evidence" said DR..
Cook, ''of human existence in the Ant
arctic. To my mind human habitation
on the Antarctic shores is not impossi-
BILE, nor do deem it by any means i'm
probable to find there an isolated tribe
of men, feeding and dressing from the
liberal sea farms"
At the conclusion of the address
steps were taken to appoint commit
tee of the section which will assist DR..
Cook to send out his expedition.
DR.. Cook is still yonng man, being
under thirty. In 1s91-92 he was the
surgeon and ethnologist of Lieut..
Peary's first expedition to the north.
He has gone to the Arctic twice since.