The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-02-06
Will seek THE SOUTH POLE
Another foolhardy Expedition Is
Being Planned.
A BIG SCHEME IS UNFOLDED
Borchgrcvink. tho Norwegian Traveller.
Arrangcs TO Invade tho Great South.
crn Continent. Still Unknown,
but Claimed by England.

New York. Feb. &c. Egberg Borch
grevink, the antarctic explorer ana
scientist arrived last evening on the
Cunard line steamship Umbria from
Liverpool. He claims the distinction
of being the first civilized man to set
foot on what he believed to be the great
antarctic continent. Mr.. Borchgrevink
told few of his experiences in the
frozen regions of the south. He is the
son of an Englishwoman, but was born
in Christiana, Sweden, In 1864. He be-
gan his southern expedition by sailing
as common seaman on the whaling
bark Antarctic. an old craft built twen-
ty- three years ago. The expedition was
fitted out in 1894 and left Melbourne
Sept. 90 of that year, and sighted Cape
Adare on Jan. 16, 1895. He succeeded
in getting as far south as the seventy
fourth degree of latitude. He Is con-
WINGED that a continent exists that will
cover an area Of not less than 4.OOO,0OO
square miles.
After his lecturing tour in this coun-
try, which will last about three months.
Mr.. Borchgrevink will return to Eng
land to prepare for another southern
polar expedition. Borchgrevink has
taught the world pretty much all II
knows about the great continent which
lies in the southern polar seas, and II
his plans as now arranged are carried
out he will be able to tell much more
after he gets back from an expedition
which he is to undertake next winter.
The scheme that the explorer has in
mind now is to travel 160 miles inland
on snow shoes and sledges. with three
Norwegian companions, that he may
reach the south magnetic pole. He ex-
poets that it will take him more than
two years to do so. but he talks OF the
undertaking as If such trip were to
through Europe to an ordinary man.
All the Money Is Ut Hand.
Speaking of the proposed expedition,
Mr.. Borchgrevnk said. The most
difficult part of the matter has already
been accomplished. That Is the rais-
ing of the money. A commercial conf
pany has been formed in England for
the purpose of whaling and getting
cargoes of guano from the antarctic
regions. This company has agreed to
send out an expedition next september.
Eleven scientists are to go with the ex-
pedition. We have chartered the aux
iliary steamer Jason, the whaler which
took Mr.. Nansen into the arctic regions.
I'VE will sail right for Cape Adare'
which is on the new continent. we eX.
pect to get there by Nov. 1. we VIII
have another seventy-four ton steamer
and naptha launch with US. The TWO
steamers will leave us and return 10
Melbourne after whaling for q time.
With three Norwegian friends. all ex-
perts. with snow shoes, l will start IN
land from Cape Adare and traverse
country that was never entered Dy
human being as far as we Know. we
will 20 from Cape Adare to Coulman
island. q distance of sixty miles, over
the snow. and from there we contefn-
nIate n two and half months journey
over the mainland, travelling across the
MIA teau of ice and snow on sledges. we
want to locate the south magnetic pole.
England Claims tho Continent.
"On INV previous expedition / reached
soyenty-four degrees and ten minutes
south latitude, but we shall get much
ia rther south this trip unless am very
much mistaken. If the expedition sue
ceeds, the results to science Will be the
most important in many years
"Do YOU think that there is great
continent there. or merely an lsland!
Mr.. Borchgrevink was asked.
IT am quite sure II is a continent,
and one probably three times as large
as all Europe" he answered very posi-
lively. Rock specimens which l
brought up have satisfied scientists
that il is a continent and not an
island"
"To whom does 1t belong?"
well England claims it, replied Mr..
Borchgrevink. when Captain Sir
James Clark Ross landed on Possession
Island. which is off the coast of the
new continent, more than half a CEN
tury ago. from her majesty's ships,
Erebus and Terror, he took possession
of the mainland, which he never
stepped upon, in the name of the
uueen"