Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-06-07
FOR SOUTH POLE
American and British Explorers
Plan to Use the Automo-
bile in Their Trips.
TO START NEAR SAME TIME
DR.. Frederick A. Cook Will Use Especi
ally Designed Machines-Mo-
tor to Draw SIedges.

In view of the report cabled from
New York To London that Dr.. Ereder-
lex \. Cook has made preparations 10
explore the antarctic regions and make
an effort to reach the south pole, using
motor cars for the purpose, il is inter
esting to note that the British eXpcdi-
ton to the south pole under command
of Lieutenant Ernest II. ShaciletOn.
announced in February last. IS now al
most ready and will start from the
Thames about the same time as Or.
Cook does from Americana ut
the end of July.
About that exposition a New York
Herald correspondent recently had
talk with Lieutenant Shacklcton. He
was much interested In the American
expedition. especially as the automo-
bile will play prominent part in his
plan, though the lieutenant is not re-
lying on the automobile entirely.
ut IS not stated in the cabied report
about DR.. Cook" remarked Lieutenant
ShackletOn. where Or. Cook is going
to land and whence he will start his
journey to the pole. We of course
shall land on King Edward VII. Land
and explore around the Ross Quadrant
which has hitherto been the British
sphere of exploration since it was dis
covered by Sir james Ross in 1872.
"Of course the prospect of going
south from King Edward VII. Land is
yet hypothetical. because no one has
landed there since it was discovered
during the national antarctic cXpcdi-
IN, l.. 4. I I.
land there for certain reasons. We
have a good staff of strong. scientific
men. numbering twelve in all men
who are not only expert biologists and
meteorologists. but are able To put Il
strong hand to sledging in case of
trouble.
We have Sir Philip Brocklchurst
who will bc invaluable to the eXpedj.
ton in sledgng work. Mr.. James
Murray is n we'll known biologist He
has been for the last five years en-
gagged with Sir james Murray on lake
survey. Lieutenant Adams is our me-
teorologist. and we have a splendid
mechanical engineer and chauffeur in
Mr.. James Muir
Have hut One Auto.
Our general staff will join the ship
at New Xca'aud at the end of the year
our autOmObilc-fpr We shall have
only onc--consists of n framework; Of
specially manufactured steel and is
very simply constructed affair 1t will
carry separate sets of wheels to suit
the varying conditions of the surfaces
over which we shall have to travel
For instance. in soft snow the two
front wheels will require 10 he taken
off and Slcdge runners substituted
There is no water circulation To cause
trouble through freezing and the eli
gineS will be air cooled. We shall car
~ no weight on the aUtomObilc-at
amy rate, no more than necessary. Tho
chauffeur viii be the only passenger.
the car being used merely as an en-
CINE, rs il were, to draw the train OF
sledEcs which VIII carry the members
Of the expedition and provisions.
arrangements have already been
made for us 10 ship number Of Man
churian ponies at Lyttleton, but these
are not to do any work unless the all
tomObile breaks down. Then they Will
be used to draw the slcdges. My rea-
son for adopting the automobile rs Il
locomotive to draw sledges is because