The San Francisco call., 1909-09-02
KING EDWARD AND
ALL LONDON PAPERS
ARE INTERESTED

LONDON, Sept. 2.-Dr. Cooks feat
has created tremendous interest among
all classes here, especially geographers.
The brief telegram concerning his
achievement printed in last evenings
papers together with sketches OF Dr.
cooks records and all known pre1im-
tnaries. of his expedition, were read
with the utmost eagerness and there
Is the greatest curiosity to hear the
story OF the explorers triumph. The
news was Immediately sent to King
Edward at MArienbad and he displaved
the greatest interest s..
The London morning papers give
this the premier place and print every
available item concerning DR.. Cooks
explorations. Editorially, however, the
papers in general, while giving UNI
grudgtng honor to DR.. Cook, as man
OF reputation we'll fitted to achieve the
triumph, are inclined to skepticisni
and think it advisable to await details
from DR.. Cook himself. Some .disap-
pointment is expressed that Great
Britain has thus been robbed of the
envied honor, but there is satisfaction
that 1t goes at least TO man OF An
glo-Saxon blood, bearing a name al
ready famous in sea story.
The Chronicle says:
All honor to the daring man who.
having been given up for dead. has
appeared with the news of victory"
Captain Robert F. Scott. commander
of the British Antartic expedition of
10000, in an interview said:
When 1 saw Dr. Cook in 1901, he
gave me valuable information which
proved OF great service to me on the
Discovery expedition. He impressed
me as being well fitted for polar ex-
ploracon. From the .meager news re-
ceived today he seems to have made
an average OF IL miles daily from Cape
Columbia to the pole; very good prog
ress, indeed, considering the dificul-
ties OF the ice packs.
Remembering the experiences of
Markham and Peary, il must be imae
ined that Cook bad extraordinarily good
luck in getting northward at such
speed He does not appear to have
travelled over Peary's latest route.
which starts at a point considera bly
TO the eastward OF Cape Columbia, SO
that it is scarcely fair to suggest tnat
he has taken Peary's route"
NEEDS CORROBORATToN
Captain Scott believed the absence
Of Francke, his only civilized comma
nion, placed DR.. Cook in an awkward
position II he wished to return with
corroborative evidence. but it could
scarcely be expected when he saw. the
possibility Of reaching the pole simply
with the aid of the Eskimos that
he would forego the journey only be-
cause he was not accompanied by an
other civilized man.
Captain Scott said. that If an Amer
lean had succeeded in reaching the
pole it must be remembered that that
country is on top in pioneer efforts.
Great Britain still holds the premier
position in Antartic exploration and he
added that 1T is to be hoped English
men would not let slip the honor of
the conquest of the south pole by
neglect such as has been shown lately
IN north pole exploration.
Survivor of Kane Expedition
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. Amos
Bonsal. the only survivor of the
Elisha Kent Kane north pole expedi-
ton, that left this city in 1853 only
TO meet disaster at a point estimated
at 700 miles short of the goal, was in
tensely interested in the report of the
success of DR.. Cooks expedition.
Il shall believe that Doctor Cook
has discovered the pole until the con-
trary is proved" said BonsaII today.
for / have always felt that an Amer
lean would do 1t. / think the extraor-
binary pluck manifested by Doctor
Cook deserves this regard He went
north practically on his own hook
'Of course. Doctor Cook will bring
back material evidence of the discov-
cry or he will be able to give convinc-
ing data. Otherwise. scientific men
will be inclined to question the claims.
The rIgors of that region are such
that II Is almost impossible to conceive
of human beings surviving at all. II
is and always has been a question of
endurance and little else, of a willing
ness to endure things that the aver
age mortal has no conception Of"
Expedition Sought Cook
NEW YORK, Sept. 1.-Dr. Roswell o.
Stebbins. chairman OF the committee
that organized the relief expedition sent
out for DR.. Cook, said today that no
news OF any kind regarding the ex-
p1orer has reached his frfepds ard