Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-09
Statement of Capt. Loose.

0IdtShSAI " SdpL AOOSS.
Here is the statement Of Capt. Loose:
1T took me only about three minutes,
on my first acquaintance with DR.. Cook,
to get the idea into my head that he
had never found the north pole. I found
| that he was entirely ignorant on many
| vital points of the method of taking OBJ
servations.
1T amazed me that man who needed
SO much enlightenment would have the
nerve TO come out and say he had dis
covered the north pole. Even If he got
there l soon found that, from his own
admissions he did not have the proofs
Il could not help wondering how he
ever imagined he found the pole If he did
not know how to take observations. The
idea forced itself upon me that he had
just imagined it,
1T was not alone on my first meeting
with DR.. Cook that this idea possessed
me. but all through in my dealings with
him. He could not answer simple ques-
tons on matters that he should have
been entirely familiar with. and time and
again he would tell me that he could not
explain important features of the work
nT observation without referring to his
books.
Cook Engages Losses Services.
When met Dr. Cook the afternoon of
really did not believe that he had found
the pole. because, with George H. Dunkle.
! had gone over his observations as pub
lished in the New York Herald, and had
found them lacking in many essentials.
1T was entirely at Mr. Dunkle's sug-
gestion that ! went to the doctor to offer
my services. and ] may as we'll make 1t
plain at the start that I gave the doctor
to understand, before the end Of our first
interview, that proposed to fix up some
sets of observations for him that he
could either send to Copenhagen as his
own or that he could copy.
"Of course, / have no way OF knowing
that the doctor did actually copy my
observations and send them in as his
own work. because he did not show the
observations to me before he sent them
away. nor did he tell me exactly what
use he had made of them. I do know.
however. that the doctor told me more
than once that l had helped him greatly,
and that he felt safe. after had turned
over to him all the observations l had
made. together with lot of suggestions,
In sending his proofs away.
Il also feel confident that II he used the
stuff he had before l started in to help
him he would never convince those Dan
ish scientists
Reference to Capella.
Referring to Capella. Capt Loose, in
his sworn statement, says:
III WOIhlilS OCl lNc oDSeTNdllOilS Ou
stars at Anoratok l experienced some diff
ficulty, because DIR. Cook had made no
observations of any kind there. He did
not have a record of time.
1t was necessary we get a line on some
fixed stars which could be used In eStab-
fishing and checking UP the time and rate
of his chronometer watches l determined
that Capella, a fine star for observation
purposes, would be visible from Anoratok.
After some little calculation l deter
mined that Capella would be visible In the
southern horizon. But on reference to
volume of the Arctic Pilot giving de-
scriptions of the shores of Smith sound,
| found that there was mention of high
stretch of cliffs to the southwark of
Anoratok and rising abruptly from the
beach.
1.-THE elevation Of Capella above the
southern horizon was SO low that ! was
afraid an investigation would show that
it. could not be seen from pr. Cook
time when Capella would appear in the
northern horizon. SO that 1t could be seen
out over the ice. as there could be no
question of the cliffs interfering with the
observation in that direction.
Il also calculated Capella in the west
ern horizon for a longitude sight and,
assuming the longitude of the point which
Dr. Cook had placed on the chart as Ano
ratok to be correct this longitude sight
enabled me to give him a start for his
chronometer time and his difference from
Greenwich mean time.
Loose a Native of Norway.
Capt. August Wedel Loose was born at
Bergen, Norway, March II. 1869. and
in his younger days worked as an assist
ant to his father, who has long been con-
nected with the coast survey of Norway.
Capt Loose studied at the navigation
college at Bergen. and was graduated in
1891 with highest honors. He has been in
command of many seagoing vessels.
Lewis Nixon. the shipbuilder, who
vouches for Capt. Looses competence AS