The Columbus journal., 1909-09-08
STORY IS BELIEVED
Or. COOK CREOiTEO WITH
REACHING NORTH POLE.
VIEWS OF THE LONDON PAPERS
shackeiton Says Reported Finding Of
North Pole Not improbable in
Light Of His Experience.

Washington.-Maur F. Egan. thu
United States minister at Copenhagen
has telesraphed the State department,
that DR.. Cooks reported discovery OF
the north pole has been c0rrOborated
by Dergaard Jensen. the Danish in
spector of north Greenland.
| London.-Dr. Cooks narrative OF
his thrilling journey to the north pole
which he reached on April 2lst. while
1t has not removed the doubts raised
% his having really accomplished the
feat he claims. has at least set at
| rest the improbable suggestions ad.
vanced in some quarters that he had
attained not the north pole. but the
magnetic pole.
Captain Renold Amundsen, in an in
terview at Christiania ON this point
says: Such suppOsition is nom
sense. The magnetic pole is situated
on the American side and it is quite
impossible that DR.. Cook could
have driven SO far from his planned
route. / feel certain that DR.. Cook
has expressed nothing definitely about
sAAS NS"iS- hlo" W pc ttDSOlutSs
ly discreet and taciturn. Other peo-
pie have misunderstood him and it
will be necessary to await his ar
rival at Copenhagen for the real
facts
The London newspapers are not
wholly convinced 10y the narrative and
persist that it will be necessary to
await more details and reports. They
are unable to conceive how a task
which has beaten the ablest polar ex-
plOrerS provided with everything that
money could purchase. would have
been achieved in such seemingly Off
hand and unprecedented manner, and
with such ease and quickness.
The Daily Telegraph says:
ut is for the moment beside the
question to discuss the accuracy or
probability of DR.. Cooks statement.
1t is neither just nor generous to
question in any way the genuineness
Of such Il claim before full details of
the expedition are made public by
the traveller himself. Indeed we have
much sympathy because of the diff
ficvlties by which DR.. Cook or any
other solitary explorer is hampered in
attempting to convince skeptical
of geographical experts of the reli-
ability OF his assertions and reports.
We trust when the proper time comes
for full and impartial examination |
Cook will meet with the fairness and
consideration his particular case espe- |
cially invites"
Dr.. Hugh Il. Hill, former librarian |
OF the Royal Geographical society. is /
skeptical, but says that great weight |
must be attached to the opinion O: j
polar experts in America.
Il should particularly like to know
General Greely's opinion" he said.
my own feeling is that our present
is insufficient to base any
opinion upon.'
Sir Martin Conway, noted ex-
Dlorer. thinks that Dr. Cooks claim
;ouid be accepted If his story on ex-
was found to'hang together
Prof. Milne. the noted seismologist.
kinks that if DR.. Cook has a few
properly taken photographs of the
ky at the pole on April q. 1908, they
nay assist in determining the position
lie reached.
After reading a brief summary of
II. Frederick a. Cooks account of !
lis dash to the North pole. Lieuten-
mt Ernest II. Shackleton. who recent
Y led IN expedition to the South pole
egions. said that nobody had any |
light to be skeptical. There was
othing in the explorers statement ;
ut what was perfectly possible. C
Taft TO Visit Alaska.
Beverly, Mass.-President Taft. in
idding goodbye TO Walter Ely Clark,
tho is TO be inaugurated at juneau
s governor of Alaska, October ], an
ounced that he probably would visit
ne far northwestern territory next +
lmmer