Perth Amboy evening news., 1909-12-21
Danish Experts Regard His
Claim of Reaching North
Pole as Baseless.
DECLARE HIS DIARIES
ARE OF LITTLE VALUE
Records Regarded as Show
ing incredible ignorance
or Deliberate lmposture.


Copenhagen, Dec. 21.-The Uni
versity investigating committee to-
day reported to the University of
Copenhagen that DR.. Cooks records
do not carry conviction, and that his
records and observations are wholly
insufficient to warrant a verdict that
he discovered the north pole. This
decision Is considered final.
The committee which examined
Cooks records consisted of six
world renowned scientists. includ-
ing officers, astronomers and navi-
gators. The university now has
only to issue q formal announcement
of the report.
In the report adopted by the uni
versity consistory based on the find
ing of the examining committee, 1t
is declared that records ond obser-
yations submitted are no more con-
vincing from scientific standpoint
than was DIR. Cooks newspaper ac-
count OF his explorations.
Walter Lonsdale, DR.. Cooks pri-
vate secretary, who brought the data
to Copenhagen, is greatly disap-
pointed and is making an effort to
have the university reserve final
| judgment, He told the committee
that missing data which is part
of Cooks original document were
to arrive in few days. He ex-
planned that this data was sent by
different route for prudential
reasons The appeal will not be
considered and the finding of to-
day closes the chapter.
Records Considered Inadequate.
The commission Of scientists ap-
pointed by the university have decided
that Cooks so called, proofs are in
adequate to satisfy anybody. There Is
practically nothing that by any stretch
of language could be termed proof.
The famous diaries are scientifically Of
no more value than We're the supposed
testamentary dispositions in Nine,
Humbert's safe. They prove nothing
| except incredible ignorance Of the ele-
| mentary requirements of the situation
or colossal inposture, Cooks talk Of
astronomical observations is c0nsid.
cred as vague as his declarations
abont the inetraments under rock III
Etah.
No Astronomical Observations.
Some Of the scientists on the com.
mission are convinced that DIR. Cook
never made any observations above
| the seyenty-ninth parallel. Certainly
| no original astronomical observations
were submitted to them. It is to be In
ferred that he merely entered up the
degrees and minutes Of latitude accord
ing to his own sweet VIII, adding the
| seconds when II seemed to him desira
BILE.
1t is undisputed that Cook did Ger
tain amount Of travelling in the arctic
regions, and he declares that he told
his Eskimo companions that they had
reached the big nail" But SO far al
can be judged by the processes Of com
putation he employed as submitted tC
the Danish scientists he might just az
well have told them they had reached
the south pole.
Charitable Verdict Possible.
The report which the consistory Of
Copenhagen university viii make pub
lie may not go to these lengths.
charitable view will probably be takeI
and DR. Cook dismissed with the ex
PLANTATION that he has not established
his claims to the discovery Of the pole
While there is no difference Of opin
ion among the experts of the examin
ing commission as to the invaiidity o.
Cooks claim, there is disagreement
as to whether he suffered from hal
lucination or is deliberate impostor
This question will probably be settled
decisively by an inquiry now beint
made here.
Continued on page 81
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