Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-03
BRITISH VIEW OF DISCOVERY
London Papers Inclined to Credit
DR.. Cooks Story.
sHACKLETON DOES NOT AGREE
Explorer Says Reported Finding OF
North Pole Not Improbable In
Light of His Ex-
p~erience.

while II has not removed the doubts raised
to his having really accomplished the feat
he claims. has at least set at rest the
improbable suggestions advanced in some
quarters yesterday that he had attained
not the north pole. but the magnetic pole.
Captain Renold Amundsen. in an inter
view at Shristiania on this point says:
such a supposition is nonsense. The
magnetic pole is situated on the Ameri-
can side and II is quite impossible that DR..
Cook could have driven so far from his
planned route. 1 feel certain that DR..
Cook has expressed nothing definitely
about the result. I know him to be absO-
lutely discreet and t%aciturn. other people
have misunderstood him and It will be
necessary to await his. arrival at Copen-
hagen for the real facts"
The London newspapers are not wholly
convinced by the narrative and persist that
II will be necessary to await more details
and reports. They are unable to conceive
how a task which has beaten the ablest
polar explorers provided with everything
that money could purchase, would have
been achieved in such a seemingly off
hand and unprecedented manner, and with
such ease and ~quickness.
At the same time they pay tributes Of
admiration to DR.. Cook.
The Daily Telegraph saysi
plea for Fairness.
TT 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 genu-
ineness of such a claim before full details
OF the expedition are made public by the
traveller himself, Indeed we have much
sympathy because OF the difficulties by
which DR.. Cook or any other solitary ex-
piorer is hampered in attempting to con-
vince a skeptical world of geographical
experts OF the reliability OF his assertions
and reports. We trust when the proper
time comes for a full and impartial exam
ination Of the record OF the expedition DIR.
Cook, will meet with the fairness and con-
sheraton his particular case especially
invites"
The Morning Post says:
IF Or Cook has found a new track to
the pole in 80 short a time as thirty-five
days, others can follow in his footstep and
verify his story for themselves. When the
matter has been settled beyond all doubt,
the civilized world will acclaim Cook as
one of the greatest explorers of all time"
DR.. Hill is Skeptical.
DR.. Hugh r. Hill. former librarian of the
Royal Geographical society, is skeptical,
but says tina great weight must be at
tached to the Mon of polar experts in
America.
II should particularly like to know Cen
eral Greely's opinion" he said. MY own
feeling is that our present information is
insufficient to base any opinion upon
Sir Martin Conway. a noted explorer,
thinks that Dr.. Cooks claim could be ac-
cepted II his story on examination was
found to hang together.
Sir George s. Naros, who commanded she
Challenger in 1873 and was with an Arctic
expedition In 1876. says:
81 would ask Dr., Cook to what distance
from. the pole did the polar land extend
and whether he communicated with PsAry's
partyg''
Prof. Milne, the noted seismologist,
thinks that il DR.. Cook has a few properly
taken photographs Of the sky at the pole
on April q, 1908, they may assist in de-
! termining the position he reached,
Lieutenant S~hackletOn Convinced.
After reading a brief summary of DR..
Frederick A. Cooks account Of his dash
to the North Pole, Lieutenant Ernest H.
shackleton, who recently led an expedition
to the South Pole regions, said that no
body had any right to be skepticai. There
was nothing in the explorers statement
but what was perfectly possible.
Consequently" the lieutenant continued,
IT do not think the time It took him to
return is against his statement. The ques-
ton u.s., what distance was he actually from
the pole when he started with the Eskimos.
He must have done twelve miles a day TO
cover the distance given in thirty-five days.
mo other expedition has been able to do
anything near this, in the north one or
two miles a day is considered good
progress, but Cook must have travelled
over absolutely smooth ice, which is a
condition that is unique"
Discovery Not Impossible.
rDr. Cooks personal announcement that
he reached the north pole has done much
to dispel the uncertainty created here by
the first dispatches, but the information
Is still too vague to convince the hardened
skeptics. The personality Of the American
explorer is held in such esteem In British
scientific circles that those best qualified
to Judge are the readiest to explain away
the seemingly obscure points in the meageI
story of the exploit thus far available.
The general sentiment is summed up in
the Evening Standard, which, after a
lengthy review of the pros and cons, says:
There is nothing improbable in the ex-
plorer's statement. 1t viii be a source of
much satisfaction II the north pole has at
last been reached. At the same time, 1t is
permissible to feel profound sympathy for
Commander Peary. the Odysseus OF arctic
exploration, the mar OF many trials and
struggles, who wac so little satisfied with
having reached a point nearer the pole
than any other man that he spoke OF his
achievement as an empty bauble compared
to the splendid jewel l ave been s.riv-
Ing for That splendid Jewel has fallen
to the possession Of q rival"
Major Leonard Darwin, president of the
Royal Geographical society, said:
There is no reason why the north pole
should not have been reached AMI 1t Is a