Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-07
OBSERVATIONS OF SUN
BASIS OF HIS ATTACK
Saws Scientific Theories Refute Ex-
plorer's Story of Travel.
AUDIENCE NOT IN ACCORD
Lecturer Quizzed by Hearers, Who
Do Not Agree With His Conclu-
sions-Peary Given Full
Credence.

DIR. Frederick \. Cook could not have
reached the north pole nor could ne
have come within hundreds of miles OF
it. was asserted by Rear Admiral C.
ture before the members of the Uni
versity Club last night
The records of Commander Robert f.
Peary prove he reached the top of the
confidently declared.
Admiral Chester is a member of the
committee of the National Geographic
Society which has stamped as genuine
was practically the first public utter
ance by an official of the National Geo.
graphic Society, although given un-
officially. which has fatty and openly
cast discredit on DR.. Cook.
Admiral Chester was strong in his at
tack on DR.. Cook as a claimant for hon
ors as an explorer. The word fake" was
used in connection with the claims Of
DIR. Cook regarding his explorations.
In substance he indicated that he be-
ieves that DIR. Cook could not have known
anything about the midnight sun, to make
the statements which he has made in
describing his journey to the Goth de-
gree Of north latitude.
Cooks Records Analysed.
Practically the entire lecture was given
up to a discussion of DIR. Cooks records
reach the north pole. Little was said of
commauler Peary. The speaker passed
the GAINS OF Commander Peary
with the brief statement that the records
were satisfactory to scientists, who had
examined them, and that his claims will
bc accepted as truth.
The lecture was intended largely for
scientists, and involved technical scien-
tific discussion of observations in the
arctic region. and the relations of DIR.
Cooks records, as published, to them.
He was followed closely by the scien-
lists who were present. but the disa
cussion was largely over the heads of
many laymen who were in attendance.
Throughout the lecture Admiral Chester
used several diagrams. prepared on sci
entific lines. II was by these diagrams
that the admiral attempted, in his ad-
dress. to discredit the records and claims
Of DIR. Cook.
On one map was a dot near the SD
degree of north latitude that was marked
DIR. Cooks highest north The point
was a short distance north of Cape
Thomas Hubbard. and Commander Peary
claims IT is the farthest north of DIR.
Cook. admitted by the Eskimos who ac-
companied DIR. Cook on his journeys in
the arctic regions in 1908.
On another map was a red line over
100 miles from the north pole. That line
was marked ''Dr. Cocks reported posi-
tion April :. 190Sr That is the time
when DR.. Cook claims he was at the
boreal center.
At the outset of the lecture Admiral
Chester made a brief reference to DIR.
Mount Mckinney. lie declared that DIR.
Cook had exhibited two pictures sup
posed to have been taken at the top of
the mountain.
Turning next to the claims of DR.. Cook
regarding his discovery of the north pole,
the speaker said he relied on the pub
lished accounts given by DIR. Cook O..
the trip TO the -op of tho world. IL those
records are correctly published. Admiral
chester declared. they fall short of prov
Ing that he made the trip he claims
Sun Observations Attacked.
BY scientific data and theory as To the
position Of the midnight sun I'm the arctic
region during the period of the year that
DIR. Cook claims he went through the
frozen north, Admiral Chester attempted
TO show that DIR. Cook could not have
days.
Taking definite dates. he said that DR..
Cook claims to have seen the sun a GER
tain number of diameters above the hori-
zon. AS scientific fact, Admiral Chester
asserted. the sun not only was not at
that position, but was below the horizon.
The discussion of the scientists theories
as 10 where the sun is on certain days
OF the year was technical and detailed.
Aiter indicating clearly the beliefs of
the experts in Astronomy and in latitude
and longitude determinations. the speaker
went on to say that the published rec
ords of DIR. Cook, so far as they show
hts position on succeeding days. do not
agree or coincide with the scientific
In his brief reference to the claims of
Commander Peary. the speaker indicated
that the commanders records agree with
the views of the scientists and experts
In his efforts to show that DIR. Cook S
claims as to positions are wrong. Admiral
Chester relied OH the theories, based on
astronomical observations. of scientists as
10 the position OF the midnight sun.
The determination OF positions by the
polar explorers are made by observations
of the suns position. Therefore Admiral
Chester used the position of the sun, as
worked out in theory by scientists. to dis
credit the claims of DIR. Cook.
Sunset Is Criticised.
Admiral Chester contended that Dr.
Cook erred in saying that at a certain
point In his travels north he witnessed a
remarkable sunset. IL he had been at that
point, the speaker continued. he would
have found the sun high in the heavens.
The testimony of the Eskimos who &C.
companied DIR. Cook also was reviewed
This testimony. the admiral insisted
showed conclusively that the party wit
Continued on Second Page.)