The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-10-07
South Pole Expedition.

Special to The Herald
Although to America belongs the
honor of North Pole discovery, Eng
land is determined that the South
Pole will be the prize over which
the British flag will float The whole
country has been aroused to the
greatest enthusiasm by the project of
Captain Scott, and no loyal Eng.
lishman doubts that he will reach
the goal There will be plenty of
money available to fit out the ex-
petition in the best manner. In an
inspired editorial the Times has this
to say of the great adventure:
The difficulties to be faced by
the proposed South Polar expedition
vary very greatly from those which
faced by Commander Peary and his
predecessors in their attack on the
North Pole As all the world has
realized during the last few days,
the North Pole lies in the midst of
a frozen sea After the edge of the
continental shelf is left behind the
floor of this sea appears to lie at
a great depth over a wide area At
point five miles from the Pole
Commander Peary found no bottom
at a depth of 800 fathoms. Be-
tween the shores of Grant Land and
the Pole his chief physical obstacle
lay in the unfrozen channels which
here and there seam the eXpanse, re-
naming open for an indefinite pc
riOd of days or hours. The South
Polar region, on the other hand, is
occupied by an extensive and lofty
continent On the last expedition
Mr.. Shackleton viewed several new
mountain ranges, and reached
plateau at an elevation of more than
200 feet. The proposed expedition
will accordingly be organized main
ly in the light of the experience
gained from its two immediate pre-
decessors.
The absence of all human life in
the Antarctic area renders impOssi-
BILE the formation of any such stand
ing base as Commander Peary prac
tiealfy established among the Whale
Sound EskimOs, or the utilization
of any similar native aid in the ad-
vance on the Pole. The question of
transport lies at the center of the
whole problem. 1t is complicated
by the varied character of the
ground to be traversed after the ex-
petition disembarks The south
ward route followed by Mr. Shack
Teton led first over the level ice
fields of the Great Barrier, thence
up slOping glaciers, and afterwards
across mountain ranges to the great
plateau of the interior As the re-
suit of the experience already gained
Captain Scott has decided again to
take with him number of the Man
churian ponies which played so use
full a part in the last expedition
These will be used for the transport
of food as far as the foot of the
glaciers. for the passage of which
they have been found to be insult
able
Their places wall then be taken
by Eskimo dogs But the most nov
ell and interesting means of trans
portatiOn which it is intended to
adopt on this occasion is the motor
sledge A motor sledge was tested
during the last expedition; but,
although it proved possible to run
it in the lowest temperatures eX-
perienced it was useless for long
journeys, as its wheels were too mar
row to find support on soft snow.
During the last two years satisfac-
tory experiments have been made in
Norway with a motor sledge of i'm
proved design; and it is now hoped
that this means of traction will be
available for at least considerable
part of the journey.
1t is the intention of Captain Scott
to form, if possible, a second base
in King Edward VII Land, where,
on the last voyage, Mr.. Shaekleton
failed to effect a landing, as well
as one at McMurdO Sornd, which is
the base hitherto used. In order to
provide sufficient men and equip
ment for carrying out extensive sci
entific Investigations, as well as to
make the main attack upon the Pole,
a vessel will be needed of ample ca
pacity, and of strength which will
enable it to withstand the heavy ice
pressure which it is expected to
meet in endeavoring to form the new
or eastern base. For all this, mon
ey is needed, and, without delay
For an object so well calculated
both to uphold the national reputa-
ton and to extend the boundaries of
science, the support both of learned
bodies and of private persons can be
claimed with no ordinary conf
dence