Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-03-24
ARRIVES CLOSE
TO SOUTH POLE
BRITISH EXPEDITION NEARLY
REACHES GOAL
sHAcKLEToN PARTY REPORTED
NEAR SOUTHERN CENTER
Journeys on sledges 1908 Miles and
Gets Within III Miles Of Antaro-
tic Lode--unlon Jack
Hoisted
fBy Associated Press. ]


LONDON, March 23.-Lieut e. II.
Shackleton of the British navy, and
commander of the Antarctic expedition
which returned on the barkenttne MINI
rod to Invercargill, N. a., today, sue
ceeded in getting within Ill miles Oh
the south pole. :.
The Nimrod expedition left England
in July, 1907, and after reaching the Ice
fields and making elaborate prepara-
lions, the main expedition started on a
sledge Journey that occupied 126 days
and traversed 1908 miles southwark.
The explorers reached latitude 1925
south and longitude 1872 east
5000 feet In altitude, trending south
ward in a vast field of sonw, no noun
tains being in sight.
A second party pushed forward to the
southern magnetic pole at latitude 72.25,
longitude 154 east. The British flag
was left flying at both points.
The ascent of Mt Erebus was ac-
complished with difficulty, and geolog-
icaI discoveries Of great Importance
were made.
The results attained have thrown
much light on the history of the Ant
arctic continent.
The expedition suffered no loss of life.
Dream Nearly Realized
If the Shackleton expedition had
reached the south pole, a dream OF
navigators that has inspired many ear
lier and futile attempts would have
been reached.
The farthest point south heretofore
reached was 20 degrees so minutes,
where C. Il. Borchgrevink, a Norwe-
gian explorer, arrived on March IL,
1900
The magnetic position of the south
pole has been fixed at about latitude
1920 south and longitude LAG east
The lands of the Antarctic regions
were first discovered by Capt. Cook In
s1773-75. He was the first man to cir
cumnavigate the southern pole conti-
nent,
Since this time and especially UP to
1S43 various whaling vessels ventured
as far south as possible and reported
the discovery and naming of new terri
tory.
A French expedition on the Pourquoi
Pas, under DIR. Charcot, at present Is In
the Antarctic.
Breaks All Records
Lieut.. Shackleton left his permanent
quarters last autumn for a dash to tho
south pole. and has succeeded, aIter
an arduous sledge journey of 1908 miles,
which occupied 126 days, in reaching
354 miles nearer the pole than the point
attained by the Discovery expedition.
of which he was an officer.
AS the expedition to the south pole
was undertaken rather for the purpose
of geographical survey than with the
idea of reaching the pole itself, 1t may
be said to have succeeded beyond the
most sanguine expectations.
Lieut. Shackleton made some depart
ures from the usual preparations for
Journey across the snow and ice. He
to>k with him a motor car which could
t.. .k..1 erst0 exIA 6orn a M Il
tuted ponies for dogs and light woolen
clothing for heavy fnrs.
Briefly summarized, the results OF
the expedition are that point was
reached within Ill miles of the south
pole, that the magnetic pole also was
reached, eight mountain chains were
discovered and 100 mountains.
Mount Erebus. 1890 feet high, was
assembled by the party; new coast
and high mountains were located, run
ming west from Victorialand, and coal
fields were discovered In the Antarctic
continent.
The theory of the existence of an
area of atmospheric calm around tnc
south pole was disproved.
Describes Journey
Lieut.. Shackleton thus describes the
dash to the pole:
"The southern party. composed of
with four ponies and a supporting par
ty consisting of Brocklehurst, Joyce,
Marson, Armytage and Priestly, lett
Cape Boyd on October 49, 1908.
ION November we left Hut Point
with ninety-one days provisions, but
we reached November s. The support
ing party returned to the permanent
quarters on November Z. Owing to the
bad light among the ice crevasses,
Adams and his pony were nearly lost.
A few days later WEI reached the depot
az latitude 1926. longitude 1853 east. We
commenced to reduce our daily rations
and Travelled south along meridian 1853
over a varying surface of ridges and
mountains of snow.
In latitude 81 ga we shot 2 pony and
made a depot of oil, biscuit and pony
meat, taking the rest of the pony meat
to exc out our dried rations. we
reached the Discovery's most souther-
Nv latitude ON November 26. The ponies
were attacked by snow blindness. and
the second of them was shot, the depot
being made in latitude 82.45, longitude
40. On November 80 we killed our
third pony.
Discover Big Glacier
"In steering south and southeast we
were now approaching q new high
range of mountains, trending to the
southeast. On December we discov-
cred a glacier 100 miles long and ap-
proximately 40 miles wide, running in
a tr-southwesterly direction, and on
December we started to ascend 1t at
latitude SO. SO, longitude 172. The glacier
was full of bad crevasses.
+. "It took the whole of the next day
for us to fiht our way 600 yards. On
December Z, the last remaining pony
broke through a snowslide and disap-
peared in crevasse. Fortunately, the
singletree snapped and we saved Wild
and the sledge, which was damaged.
The party was now hauling a weight
of $50 pount's per man.
"The clouds disappeared on Decem-
Der and we discovered new mountain
ranges, trending south and southwest.
'On December IS we reached anlalti-
tude of $500 feet. In latitude 5000 We
founded a depot and left everything
there but our food, Instruments and
camp equipment and reduced our ra-
80. rae.ra