The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-22
DR COOKS RECORDS
 ARE INADEQUATE Committee of Copenhagen Uni versity Make Adverse Report INDIGNATION EXPRESSED
Scientists Declare That Cooks Data Show no Proof Whatever That He Ever Reached the
 North Pole.

of learning to recognize Dr. Frederick A. Cook as the diseoverer of the north pole, declared solemnly today that the explorer had failed to establish the claim upon which his high honors had been based.
 The committee appointed by the unl- versity to examine Dr. Cooks papers re- gently reported it's findings to the coll sistory, which reviewed the deductions of the experts with the greatest care and discussed the standings from every standpoint. That both the committee and eonsistory agreed was soon discovered. The consistory met today and adopted written report 10 the effect that tho records submitted for examination by Dr. Cook failed to prove his claim that he had reached the north pole. The re- port of the committee, of which Pro- lessor Stromgren was chairman, declares that Cooks papers as presented to the consistory ara without any value; that his report to the university is practically the same as that published in the New York Herald upon his return from his Arctic expedition. The copies of his note books submitted the committee says. con- tain no original calculations of observa- tions. but only results thereof. Accord insly, the committee concludes that he affords no proof of having reached the pole.
 Documents Submitted.
 The documents handed the committee of the University of Copenhagen for ex- animation are:
 First A typewriter report prepared by Cooks secretary, Walter Lonsdale, and covering 61 pages of foolscap.
 Second. A typewriter copy made by Lonsdale from Cooks notebooks. This occupies Is pages of foolscap and includes description of the expedition during the period from March IS, 1908 to June i 13, 1909, during which, according to the statement Cook journeyed from Svarte- vog to the north pole and returned 10 a point on the polar ice not specifically in dicated, but west of the Axel Helperg land.
 The papers were not accompanied by private letter from Cook, but Secretary l Ionsdale stated verbally to the commits sion that the original notes and books of +he exnlorer from which his copies were made had been sent to Europe by another route as precautionary measures and would be delivered at the university In the course of few days.
 1 In presenting the data, Lonsdale stated explicitly and repeatedly that the copy numbered two was a complete and accu- ] rate duplication of the information con l tained in all of Cooks notebooks that 1 could be of any importance to the uni- versftv for the purpose of the examlha- ton. 1 In spite of the explorers promise ana l his secretsrys assurance that they would he forthcoming, the commission Is not yet in possession or the orlelhai holc books and diaries. sf
 No News from Cook.
 ID to this time it has been impossible for the university authorities to re-estao- fish communication with pr. Cook whlcn was suspended some time ago. The ex- nlorer's address is not known here, even 1 fo Secretary Lonsdale. After the mem bers of the examining committee had 1 made themselves acquainted individually ] with the material delivered and so con 1 y,nced themselves of it's utter worthless
 ass as means of determining whether Cook reached the pole. the president or i Inc committee. Professor Stromgren. 1 caded A meeting of the committee Tor last Friday, when the report to the uni- l versity which is now made public was 1 drawn up. .,,
 I,onsdale, who had been invited to this ] -oeot,np brought with him letter which 1 he had received from Cook which bore 1 neither the place. nor the date of it's writ 1 ing. The opened envelope, however, bore inc nostmark Marseilles, December IA, 1eoa The same envelope contained let l fer addressed by Cook to the rector or 1 the University of Copenhagen. Professor l Torn. The letter to Torp was dated New | York, September 27, 1909.
 Tn his letter to Professor Torp, Cook states that not only were his instru- l ments left at Etah. but most of his as- tronomical observations also were left there and he adds that without these it seems unwise and impossible to pass a final judgment upon his expedition.
 Committees Report.
 The committees report is as follows: 1 1. The report of the expedition sent to the university by Dr. Cook is the same as that printed in the New York Herald l during the months of september ana oc- tober last.
 ?. The copy of. Cooks note book does not contain any original astronomical observa tions whatsoever, but only results 2. The documents presented are inex- 1 cusably lacking in information which would prove that the astronomical obser' 1 vations therein referred to were really | made and also contain no details re- garding the practical work of the expedi. ton and the long journey which would enable the committee to determine their reliability
 The committee. therefore, is of the opin- ion that the material transmitted for examina tion contains no proof that pr. Cook reached the pole.
 The report is signed by all six members | of the committee who were assisted in their, inquiry by Knud Rasmussen, the explorer.
 The university council issued this state- ment:
 "The documents handed the university for examination do not contain observa- | ton and information which can be re- | garded as proof that Dr. Cook reached the north pole on his recent expedition"
 Members of Committee.
 The committee representing the Uni
 versity of Copenhagen in the examina- tion was composed as follows
 Prof Elias Stromgren, director of the astronomical observatory; Dr. c. F. Pc. chuls, astronomer attached to the observ- atory; Gustav Holm, explorer; Prof. A
 B.. Yonson, president of the School of
 Navigation; Dr. Royder director of the
 meteorological office, and Dr. F. A. Eng.
 stroni. director of the Lund observatory
 Widespread Indignation over the decep-
 ton which has placed practically the whole of Denmark in somewhat humili- ] stlng position has taken the place to-
 day of the hero-worship heretofore ac-
 corded 10 Explorer Cook.
 The public is able to comprehend why
 Cook sent his papers when he admits is the letter presented 10 Professor Torp by
 Isonsdale that "it seems unwlse and i'm.