The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-02-10
SOUTH POLAR EXPLORATION.

SOUTH POLAR EXPLORATION.
The report of Lieutenant Shakleton
of the British Navy Of his South Pole
exploration in 1908, very plainly point
cd the way whereby the South Pole
can certainly be reached He reached
point almost within sight of the re-
gion about the Pole. He was only 110
miles away when the lack of provisions
and the extreme fatigue of the party
obliged return. But the going was
fairly good, The party was pursuing
comparatively easy course on a table
land 10000 feet above sea level, with
the land continuing al about the same
elevation apparently even to the South
Pole. and far beyond. So far as their
field glasses could discover, there was
no changed appearance of the country
TO deter straight march to the Pole,
although undoubtedly the hardships of
travelling at such an elevation were
very great.
This apparent certainty of a practi
cal route Of travel to the South Pole
has inspired the ambition Of good
many arctic and antarctic explorers,
and number of expeditions are in
various stages of forwardness in pre-
paraton, the outfitters intending TO pur-
sue the task so nearly achieved by Lieu
tenant Shakleton on his path, and to
reach the goal which he narrowly
missed.
But, according to the rule Of ethics
laid down by Commander Pcary, no one
should try to snatch away from Lieu
tenant Shakleton the discovery Of the
South Pole. That is the idea which
Peary claimed for himself with re-
spect to the discovery of the North
Pole He said il was a breach of eth
les for DR.. Cook to reach the North
Pole when everybody knew that he
was on the way to discover 1T. Now,
however, he appears TO be hand and
glove with those who would rob Lieu
tenant Shakleton of the honor of dis
covering the South Pole. The British
lieutenant has plainly pointed out the
way to reach that point He is ex-
pect,ng TO make another attempt to
reach that pole; and yet Commander
Peary is backing Captain Bartlett, who
was second in command in his North
Pole expedition. of last year, TO make
Il dash for the South Pole In this he
abandons the position be took in his
claim for himself. The case, as every
body recognizes. Of quest for either
pole, is no man S monopoly, but is open
to the world; Peary's claim was alb.
surd
It would be source of satisfaction if
Lieutenant Shakleton himself should be
the first TO visit the South Pole His
description of his trip was so clear,
so ightforward, so evidently in the
interest Of pure science, that every one
would be glad TO see him the first to
reach the goal of his great effort He
pointed out to others the precise path
which he took, and no one competent
for that sort of travel, and follow
ing his report, can fail to find the same
path that he traversed; but without am
pie supplies he cannot press on to the
pole We Judge that the discovery of
the South Pole cannot he postponed
longer than two or three wears at the
utmost; and then probably there Will
be depots of supplies established so
that such explorations Of the south
polar regions can be made in every di-
rection, as is in no way possible with ro-
spect to the North Pole; for that land,
apparently reaching to the South Pole
and perhaps n long way beyond, and
probably also to the right and left;
which information can be obtained by
the establishment of depots Of sup.
plies and the explorations that will be
practicable from those depots will be
of immense value TO science
II would be source OF satisfaction
to have an American the first TO reach
the South Pole, as an American first
reached the North Pole: but, after ALL
there is something in the sentiment that
as Lieutenant Sbaketon pointed cut the
pathway so clearly and made such
heroic attempt TO reach the South Pole
every one would be glad to see him
achieve the final success in his great
endeavor. The more so since there was
no effort at self laudation. no monopoly
of effort asserted. and nothing put forth
by him save the modest ambition of the
altruistic scientific explorer.