The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-08
Explorer Appears Before Con- mittee of the House
IMPRESSION IS FAVORABLE
With Published Accounts of Dis covery Of the Pole and Is
 Entirely Satisfactory

Washington, January 7.-(specia1.)- Armed with what his friends declare am pie proof that he has been to the north pole, Capt. Robert E. Peary appeared to- day before the subcommittee of the pri- vate bills of the committee on naval af- fairs and submitted his evidence. He ap- peared in connection with the considera- tion of the bill to promte him in recog- nition of his services. For the most part the members of the subcommittee were convinced before he appeared that he had reached the pole. But it was deemed best to head off any charge on the floor of the House that his promotion has been rec commended without considerable of the evidence. Moreover, two members of the subcommittee were well known to be hos tile to Pearys claims as an explorer Representatives Macon of Arkansas and Roberts of ssachusetts.
 Mir. Macon ing 5 that If Peary be rec ognized and pi noted. then Dr. Cook ought to be-. In spite of this, the fellfng Of the committee generally is favorable to Peary, and the opinion was expressed among members of the subcommittee that there would be legislation for his promotion along the lines recommended by the President and Secretary of the Navy Meyer.
 Closely Questioned
 In the hearing Captain Peary was sub jected to close questioning by the com mittee. He told In frank and straight forward manner about his polar trip. He began, at the suggestion of the commit tee, at the time when Captain Bartlett left him and when at point l33 miles from the pole he. with four men and five sledres. with 40 dogs, started north on the last lap of the trip. He told or each of the five marches made toward the pole from the point where Bartlett left He said he made c' miles on the first march 20 on the second, 25 on the third se''d a5 on the fourth, and 30 on the last.
 .At the last point" he said, II judged that I had got near enough 10 the pole so I could reach 1t from that place. I estimated I was three or four miles from the pole. l reached there in the afternoon as had hoped to do, so that I could determine what to do the next day. Observances indicated that we were at s9 degrees, 57 minutes, about three miles from the pole. It showed that I could make my last camp there."
 Marches Near the Pole
 Peary then told of his marches in several directions in the immediate vi- cinity of the pole and his observations at that time, April 6, 1909. He also de- clared that the return trip began a. 4 o'clock in the afternoon of April T. On the way back. he said, he stopped about a mile from the pole and made soundings At 1500 fathoms he could not reach bottom and on trying to haul up the apparatus the wire broke and he lost 1t. That the party on the re- turn covered the first two outward marches in ons day and the second two outward marches in one day. They had northerly gale at their backs and this assisted them.
 Among other things, Captain Peary explained that 1t was not difficult to follow trail. owing to the marks of the steel-shod sledges, the tracks of the dogs and the like He said that very little snow fell and that what was generally termed Arctic ice was really snow. The dropped pemmican cans also helped to mark the trall Captain Peary presented Captain Bart lett's original record Of observations to the committee. It was made by Bartlett and written in pencil.
 It was taken 133 miles from the pole and was dated Arctic Ocean. April l., 1So9' Bartlett said here that the weather was good and that Peary should reach the Pole in eight days. This record was in Bartlett's own handwriting on leaves from his note book The observation showed S7. .46. .49. The signature Is Robert A. Bartlett, master of steamship Roose- velt.''
 Daily Memoranda
 Peary read from his memoranda from day to day as made during the last stages of the trip, and members of the commit tee listened with keen interest. Whether a man could manufacture records of ob- seryations was a point on which the ex- plorer was questioned. He said this was a matter of dispute. Representative Rop- crts raised the point that Bartletts rec ord was written with two pencils. He thought this somewhat strange.
 Both Roberts and Macon found some room for debate over the fact that Prof Henry Gannett made statements as to the dogs and sledges that did not agree numerically with Pearys own state ments. It appeared, however, that Gan nett was speaking from memory. After Captain Peary had completed the reading of his memoranda for the days just before he arrived at the pole. while he was there and on the return trip. the subcommittee adjourned until Tuesday. No action was taken and he will be heard further at that time Captain Bartlett, who Is now in Boston. may be called. At the close of today's session the general feeling was expressed that Peary had made good" and that his evidence was satisfactory.
 Reprieved by the Governor