The Ordway new era., 1912-03-15
ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY
ACCEPTS NoRwEoIAN's CLAIM
AS DiscovERER.
NO WORD FROM SCOTT
IT 10 BELIEVED. HOWEVER,, BRIT.
ON ALSO REACHED
SOUTH POLE.
wsstsrn Newspaper Union New. Service.

London. - No question OF his
proofs" as to the discovery OF the
South pole will be raised, SO far as
Captain Road Amundsen IL concerned,
when he reaches civilization. accord
ing to Hobart special to the London
Daily Express. The captain landed
from the Fran at Hobart. Tasmania.
for q brief period. but positively re
fused to make any statement regard
ing his achievements.
The Royal Geographical Society ac.
cepts unqualifiedly Captain Amund-
sens claim that he reached the South
pole. and takes 1t for granted that he
was the first explorer to reach the
goal. although Amundsen's brief dis
patch does not mention that fact. He
made 1t very plain. however. that he
will not wait to submit his proofs that
he actually discovered the pole. but
will send them to the various geo.
graphical societies In the near future.
Amundscn. the dispatch adds. has
kept all OF his ships people on the
Fran 30 that his story Of the trip to
In advance OF his prepared plan. He
will stay at Hobart some time. after
which he will clear for Buenos Ayres.
thence around the Horn to San Fran:
cisco. From there he plans to drive
through the Northwestern passage TO
the Atlantic
The fact that no word has been lie
ru In, To nd
by the majority OF the English news
papers as meaning that AmundGen an
nexed the coveted honors. 1t Is be-
lieved. however. that Scott also
reached the South pole. although
there will be great anxiety until he
finally reports.
There seems to be general accept
ance from Englishmen that the Nor
wegian did exactly what he said he
did in the cablcgram received by his
brother which stated he spent three
days at the pole. That he did this to
prevent any suggestion of "Cookism,' y
is the belief here.
Geographers point out, however. that
Captain Amundsen and Captain Scott
may both have been there and within
a mile Of each other without knowing
it, and scientists here are await
ing further details before accepting
definitely the defeat of the British
expedition.
The message received by the Lon
don Daily Express from Wellington
in which Captain Amundsen was re
ported as saying that Scott mad
reached the South Pole. was based on
a telegram alleged to have been sent
by the Norwegian explorer. but the
authenticity Of which Captain Amund
sen denies.
In response to cabled instruction tc
ask Captain Amundsen point blank
whether Captain Scott reached the
Sopth Pole, the correspondent OF the
London Evening Star at Hobart tele
graphed the following statement:
"Amundsen refuses to say anything
on the question as to whether Scott
reached the South Pole or not"
Captain Amundsen has for many
years been considered one OF the
most daring and competent of Arctic
and Antarctic explorers. A sailor
from MS youth, ne staiteu oioi -
search at the age Of twenty-five. when
he participated in the Belgica Antalc
tic expedition under command of Ger
lsch. He was the first officer OF the
vessel and the voyage lasted from
1897 to 1899.
On his return Amundsen decided to
continue polar research, but this time
to go to the North in an endeavor TO
discover the Northwest Passage. He
prepared himself by undergoing a
course of study in magnetism and me-
teorology.
He sailed for the north from Chris.
tiania on board the Gjoa, with only
eight men, June 16. 1903. Proceeding
to Lancaster Sound, he sailed past
Cape Adelaide and King William
Land and Ross Strait. The vessel
wintered there.
For many months Amundsen drifted
and on August 26th met an American
whaler east of Cape Bathurst.