New-York tribune., 1912-03-09
GIVES CREDIT TO SKIS
Norwegian's Success Probably
Due to Them, Says Scientist.
LOOKS FOR CONTROVERSY
DR.. ArctoWski Asserts if Amund-
sen Won British Disappoint-
ment Will Be Great.

| know that Scott won the race, but II
Amundsen has won, all credit to him. a
victory for the Norwegian would be a great
| inspiration for small nation. In any
event the sport, the striving for spectacu-
| lar records. at either pole Is now thing
Of the past. and now We will get scientific
exploration and investigation which viii he
of practical benefit to the world.
| That was the comment of Or Henryk
! Arctowski. the Polish scientist. who was
member of the Belgca expedition to the
| Antarctic. 1879 which was commanded
/ by De Gerlache. and of which Captain
| Aundsen was the second officer, on the
cable dispatches telling Of Amundsen's
reaching the South Pole Dr. Arctowski Is
now the head Of the science department
OF the New York Public Library. lie Is
warm personal friend of Captain Scott,
and his sympathies are with the British
explorer, rather than with his successful
rival Captain Amundsen. His estimate Of
the two men he summed up in this man
ner:
! "Amundsen IS a wonderful and broad
minded sportsman Scott is sportsman,
/ hut a student first"
The scientist believes that the attainment
Of the South Pole-he refuses TO call II
discovery-wil crgender a controversy OF
some kind. though he does not think II will
be anything similar 10 tho Peary-Cook con
troversy over the North Pole.
This question OF the sportsman against
the scientist Of Amundsen against Scott
said Dr. Arctowsh will undoubtedly lead
to some feeling whether it develops to the
point of open controversy or not
II Amundsen won. the English people.
who feel intensely over this matter of polar
explors alton. will sar-t that the sportsman
Won not the seientist. do not mean that
there will he ans suoh wordy war as de-
vcloped over the North Pole. hut where
there is such a deep feeling there Is very
likely to be some Of II show on the sur
! face"
! pr. Arctowski explained the spirit Of the
English peorls as he observed il In London
when Captain Scotts expedition was heinz
prepared, IS a sort NJ feeling that with the
North Pole discovery credited to an Ameri-
can England must win tho other pole. lie
said that Captain SCOTS previous Antarctic
expedition the Discovery expedition In
i9r2 was one ~ the hest prepared exr'or-
ing parties he had ever seen fitted out
The work they did was a real monument
"Shackleton was an officer on the Dis
! covery. under Scott said Dr Arctowski
! "and was with Scott on his final dash
toward the pole on that trip. Shackleton
: broke. as you say here In America. on
that trip. and his health gave way go much
that when the party returned 10 their win
ter quarters he had In he sent back TO
England while the rest OF the party re-
uained throughout the winter. That hurt
shackleton's feelings. 50 that he took the
first opportunity that offered to make
trip of his own, and spurred on by that
feeling he reached the farthest south at
about III miles from the pole.
scotfs last expedition, the doctor said
was probably the hest prepared polar eY-
ploration party ever sent out, and whether
scott won the pole or not he would Ger
tainly bring back scientific observations n
the most valuable character.
"On the Belgica expedition of 1891 on
which was scientist" said Or ArctowsN
| "Amundssn was second officer. under De
Gerlache. He was about twenty years old
then. which made him about eight years
Younger than most OF the other members
OF the party He was always sportsman
first. and physically he was and rs a pow
erful tyne OF man no was very qulfit
though a man of strong will power and
fine executive.
Amundsen appreciated the fact that the
general public was far more interested In
the sporting side Of polar expedition work.
the record breaking, than In the scientific
side. and also that for that reason fnan-
cial backing was more easily obtained for
expeditions In which the scientific element
was rather subordinated 10 the race feat
ure, the race for the pole, according to Dr.
| ArctOwsH
The skis. and more especially the Nor
wegians who are expert I'm the use or
| them" said the doctor. explain prob
ably Amundsen's success because by that
means his party was Undoubtedly able to
make more speed than any explorers he
fore could make. For heavy pulling the
Canadian snowshoes are better, but for
speed the ski gives the better result. II
always comes TO a question Of man power
on these expeditions. but the Norwegians
are so expert on their skis that they can
pull heavy loads and still make far greater
| sneed than others can do on suoWshoes."